Optimism, pessism: What is the synthesis?

Thesis

 

 

Anti-thesis

 

 

Both Anthony Robbins and Alain de Botton explore how we can maintain emotional stability. Robbins stresses the importance of a positive vision, of instrumental optimism. De Botton stresses the importance of managing expectations, of instrumental pessimism. Both arguments ring true. But this insight begs the question of when to use each.

What’s the synthesis?

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