Empowerism

People describe me as very optimistic. I don’t really like that term, because I don’t really like the whole “optimism/pessimism” axis of thought. Both of those mindsets yield a lot of agency to the universe, and that’s not the way I like to operate. I seem optimistic because I think things will work out well, but I don’t think that because I’m trusting in good fortune. I think things will work out generally well because that’s the way I’ve engineered them to work out.

Sure, some things are out of my control. Lots of things, in fact! But I don’t waste any time even thinking about whether those things will work out well or poorly. Instead, I think about ranges of outcomes, and my potential reactions.

An optimist thinks a coin flip will end up in his favor. A pessimist thinks it won’t. I don’t think either of those things – instead, I think about the bets I can make, what I stand to gain or lose, and whether I can choose to bet or not. I make my bets accordingly and then I’m satisfied that no matter how the coin lands, I’ll be fine. I’m not sure what kind of ‘ist’ that is, but that’s the kind I am.

You are not a passive observer of your own life. Roll your sleeves up and start working – minimize your need for hope or your vulnerability to fear. Be an empowerist.