--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Designers are inherently optimistic…" description: "\"Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make the world a better place\" — William McDonough" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png" --- # Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make… ![“Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make the world a better place” quote by William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png) > “Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make the world a better place” [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Designers' optimism drives them to improve the world through sustainable solutions. **In simple terms:** Design aims to improve the world. Key Takeaway Leverage optimism for sustainable design. Themes sustainability optimism design Mood inspirational optimistic Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - urban planning - product development - policy making Key Concepts ecological design innovation Questions to Reflect On - How can designers stay realistic? - What role does optimism play in sustainability? A Different Perspective Optimism alone may overlook constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Designers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/designers/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Design is inherently optimistic. That is its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/design-is-inherently-optimistic-that-is-its-power/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [Designers are optimistic people who are trained to be courageous about the future—and making the future happen. They aren’t always aware of the intricacies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-shedroff/designers-are-optimistic-people-who-are-trained-to-be-courageous/) [Nathan Shedroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-shedroff/) > [Venture capital is an inherently optimistic form of investment - which is both its primary strength and its primary weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-blumenthal/venture-capital-is-an-inherently-optimistic-form-of-investment-which/) [Neil Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-blumenthal/) > [In New York there are between four and six big designers, and the shows last one week. There is something wrong here. It's our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franca-sozzani/in-new-york-there-are-between-four-and-six-big-designers-and-the/) [Franca Sozzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franca-sozzani/) > [I'm always interested in collaborating with designers. I love Gaultier. I know that's kind of a high hope!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-love/i-m-always-interested-in-collaborating-with-designers-i-love-gaultier/) [Pamela Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-love/) > [We designers have been working to stimulate people's souls and minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoto-fukasawa/we-designers-have-been-working-to-stimulate-people-s-souls-and-minds/) [Naoto Fukasawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoto-fukasawa/) > [Couture has copied my things for years, in addition to countless other costume designers, claiming theirs were the original ideas. It's all part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/couture-has-copied-my-things-for-years-in-addition-to-countless-other/) [Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/) > [You don't need money to look fabulous. There are so many awesome new designers, so many designers doing collections for mass retailers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/you-don-t-need-money-to-look-fabulous-there-are-so-many-awesome-new/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [Designers may be the true intellectuals of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paola-antonelli/designers-may-be-the-true-intellectuals-of-the-future/) [Paola Antonelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paola-antonelli/) > [I'm always telling young designers to take the time to surround themselves with women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azzedine-alaia/i-m-always-telling-young-designers-to-take-the-time-to-surround/) [Azzedine Alaia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azzedine-alaia/) > [People always think that designers hate each other. And we're certainly a competitive lot, but we also enjoy each other's company. No one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/people-always-think-that-designers-hate-each-other-and-we-re/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [Design is too important to be left to designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-loewy/design-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-designers/) [Raymond Loewy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-loewy/) > [I've always worked closely with the designers and whoever's making the costumes. Comfort is the last thing you want on your mind when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-yamaguchi/i-ve-always-worked-closely-with-the-designers-and-whoever-s-making/) [Kristi Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-yamaguchi/) > [Design is all about relationships. Unfortunately, many designers don’t fully appreciate this. Some of the best design work I’ve ever done was drinking coffee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-burka/design-is-all-about-relationships-unfortunately-many-designers-don-t/) Daniel Burka > [Users are not designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/users-are-not-designers/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) ## More by William McDonough > [Honor commerce as the engine of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/honor-commerce-as-the-engine-of-change/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [I am very focused on large-scale deployments of renewable power and how we're going to get this done. Imagine our military bases covered with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/i-am-very-focused-on-large-scale-deployments-of-renewable-power-and/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [You don't filter smokestacks or water. Instead, you put the filter in your head and design the problem out of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/you-don-t-filter-smokestacks-or-water-instead-you-put-the-filter-in/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [If design is the first signal of human intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/if-design-is-the-first-signal-of-human-intention/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [ You need that same creative force that exists in a building like Disney \[Walt Disney Concert Hall\] to actually tackle that most prosaic of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/you-need-that-same-creative-force-that-exists-in-a-building-like/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [And to use something as elegant as a tree? Imagine this design assignment: Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, fixes nitrogen, distills water,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/and-to-use-something-as-elegant-as-a-tree-imagine-this-design/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [I'd so much rather have exciting architecture that causes one to stop, breathe, and reflect on the potential of the human mind, the craft,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/i-d-so-much-rather-have-exciting-architecture-that-causes-one-to-stop/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [To eliminate the concept of waste means to design things-products, packaging, and systems-from the very beginning on the understanding that waste does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/to-eliminate-the-concept-of-waste-means-to-design-things-products/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [We are not a green standard, we are a quality standard. We're different, we're multi dimensional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/we-are-not-a-green-standard-we-are-a-quality-standard-we-re-different/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/don-t-get-me-wrong-i-love-nuclear-energy-it-s-just-that-i-prefer/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [If anybody here has trouble with the concept of design humility, reflect on this: It took us 5,000 years to put wheels on our luggage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/if-anybody-here-has-trouble-with-the-concept-of-design-humility/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [The problem I have with carbon as a bad thing issue, is that people go out and say they want to be zero carbon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/the-problem-i-have-with-carbon-as-a-bad-thing-issue-is-that-people-go/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [If you don't have an end game of something delightful, you're just moving chess pieces around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/if-you-don-t-have-an-end-game-of-something-delightful-you-re-just/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [“Ultimately a regulation is a signal of design failure...it is what we call a license to harm: a permit issued by a government to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/ultimately-a-regulation-is-a-signal-of-design-failure-it-is-what-we/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [I just think it is so delightful to see people, let their elbows free. I think the exuberance of it all is really exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/i-just-think-it-is-so-delightful-to-see-people-let-their-elbows-free/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) [Explore all 68 William McDonough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) ## More Better place quotes > [Angela Merkel has been focused on the right things. She has focused on the interests of her citizens - and not just in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/angela-merkel-has-been-focused-on-the-right-things-she-has-focused-on/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [Rosalind. Well, this is the forest of Arden. Touchstone. Ay, now am I in Arden, the more fool I. When I was at home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/rosalind-well-this-is-the-forest-of-arden-touchstone-ay-now-am-i-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The gifts and the lessons my father left me will last forever: Never take yourself too seriously, never miss a chance to laugh long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-serling/the-gifts-and-the-lessons-my-father-left-me-will-last-forever-never/) Anne Serling > [It is our job to make a difference and leave the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karol-g/it-is-our-job-to-make-a-difference-and-leave-the-world-a-better-place/) [Karol G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karol-g/) > [“The world is indeed a better place when there is love, friendship, acceptance and hope. Powered by these you can indeed overcome anything including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/preeti-shenoy/the-world-is-indeed-a-better-place-when-there-is-love-friendship/) [Preeti Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/preeti-shenoy/) > [I think I just want to leave my mark in some way. I hope I leave the world a better place than it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-colfer/i-think-i-just-want-to-leave-my-mark-in-some-way-i-hope-i-leave-the/) [Chris Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-colfer/) > [Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/art-is-not-necessary-at-all-all-that-is-necessary-to-make-this-world/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [We will strive to make Taiwan a better place and enable our people to live better lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-shui-bian/we-will-strive-to-make-taiwan-a-better-place-and-enable-our-people-to/) [Chen Shui-bian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-shui-bian/) > [It gives me such hope that each one of us can contribute to make this world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/it-gives-me-such-hope-that-each-one-of-us-can-contribute-to-make-this/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [I want MIT to be the dream of every child who wants to grow up to make the world a better place. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hockfield/i-want-mit-to-be-the-dream-of-every-child-who-wants-to-grow-up-to/) [Susan Hockfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hockfield/) > [“Pets make the world a better place to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-lyons/pets-make-the-world-a-better-place-to-live/) Susan Lyons > [I've made this conscious decision to tell people on the street when I think they're wearing something great. If more people did that, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-ve-made-this-conscious-decision-to-tell-people-on-the-street-when-i/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [From the world wars of Europe to the jungles of the Far East, from the deserts of the Middle East to the African continent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hoeven/from-the-world-wars-of-europe-to-the-jungles-of-the-far-east-from-the/) [John Hoeven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hoeven/) > [Moreover, from reforming the tax code to our immigration system, to commonsense legal reform, President Bush put America on notice that he will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/moreover-from-reforming-the-tax-code-to-our-immigration-system-to/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) [Browse all 1,302 Better place quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make the world a better place", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William McDonough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/designers-are-inherently-optimistic-people-who-try-to-make-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better place" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/designers-are-inherently-optimistic-people-who-try-to-make-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/william-mcdonough-10055_better-place_designers-are-inherently-optimistic-peop_1193382.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make the world a better place” — William McDonough", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William McDonough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Designers are inherently optimistic people who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/designers-are-inherently-optimistic-people-who-try-to-make-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/designers-are-inherently-optimistic-people-who-try-to-make-the-world/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```