Don’t be beaten down by naysayers they’ll call you a dreamer, a do-gooder or a romantic. Every time you stand up for a good cause—large or small—someone will roll their eyes or tell you to sit back down. Robert Kennedy used to say that 20 percent of the people are against everything all the time. It’s true. There will Always be lots of people who can give you all the reasons why you can’t or wont improve the world. It’s up to you to remind yourself of all the reasons why you can and will. Optimism and pessimism are both choices. Notice that some of the most interesting and successful people have chosen to acquire the habit of talking about what they are for rather than what they are against. Be one. “…Unfettered idealism is, I realize, out of sync with the cynicism of the [time]. Skepticism has come to be synonyms with sophistication, and glibness is mistaken for intelligence…in such an atmosphere, why bother aiming high? Far too many people don’t. [I just want] to reassure people to have the courage to preserve, to keep following their hearts even when others scoff. Don’t be beaten down by naysayers. Don’t let the odds scare you from even trying,” —Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks Coffee Co.

Listen to the MUSTN’TS child, listen to the don’ts— listen to the don’ts— listen to The shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the wont’s— listen to the never haves, then listen close to me. Anything can happen, child. ANYTHING can be.

—Shel Silverstein