Here we are, at yet another beautifully audacious declaration from The Optimist’s Creed: “To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.” One might be tempted to call this less an ideal and more a recipe for perpetual disappointment, or perhaps a career in professional naiveté. Because, if we’re being entirely honest, the “best” rarely just materializes, does it? More often, it requires an almost alarming amount of gritty effort, a healthy dose of serendipity, and the quiet acceptance that sometimes, “pretty good” is a monumental achievement.
Now, before you envision me advocating for a world populated solely by relentlessly striving perfectionists who spontaneously combust at the slightest deviation from ideal, let’s peel back the layers of this particular onion. This isn’t a command to ignore reality or to set oneself up for an endless cycle of dissatisfaction. It’s far more subtle, and frankly, a bit more cunning.
Anything less, frankly, seems like a rather inefficient use of one’s limited time and mental fortitude. And let’s be honest, who has time for inefficiency?
“To think only of the best” isn’t about deluding oneself into believing every outcome will be flawless. No, that’s just wishful thinking with a side of impending disillusionment. Instead, it’s about framing your mental landscape. It’s the deliberate choice to focus your cognitive energy on the highest possible ideal, rather than immediately defaulting to the lowest common denominator or, worse, conjuring up every conceivable catastrophe. It’s an internal discipline that recognizes where your thoughts are directed often determines your emotional trajectory. Why waste precious mental bandwidth meticulously cataloging potential failures when you could, with equal effort, visualize success? It’s not about ignoring challenges, but about confronting them with the highest possible aspiration in mind. Because, let’s face it, if you aim for mediocrity, you’ll likely hit it with alarming accuracy.
Then comes “to work only for the best.” Ah, the sweat equity part. This isn’t a suggestion that every single endeavor must culminate in groundbreaking perfection. That’s a fast track to burnout and a deeply resentful spirit. Rather, it’s a commitment to effort and excellence within your sphere of influence. It’s about bringing your A-game, or at least a very solid B+, to whatever task lies before you. It means refusing to settle for sloppy seconds or half-hearted attempts, not because you’re chasing some unattainable ideal, but because you respect the process, the outcome, and frankly, yourself. It’s the quiet insistence on doing your utmost, even when nobody’s watching, knowing full well that “your utmost” on any given Tuesday might look considerably different from “your utmost” on a perfectly caffeinated Friday.
And finally, “to expect only the best.” This is where it gets truly interesting, and where the cynical among us might throw up their hands in despair. Is this a guarantee of success? Clearly not. The universe, in its infinite wisdom, rarely consults our personal aspirations. So, what’s the point? The point, my friends, is resilience through expectation. When you expect the best, you implicitly prepare yourself for its pursuit. You approach situations with a problem-solving mindset rather than a defeatist shrug. When setbacks inevitably occur – and oh, they will – expecting the best means you view them as temporary detours, not final destinations. It fosters a certain bullish determination, a quiet confidence that while this particular hurdle may have momentarily tripped you, the ultimate outcome can still be positive. It’s about having a compass fixed on “best,” even when the weather forecast insists on “dreary and disappointing.”
Ultimately, this tenant isn’t about magical thinking or achieving an impossible state of flawlessness. It’s about a profound philosophy of agency. It’s a sardonic acknowledgment that if you’re going to bother thinking, working, and expecting, you might as well aim for the top. Anything less, frankly, seems like a rather inefficient use of one’s limited time and mental fortitude. And let’s be honest, who has time for inefficiency?
What’s one area in your life where you find it particularly challenging to “expect only the best”?
Justin Lockridge 
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