Sorry NDY, can't see where the Stockdale Paradox says anything about accepting the worst and anything positive is just icing.
Vice Admiral James Stockdale said "You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be." This seems to be more like you will win through even though what you perceive about you current circumstance may not be to your liking. In other words always have a PMA, work with what you have and/or can see and always believe that you'll succeed.
Maybe I am missing your point?
- Nobody has ever learnt anything important from happiness and success; problems make us grow - Consult your plan, not your feelings - If you haven't set goals, how can you expect to achieve anything?
