The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

William Arthur Ward (1921–1994) was an American writer best known for short, motivational aphorisms that circulated widely in quotation anthologies, newsletters, and inspirational calendars in the mid-to-late 20th century. This saying is typically presented as one of Ward’s standalone maxims rather than as a line from a longer, clearly identified speech or essay. It draws on a long tradition of nautical metaphor in moral and self-help writing—using wind and sails to symbolize circumstances and personal agency—making it well suited to the genre of practical encouragement with which Ward is most associated.

The quote contrasts three habitual responses to adversity. The “pessimist” externalizes blame and remains stuck in complaint; the “optimist” relies on hope that conditions will improve on their own; the “realist” accepts conditions as they are and acts within them. The sailing image emphasizes agency: while no one controls the wind (circumstance), one can control the sails (choices, strategy, effort). Its significance lies in reframing realism not as cynicism but as adaptive competence—an ethic of practical action that turns acceptance into leverage rather than resignation.

1) “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”
2) “A pessimist complains about the wind; an optimist expects it to change; a realist adjusts the sails.”
3) “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts his sails.”