Mayor's Blog
“Optimism is essential to achievement and…the foundation of…true progress.”
Nicholas Murray Butler
American ambassador; Nobel Peace Prize recipient
I'm fascinated by the use of the words “weird trick” as a marketing term. Every time I hear them or see them, I anticipate a new strategy or device someone has found which has not already been discovered. Ultimately, I find that what is revealed is indeed weird, and very often a trick, not a treat.
Today, I offer a weird trick of my own: Optimism. Over the last few years I have become absolutely certain that I was created a happy man; an optimistic man; and that good things occur when optimism abounds. This is true with people and with communities.
Elected officials are often drawn to problems. For some, the reason they run for office is to oppose or champion a particular issue. Awareness of difficulties is an essential part of serving the public, though not at the cost of missing what is good in a community. To get caught up in troubling circumstances takes focus off of beneficial ones. In Jasper, I advocate a balance of fixing and repairing with visioning and planning – all with our citizens in mind.
So, use my “weird trick” and approach all you do positively; have confidence that you can make a change in someone's life and, more importantly, have an impact on our city. Try it for a day; then a week; then a month – and see what happens!
Mayor Terry Seitz
