The Future Belongs to Tough Minded Optimists

“The future is not shaped by people who don’t really believe in the future,” Gardner said. Rather, “it is created by highly motivated people, by enthusiasts, by men and women who want something very much or believe very much.” The best leaders have all sorts of skills and use all kinds of techniques, he observed, but there is no substitute “for the lift of spirit and heightened performance that comes from strong motivation.”