Winston Churchill Was One Too

Why I am an Optimist- "I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else." - Winston Churchill

I was accused the other day of being the eternal optimist.  Yes, accused.  Like something is wrong with that. As in, "Oh, but your such an optimist," with the same emphasis as, "Your always guessing the wrong answer on Jeopardy, but we enjoy seeing you try." 

When I make a comment that is optimistic about the outcome of a situation, people are afraid that if I am right, they will have to give me credit for being right; but if things stay miserable THEY get to take the credit for the depressing mess we are still in.  Like; "See?  I KNEW it would be bad (I'm so smart). 

The housing market is in turmoil. Real estate agents are leaving the business in droves. Housing starts are down. Way down.  But I go and open another real estate office.  Title agencies are closing in record numbers but what do I do?  I open a Title company.

 I always remember this little sales fable I was told years ago about a shoe company that hired two sales people Pete and Oscar.   The sales manager gave Pete and Oscar the same instructions; "Go into Central Africa and bring back shoe orders". 

Pete came back on month later with this report, ""Boss, the territory you gave me is horrific.  No one even WEARS shoes there.  I need I better territory". 

Oscar came back a week later, all excited. "Boss," he shouted, "You won't believe it! No one even wears SHOES there yet.. The territory is WIDE open. I'm gonna sell millions of shoes!"

I agree with Winston Churchill.  I have no use for pessimism.  It serves no purpose but to hold you down and keep you back with the crowd. 

If you are having trouble being an optimist in today's economy, take heart, you are not alone. (As my brother Bill would say, "It's not a very exclusive club!")  But there is a great deal to be optimistic about. First of all don't believe all this talk about an impending recession.  There is no impending recession. That's because WE ARE IN ONE now. No one can EVER predict a recession; they can only look back as say, not THAT was a recession.   

By the way, I looked up the definition of recession ( click here ). The good news?  It seems most of the definitions agree that recessions are only supposed to last nine months. Am I alone here, or have we been in a recession for at least the last nine months?  

So the first item on my list of why I am an optimist in today's market is that we are on the exit side of the recession tunnel. Here is a short list of other reasons to be optimistic about today's economy here in Southwest Florida:

1. Interest rates are stable and forecast to decrease.  (Click Here)
2. It's 78 degrees and Sunny in Florida in January.
3. RSW International Airport traffic surpassed  7,000,000 passengers (Here)
4. FGCU and Ava Maria are growing FAST (Ave Maria) (FGCU)
5. Airport Tech Park is slated for leased land at Airport.
6. The foreclosure and mortgage crisis is horrible and I expect the correction to be good for our overall economy. 
7. The affordable housing crisis has been solved.
8. The strong Euro, Pound and the Looney are bringing us foreign buyers. (Exchange rates here).
9. There are bargains in almost everything today.

     10  Reread number 2.