Yes, I agree that it's quite a balancing act. I find myself teetering between those two states, more often leaning on the pessimistic side of things which I may be incorrectly categorising as being realistic. I think I might just have to improve my communication with the team to show and explain both sides of my thinking, the good and the bad.

You're last sentence really resonates as I think uncertainty is sometimes the most difficult thing to manage. There's always the possibility that death or success is just around the corner but I guess that is just part of the lifestyle I chose.

Thank you very much for sharing your time and your story. You have given me a lot to ponder on :)