A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and gripping a ball and bat.
“I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” he announced confidently.
He tossed the ball into the air, swung—and missed.
“Strike one!” he shouted.
Undaunted, he picked up the ball again. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” he declared once more.
Up went the ball. Down came the swing. Another miss.
“Strike two!”
This time, the boy paused. He examined his bat and ball carefully, spit on his hands, rubbed them together, straightened his cap, and said again with full confidence, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!”
Once more he tossed the ball into the air and swung.
Miss.
“Strike three!”
Without hesitation, he broke into a grin and exclaimed, “Wow! I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!”
That’s the difference between pessimism and optimism.
The pessimist walks a journey of sadness and dismay, because it’s all his eyes allow him to see. But the optimist finds brightness and joy even in an imperfect life. His journey, though marked by failure and learning, becomes one of hope, fondness, and joy.
What we focus on matters. What we tell ourselves shapes how we experience life. Perspective doesn’t change circumstances—but it changes us.
Proverbs 4:23 (TLB)
“Above all else, guard your affections. For they influence everything else in your life.”
