A Quote by William Arthur Ward

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

William Arthur Ward

Quote Topics

Change Wisdom About Expects Optimist Pessimist Realist Sails Wind

Quote Author

William Arthur Ward
American - Writer
1921 - 1994

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live. Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom. Only a person who risks is free. The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; and the realist adjusts the sails

William Arthur Ward

The Atheist complains about the wind. The Christian prays for it to change. The Satanist adjusts his sails.

Anton Szandor LaVey

The pessimistic coach complains about the play. The optimistic coach expects it to change. The realistic coach adjusts what he can control.

John Kessel

But I am an optimist about Britain; and the difference between an optimist and a pessimist is not that the optimist believes the world is wonderful and the pessimist believes it's beset by challenges; the difference is the pessimist believes we will be defeated by them; the optimist thinks the challenges can be overcome.

Tony Blair

The optimist sees a light at the end of the tunnel, the realist sees a train entering the tunnel, the pessimist sees a train speeding at him, hell for leather, and the machinist sees three idiots sitting on the rail track. "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; the pessimist fears this is true."

James Branch Cabell

I try to be a realist and not a pessimist or an optimist.

Yuval Noah Harari

Dear optimist, pessimist, and realist--while you guys were busy arguing about the glass of wine, I drank it! Sincerely, the opportunist!

Lori Greiner

An optimist expects his dreams to come true; a pessimist expects his nightmares to.

Laurence J. Peter

I think I probably hoped for it a little bit, but I'm not an optimist. I'm a realist... or maybe even a pessimist.

Clay Aiken

I refuse to use terms like 'optimist' or 'pessimist' and instead prefer 'realist.'

David Petraeus

Don't ever become a pessimist... a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.