The key to informed optimism

Don Kelley and Daryl Conner in the 70s coined the Emotional Cycle of Change framework and the five stages of personal development:

1. the uninformed optimist

2. the informed pessimist

3. the valley of despair

4. the informed optimist

5. the completion

Now this may apply not only to personal growth, but to startups too.

And I think the key factor that enables moving from the valley of despair to the informed optimist stage instead of cycling back to the uninformed optimist is grit.