Optimism: A Necessary Trait

Filed in Thoughts on December 02, 2008



As a business owner, I am asked dozens of times a week how my business is holding up in the current global financial crisis.  I am happy to be able to say that Vitabase has grown very well this year.  However, the realist in me knows that we may be in for some rocky times in the future.  If there is not as much money out there, less money is going to be spent on vitamins.

I was talking to one of our printers yesterday and I asked about his business.  He said that they were slow but things were getting better.  When I mentioned he sounded optimistic, he said that he had not choice because business owners cannot afford to be anything but optimistic.

He was exactly right.  Optimistic thinking is the only way to think.  There is no room in a business owner's mind for pessimism.  Pessimism is a business killer for two reasons:

First, pessimism creates tension, additional pressure, and unhappiness.  None of these things are healthy for a business.  Enough said...

The even more dangerous result of pessimism is inactivity.  I am watching people and businesses all around me fall into this trap.  They think the sky is falling but instead of finding a way to survive, they curl up in a tight ball and desperately hope to hold out until the end.  They stick with failing business models rather than adapt to today's environment.

The reality is this: challenges bring opportunities and there are certainly opportunities out there for most people and businesses.  But your mindset will likely determine whether you pursue them or not.

So how can I stay optimistic while realistically understanding that there will be less money spent on vitamins in the next year?  In my case, it means realizing we can still be successful in a bad business environment.  Numerous companies grew and flourished through the Great Depression.  We are in a $40 billion market and currently, Vitabase has only a tiny piece of the market.  Even if the market contracts to half its current size, we can grow just by increasing the size of our piece.  And that happens by striving to be a better company.

Don't give up and don't stop pursuing your goals. Stay happy and stay optimistic. 



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