I see clearly from your point of view that you have only lived around religious christians with superstitious belief system.

Hope however is in someway seen as optimism. But then I don't think a man could be optimistic for a very long time.

If faith was optimistic, it wouldn't be back by courage which isn't the absence of fear, but the master of fear.

I like to think of faith as a working hope. The verb word for hope, cuz hope in itself is like a root word that births courage, patience and faith.

Every successful person has seen the power of faith. Non were optimistic about it. Wanting something to work is different from knowing it will work.

Even pagans and other religious body define faith almost the same way. Thinking it's same with optimism is like thinking hope is the same thing has believe.

Faith never knows the actions will work. But its rather anchored firmly on the hope of a promise that even if it doesn't work, the promise will be delivered no matter what.