We can all aspire to keep an Alan Alda level of optimism in our daily lives. Granted, Alda had plenty to be pleased about. The actor played Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce in the hit television series, M*A*S*H. The role won Alda numerous awards, including a number of Emmy Awards.

After the series ended in 1983, Alan was able to maintain the momentum of his acting career and even pivot into directing films like The Four Seasons (1981).

Throughout all of this success, Alda wanted to ensure that he instilled a sense of optimism in every work he touched. “I admit it,” said Alda during an interview with the Boston Globe, “I think you’ve got to leave the audience with some kind of affirmation. There’s enough despair around without creating more or adding to it.”

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That positive energy wasn’t just limited to his career; it also influenced him to redirect his life so that his primary focus was family instead of work.

“I admit, there have been times when I’ve worked much too hard, especially during the We’ll Get By period,” Alda said during an interview with The Times Leader, referencing a television series he had created. “For long stretches, weeks at a time, the only contact I had with my family was by phone. That’s no longer true.” The dedication to work taught Alda to value what was truly important in life: Spending time with his loved ones. It was a valuable lesson that the actor was not soon to forget.

“I’m in the fortunate position of being offered things,” said Alda. “For a while, they all looked so attractive that it was hard to see what I really cared about. But I’m a lot better at that now than I used to be.”