The Optimist’s Perspective
I recently met with my financial planner about personal and professional tax and investment planning. These types of meetings can be depressing, especially if questions begin to reveal discrepancies in thought process or planning.
In fact, in this case we received a compliment on how well in tune we were with our common goals and plans. However, I also heard how our business plan was incomplete and needed further revisions. In addition, our financial projections didn’t account certain expenses. Nevertheless, I left the meeting energized and with a can-do attitude.
Why?
Because had we not taken the first steps of creating our initial plan and presenting it, we wouldn’t have had the constructive critique that we did. In other words, we realized that though we had discrepancies in our plan, we were farther ahead than just a few short months ago.
Often, in our personal and professional lives, we hear criticism and focus only on the negative aspects of it. What we fail to see is how criticism, whether delivered eloquently or not, is one of the most positive activities we can engage in. After all, getting to a point where you receive criticism often means you’ve moved farther ahead toward your goal by the sheer exercise of getting all of your plans, thoughts and ideas together, whether written or not.
In short, the glass is never half-empty or full, but always has whatever amount of water you put in it. No matter what that amount is, it’s more than what was in it before you started, and it’s more than would’ve been there if you hadn’t decided to add water.
So, grab your glass and start filling.
What Do You Think?
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Photo Credits: CarbonNYC and jenny downing