pragmatist

If you have a friend whose head is always in the clouds, always dreaming, and taking risks without thinking of the consequences, you might say that she isn’t much of a pragmatist.

A pragmatist is someone who is pragmatic, that is to say, someone who is practical and focused on reaching a goal. A pragmatist usually has a straightforward, matter-of-fact approach and doesn’t let emotion distract her. A pragmatist can also ignore her own ideals to get the job done, so in this way it can have a slightly negative meaning. The word is often used in reference to politicians to mean that they are either sensible or willing to cut corners for their cause.