Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of them. –Epictitus (AD 55-AD 135)

Athletes, entrepreneurs (especially the serial brand) and other high-performers get dealt the same number of bad hands as the rest of us. What sets them apart is their conviction that they can play those hands better than anyone at the table. What accounts for that perspective?

High-octane optimism.

This trait is often confused with brashness, egotism, even recklessness. High-profile winners like Sir Richard Branson only add to the confusion: When he’s not expanding his Virgin brand, Branson seems obsessed with breaking speed or distance records in boats and balloons, with…