Have Faith in Yourself But Be Ruthless With Your Ideas

I believe most entrepreneurs are optimists

which is a necessary mindset.

But beware of unchecked optimism,

especially when it becomes blind hope around an idea.

Admiral Jim Stockdale who was held captive

for eight years during the Vietnam War

noted that it was always the most optimistic

of his prison mates who failed to make it out of there alive.

“They were the ones who said,

‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’

And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go.

Then they’d say,

‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’

And Easter would come, and Easter would go.

And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again.

And they died of a broken heart.”

Admiral Stockdale did walk out of that prison camp.

He never doubted he would

and therein lies the paradox that was named after him.

The Stockdale Paradox:

Maintaining an unwavering faith that you can

and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties,

AND at the same time

Having the discipline to confront

the most brutal facts of your current reality”

Credits: Good to Great, Jim Collins