Hope is a word that is often uttered, but not always believed in or trusted. Optimism, on the other hand, is a sentiment that many wish to have, yet they often succumb to pessimism. This complex interplay of hope, optimism, and pessimism drives society and shapes the future of people, nations, and the world at large.
Each evening as we prepare for sleep, it's the hope of a new dawn and the potential it brings that helps us rest deeply. From cows in their shelters to humans in their homes during the long, dark nights of the northern hemisphere, everyone clings to the promise of summer. Farmers who face annual floods live with the hope that these same floods will enrich the soil for future crops. Leaders across various fields work tirelessly to instil hope in people's minds.
Hope is deeply intertwined with optimism. An optimist typically believes more strongly in hope than a pessimist. The combination of hope and optimism serves as a life-enhancing force for many. Conversely, those who lean more towards pessimism often find themselves trapped in a cycle of decay, negativity, and depression. Life's journey includes highs and lows, successes, and failures; no one always succeeds, nor does anyone always fail. It is the hope for better times that helps us navigate through difficult periods.
Pessimism stands as a clear adversary to optimism, posing challenges that we must collectively overcome for the benefit of humanity—women, men, and children alike. To make the world better for our future generations, it is essential to actively nurture hope and optimism within larger communities. Although war or economic recession may confront us, and death is an unavoidable reality, it should not lead us to believe it is imminent. Instead, we should strive to train our collective mindset to still be hopeful and optimistic for a better future, even in adversity.
Regrettably, many individuals who wish others to be hopeful often end up promoting negativity and pessimism themselves. These are the people we need to steer clear of and situations we need to forfend, while trying to influence our surroundings positively. Negativity may satisfy some egos or win short-term battles at work but will lose the broader war for both the organisations we work in and the societies we inhabit.
In today's 24/7 media environment—be it print, electronic, or social—the voices of pessimism and negativity are often the loudest. The more positive voices of hope, positivity, and optimism are rapidly sidelined. It is time for hopeful and optimistic voices to reclaim this space for the benefit of humanity and future generations. Hope and optimism should drive the agendas of both private and public organisations; negativity and pessimism should find no place in our lives, families, or society.
In a police organisation, confronting the darker sides of human nature daily makes it challenging for officers to keep hope and optimism. Leaders must exemplify these traits both personally and professionally while encouraging their team to adopt them, helping themselves, their families, and society. Despite daily battles with negativity, many prevail. Much like a lotus bloom in muck, we strive to transform ourselves and act as change agents for those who trust us.
Hope & Optimism are the elixir, pessimism the poison for life!
Gyanendra Pratap Singh, IPS, is currently serving as DGP, Assam
