Betty White and I Share Something
Betty White turned 98 last week! Who doesn’t love her? When asked about her keys to aging, Betty said: “I know it sounds corny, but I try to see the funny side and the upside, not the downside”. Betty and I are genuine optimists…not head in the sand people, but people who tend to look at the cup as more than half full.
Since October of 2012, I have been writing ‘Monday Thoughts’ and sharing some ideas, reflections and mostly optimistic perspectives to help people think differently and to look at some things that may be lost in the noise of our busy lives. This weekly appointment has become a benchmark in my life and every Sunday / Monday, I stop and reflect on a topic that may be of interest to our community.
It is really hard to be an entrepreneur and I am often asked about what I think someone needs to be good at to start and build a new biz. Besides the obvious (good idea, capital, marketing magic, operational execution, great talent, etc.), I often fall back on “optimism”. Building a business is analogous to managing your life and there are so many roadblocks, obstacles and impediments that you face. For me, the cup is “mostly full”, and not because life has been easy. It is mostly full because I savor the strange and fluid challenge of “thinking my way” from point A to B and this skill or trait serves me in business, in the arts and at home.
Heads or Tails? Up or Down? Positive or Negative? No matter how you are naturally wired, you have choices and need to manage your outlook to maximize your happiness. I believe that artmaking and doing creative things provide a recipe for improving your state of mind and your emotional mindset. And, when in doubt, think like Betty!