Albert Schweitzer Quotes

I just think there is so much irrational pessimism in the world.

Pessimism and optimism are slammed up against each other in my records, the tension between them is where it's all at, it's what lights the fire.

Optimism is not inherently a superior way of viewing the world. Certainly doctors will say it might be better for one's physical health to be an optimist. But, morally speaking it may not be appropriate in certain circumstances.

Do not expect the world to look bright, if you habitually wear gray-brown glasses.

Optimism is an alienated form of faith, pessimism an alienated form of despair.

Pessimism is a waste of time.

Repeat, over and over again, in case anyone forgets it or believes the contrary, that we do not live in the best of all possible worlds.

He thought there was no hope for him. Me? I can't imagine a world without hope.

The problem with you is that you always see a glass of milk half empty instead of half filled.

...an optimistic mind-set finds dozens of possible solutions for every problem that the pessimist regards as incurable.

Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the optimist as on the pessimist, but the optimist weathers them better.

Most people think that I am too optimistic, but my optimism is based on the thought that negative thinking is a luxury that we can't afford.

Things are going downhill with you!' he said to himself, and laughed about it, and as he was saying it, he happened to glance at the river, and he also saw the river going downhill, always moving on downhill, and singing and being happy through it all.

Ninety per cent of life is a nightmare, do you think I am going to get it rounded up to hundred per cent?

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

It is much more sensible to be an optimist instead of a pessimist, for if one is doomed to disappointment, why experience it in advance?

I see the glass half full...but of poison.

. . . if there is a way for the world to be transformed for the better, it can only be done by pessimism; optimists will never change the world for the better.

If you're running around with a negative attitude all the time, you're going to feel down, you're going to have negative results. But if you feel like you're going to make it through and you have positive thoughts, you have a much better chance to survive and be successful and happy.

But somewhere on the great world the sun is always shining, and, just so sure as you live, it will sometime shine on you.

There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a glass that is exactly half full, say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass! Who's been pinching my beer?

How you experience your life depends on how you look at it. If you look at it as a constant stream of difficulties and challenges, messes and problems, it will show up that way. If, on the other hand, you see it as a continuing flow of good fortune, one good thing after another, that is what you will encounter.

It's a lot better to hope than not to.

I think everyone has the same question on their mind: Is the glass half-full or half-empty?

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