The Old Testament tells an arresting story about the power possessed by people who are not afraid to act. When the children of Israel were near the Promised Land, Moses sent twelve spies over the border for reconnaissance. When they returned after forty days, the majority report was twofold:
• The land is a wonderful place. It flows with milk and honey, and we have been brought back samples of the fruit that grows here.
• Alas, we can never take the land because the cities are well fortified, and worst of all, there are giants there.

            Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, made a minority report that was more hopeful. “Let us go up at once and occupy the land, for we are well able to overcome it,” they said. These two were not looking at the situation through rose-colored glasses; they agreed that the giants were awesome and that taking the cities would be difficult. “But the Lord is with us; do not fear them,” they said.

            What was the crowd’s response? They sided with the pessimists. They wept and wailed all night and began to make plans to return to Egypt. One should never underestimate the power of a few crepe hangers and doomsayers. They can sway a crowd very easily. Optimism and enthusiasm are contagious, but they are not nearly so contagious as pessimism and doubt.

            So Moses and his people languished for years there within sight of the Promised Land. The ten pessimistic spies perished in the desert of Sinai, their bones left to bleach on the plains of their doubts. And what happened to the two who were determined to act in faith? They eventually led the successful conquest of the Promised Land.

              It would be interesting to know if Caleb and Joshua were 100 percent sure of success. I doubt that they were. Optimists are not crazy; they have no certainty they will succeed every time they take on the tasks others will not touch. But they consider alternatives, they interpret data as optimistically as possible, and they cannot stand to quit if there is any prospect of success.

              It is usually a small minority who dare to believe the impossible can be solved, who are willing to start scaling the mountain even though at the time they have no idea how they will conquer the summit. And it is usually just such people who end up on top.