The Power of Optimism, by Andy Dzurinko, CLU, ChFC

Greetings!

After reading a book called “The Power of Optimism: Insights to Personal and Professional Growth”, by a local planner here in town, Andy Dzurinko, CLU, ChFC, (better known as the Eternal Optimist!) I have decided to use excerpts from it for this month’s column. Considering the current uncertainty in the economic markets, the threat of war abroad and terrorism at home, and other problematic societal events, I found these passages to be enlightening and empowering, and above all, inspirational. Hopefully, you will too.

(Chapter 3, page 25) “No matter what you do, you have to believe in yourself. If you don’t, how can you expect others to believe in you? Try telling yourself one positive thing each day. It can be as non-specific as ‘something good is going to happen today.’ Make sure it is a positive thought. If you don’t send yourself these positive messages, what messages are you sending? What is the picture you habitually carry in your mind? There is no greater step you can take toward creating inner wealth and developing a positive self-image.”

(Chapter 10, page 37) “Here are three things to do to help you through each day: First, be thankful each day that you can perform your daily routine: get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, talk to your family or friends, and go to your office or appointments or whatever you have planned for that day.”

Second make sure you do everything possible to make it the best day of your life. We only have today, so be positive and caring to everyone you meet. It will make your day and everyone else’s day a better one.

Third, be the best person you can be each day. The effort you make to be the best person you can be is just as important as finally succeeding. You will feel better, and the people around you will feel better, too.”

(Chapter 16 page 49) “There will always be hard times and discouraging moments , when nothing seems to go right. It is easy to get down on yourself but if you are disciplined and control your negative thoughts, you can bounce back. Stay positive and don’t dwell on the negatives. KOKO - keep on keeping on.”

(Chapter 82 page 143) “Fear of failing keeps all of us from reaching our true potential. The real stars in life are those people who fail and yet keep trying to succeed. Failing is not a bad thing, failing is a good thing, because it means we have tried something new.”

You have failed many times, although you may not remember.
You fell down the first time you tried to walk, you almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn’t you?
Did you hit the ball the first time you swung the bat?
Heavy hitters, the ones with the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasy, got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out 1,303 times but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don’t worry about failure, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.

(Published in the Wall Street Journal by United Technologies Corporation, Hartford, CT.)