Idealism

Idealism is the pursing of ideals.

This includes the pursuit of unrealistic goals, as well as being driven by a set of strong moral beliefs. In an attempt to make these moral principles a part of life. This pushes people to dream and to work hard to attain long-term goals. It also encourages people to take risks to achieve their goals.^[1]

Idealism also makes people think outside the box when one attempts to pursue an idealistic goal they will realize that they won't be able to achieve them if they don't come up with creative strategies. This will require them to come up with well-thought strategies, forcing them to think unconventionally.^[2]

There are also benefits from achieving an unrealistic goal and from failing. When one achieving an unrealistic goal, besides from the goal itself. It will boost their confidence. They will be more determined and motivated to achieve big things. Failure from these goals is beneficial as well. When one sets unrealistic goals, they might fail several times, because these goals are not easily achievable. This will help one not only get used to failure but eradicate your fear of failure. This is important because People who fear failure seldom succeed.^[3] This is also a good experience as the road to victory in sports, business, and life is paved with failure, and the pain of failure can drive one to improve.^[4]

Another part of idealism is the philosophical concept that everything we know is composed of ideas. The easiest way of explaining this concept is that, while we may see an apple, the apple's existence is an idea and already known to us. The apple, therefore, exists only in our mind, and the universe itself is completely built from within our mind. Most idealists accept that God exists.

In extreme cases of this point of view, as originally proposed by Rene Descartes, is that nothing exists but one's self, as it's the only thing that can be, in fact, proven. The Proof, according to Decartes, comes from the fact that he can think, as summed up in his famous quote, "I think, therefore, I am [existing]".

The opposite of idealism is pragmatism.

See also[edit]

• Philosophy
• Solipsism

References[edit]