How to Be Simultaneously Pessimistic and Optimistic About Your Retirement (Without Being Irresponsible)

How to Be Simultaneously Pessimistic and Optimistic About Your Retirement (Without Being Irresponsible)



Let me first define what I mean by those two terms in the context of a short story:

A major shoe manufacturer sent two of its top marketing executives to a remote part of the world to conduct a feasibility study about expanding into that market. Upon their arrival, the executives discovered – to their amazement – that not a single soul in that part of the world wears shoes. Come time for them to submit their reports to the head office, Executive A wrote, “The situation is completely hopeless – no one wears shoes here!” Executive B’s report, on the other hand, read, “We have an awesome opportunity – there are no shoes here!”

Optimistic people make things happen. Pessimistic people watch as things happen – in extreme cases, they wonder what even happened. The “downside” to being an optimist is that an idea might not work or something could go wrong, which, not coincidentally, tends to be the very viewpoint often advanced by pessimistic folks. The good question here would be: How, then, do you proceed? At our firm and in other places where I interact, I am known to be a decisively fast decision maker. And this is not because I am a pessimist, risk-taker (as some would say), careless, or because I possess any sort of super powers. In fact, I consider myself to be extremely skeptical and risk-averse to the very core!

People often make the mistake of confusing “failure to act” with being skeptical. I strongly beg to differ, and here’s why: Have you noticed that any successful person you can find (and it does not matter which field they are in) happens to be a decisively fast decision maker? Which, by the way, makes them optimists. You’ll also notice that ALWAYS, 100 percent of the time, before they make decisions, they ask a ton of questions – which makes them pessimists. That’s pretty interesting, isn’t it? They are simultaneously both optimistic and pessimistic.

Do this: Choose three successful people and observe how they make decisions; the similarities might amaze you. One way to do this would be to watch a movie about a couple of great leaders. You will not find one who does not display pessimism by asking multiple questions, but who then puts on the optimistic hat right away by adeptly making a quick decision. So now my secret is out! Or is it?

What Has This Got to Do With Your Retirement Money?

Everyone wants to be successful in retirement. The first step in doing so is getting your questions answered by the right sources – who offer you factual, sensible, and realistic answers. Next, act and act fast, because time is not just money, but everything! I hope you are not taking this to mean that you should be careless or irresponsible, because that’s not what I’m saying. However, inaction is equally bad, if not worse. So go ahead and go for it! Be pessimistic all you want initially, but then turn around and become the optimist by making a smart, quick decision!
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For your complimentary consultation with a financial professional who will answer your pessimistic questions so that you can turn around and make a decisively fast and secure optimistic decision, contact Laser Financial group at 301.949.4449 or visit our Web site today.