Do Utahns See Their State As A Sinking Ship?

My grandpa was known for being a bit pessimistic. He had lived through plenty of hard times and was surely dealt a tough hand in some parts of his life.

I read a story of Chris Willson, a California entrepreneur who bought a 293-foot cruise ship, the *Aurora*, from an online seller. He got it for a pretty good deal and had the idea of renovating it and bringing it back to service. After he his partner, Jin Lee, poured over a million dollars into renovations, the ship um how do I say this... it sank. It was a literal and financial disaster.

As I read this, I thought of gramps and wondered if that feeling of tragedy is analogous to how we see Utah's future. The answer is actually no—Utahns tend to be optimistic about our future.

According to many studies, Utahns are more optimistic than the national average. A survey from the University of Michigan found that 36% of Utah residents believe good financial times are coming in the next year, compared to just 20% of Americans as a whole. And looking ahead five years, Utahns are even more likely to expect continuous good times.

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While the *Aurora* may have gone under, Utahns' spirits do not sink so easily. They seem to see challenges as part of the journey, not the end of the line. Much like their pioneering ancestors, they believe that hard work, faith, and a positive attitude can weather even the toughest of storms. So while a ship may sink, the spirit of Utah keeps sailing forward.