I read this Associated Press story the other day about George W. Bush and was impressed. Bush says "I will leave the presidency with my head held high" and "Every day has been pretty joyous."

Think about that for a second. Here is a man who has struggled mightily as president, shot himself in the foot on multiple occasions and has (by many accounts) hurt the prestige and reputation of America -- yet he remains optimistic. President Bush could wallow in the horrible approval ratings, look back with regret on bad decisions and perhaps feel self-pity for himself as the country and world eagerly await new leadership.

But he doesn't. George W. Bush has the strength of character to look forward with optimism. If he dwelled on the past or put much weight on the thoughts of others, odds are, he would fall into an insurmountable depression.

It is no secret that I am not a George W. Bush fan, but I find myself admiring his optimism. For a minute, let's leave politics behind and look at this leadership quality for what it is -- amazing. As a small business owner, I have to make some pretty tough decisions. Some of my decisions have been good, and some have been bad. Some that I made 2 years ago have not held up well against the test of time. That's OK. If I were to constantly look back and second guess myself, then I would a) be depressed and b) be paralyzed with fear about making mistakes in the future.

So, I choose to look forward with optimism. I deal with past decisions without regrets and try to make the best of what has been given to me today. This moment is really all that I can control anyway.