Times are tough for a lot of Montana families right now. Interest rates are high, housing is expensive, and grocery bills aren’t getting any smaller. And when life feels tight, it’s easy to buy what the pessimists are selling—especially on social media—and before long that “old man” talk seeps in: “Kids these days.” “Nothing works anymore.” “We’re headed downhill.” We start pining for a past that never really was.
But my gray hairs—plus a few wins and hard lessons—have taught me this: we’re limited less by circumstances than by this very negativity. When old-man pessimism takes the wheel, it shrinks what we believe is possible, and that limits what we accomplish.
One moment made that lesson stick about 35 years ago.
At an Ag Expo, the speaker was Colonel Charles W. “Chuck” Scott, a survivor of the 444-day Iran Hostage Crisis. He talked about surviving by focusing on your “circle of influence”—what you can still control—instead of drowning in everything you can’t.
But for me, the real message came during the questions. A woman asked, “Colonel, after your sacrifices, what do you think of the terrible state of today’s youth?” The question assumed the kids were the problem.
Scott turned it back on the crowd. “How many of you can name five of the worst kids in your school?” Most hands went up. “Now, five of the best—the hard workers doing great things?” Only a few.
His answer surprised the room: this might be the best generation yet. Yes, every era has challenges—but this generation has more tools and opportunity than any before. Train your eyes only on the worst, he said, and you’ll miss the best—and make decisions from fear instead of possibility.
As a young father, that exchange stuck deep. Over the years, I’ve watched pessimism limit the success of good people. I hear its ugly voice in politics too—from the Freedom Caucus on the far right and the extremist left, whispering that everything’s falling apart—selling fear and outrage, with few real solutions. But I’ve also seen what happens when you refuse to let old-man pessimism run the show.
When my sons wanted to attend Ivy League colleges, our counselor asked, “What makes you think kids from a small Montana school can compete there?” I replied, “Why not? Is the air bad in Montana?” All three earned those opportunities because we refused a pessimist’s ceiling.
When my daughter excelled early, I pushed for dual-credit courses. The response was familiar: “Impossible in a rural district.” We persisted—she earned her associate’s degree before her high school diploma, opening a path others now follow.
And I’ve never let party bosses or political naysayers dictate the work I pursue for the people I represent. This past session delivered real successes—despite the legislative pessimists pouring venom on every solution—because rational optimism and steady coalition-building get results where fearmongering fails.
Those experiences taught me most barriers are perceived, not permanent. Success follows rational optimists who see the obstacle, challenge the limiting assumptions, and refuse to be ruled by them.
Positives are everywhere if we choose to look. GLP-1 treatments are helping people fight obesity and related diseases. Precision “see-and-spray” tech targets only weeds and saves inputs. Drones deliver to doorsteps. Autonomous vehicles keep advancing. Starlink connects rural Montana. AI is becoming a daily helper. Progress hasn’t stopped—we’re still building.
So when times get tough, the choice is simple: roll up our sleeves, or sit on our hands?
I’ll never forget my father’s voice as I walked head-down across the yard: “Weight of the world got you down, boy? Keep looking down and you’ll start seeing the feet of a loser.” I lifted my head—and I’ve kept it up since. Where we aim our eyes shapes what we believe is possible.
This new year, let’s choose optimism. Don’t let old-man pessimism in. Focus on what we can influence and build. Put your energy into what’s working—and help it grow.
Let me end where Colonel Scott did: I believe today’s kids may be the best generation we’ve ever raised. Our kids and grandkids are counting on us. The best times aren’t behind us—they’re waiting just over the horizon. Let’s give them a Montana worth inheriting.
My New Year’s Resolution:
As always, my focus is real solutions for rural Montana.Llew Jones is a Republican state representative from Conrad and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.