[katzgrau]

This is the root of it, and something most on HN won't accept. Optimistic people generally see and seek opportunity (either knowingly or unknowingly) more frequently than pessimists.

[iudqnolq]

Won't accept? It seems startups are the same. "Rationally" a poor way to get rich, but if enough people miscaulate their odds (or enjoy it for nonmonetary reasons) we'll get a few big successes.

[katzgrau]

Most millionaires are those who started their own businesses or are self employed. Certainly not SV unicorns, but they run businesses you've never heard of started by ordinary people.

https://observer.com/2015/08/4-things-millionaires-have-in-c...

[watwut]

Yeah, there is that thing when optimism becomes euphemism for naive, not allowed to talk about problems and disadvantages. But I think that is manipulative way to see optimism.

Sometimes chances are low or times are bad and optimism should not equal refusing to see that.

[iudqnolq]

I think naivety is on the optimism spectrum. How do you define optimism such that it doesn't include deprioritizing negatives compared to positives?

[chinesempire]

> an optimist is said to see the glass as half full, while a pessimist sees the glass as half empty.

But even the optimist sees that the glass is only a half full.

Naivety is thinking that half full is the best possible outcome or the only possible outcome.

It literally means "lack of judgement"