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It’s foolish to be obsessed with past failures. And it’s just as foolish to be self-satisfied with one’s small achievements. The present and the future are what are important, not the past. Those who neglect this spirit of continual striving will start to veer off in a ruinous direction.

We have both a weak self and a strong self; the two are completely different. If we allow our weak side to dominate, we will surely be defeated.
If you always have a shallow perspective and pay attention only to trivial things, you are sure to get bogged down in all kinds of petty worries and concerns, and not be able to move forward. Even relatively minor hurdles or problems will seem insurmountable. But if you look at life from a broad viewpoint, you naturally spot the way to solve any problem you may confront.
“Dig beneath your feet, there you will find a spring.” The place where you are now is crucial. Never try to avoid that which you must do.
Ultimately, our battle is with ourselves. Whether in our activities in society, or whether in historical, political or economic developments, everything essentially boils down to a struggle between positive and negative forces.
Real optimism should not be confused with a carefree outlook on life, one in which we forfeit responsibility for our lives. The person undefeated by misfortune, poverty, insult and vilification; the person who can bounce back from every adversity and say, “What? That was nothing!” The person who marches on toward hope through sheer force of will; that person is a true optimist.
Trust is difficult to earn and it is easily lost—the trust built over a decade can be shattered in an instant by one offhanded remark or deed. A person who is not swayed from their chosen path, even during the most trying times, will ultimately find that he or she is trusted by all.
As long as we are human, we are bound to make mistakes. What distinguishes a forward-looking person from an intransigent one, a virtuous person from a dishonest one, however, is whether one can candidly admit to one’s mistakes and take bold steps to redress them.

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Once a self-professed pessimist, Martin Seligman, the framer of “positive psychology,” asserts that optimism—a deep confidence in the positive potential of human beings—can change our lives.                           NEW

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Following the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011, Ikeda applauds the hope, strength and resilience of those battling to rebuild their lives and communities.

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