April 04, 2024   |   Tagged Motivation,

Build a Foundation of Hope

Hope is the dream of a soul awake—French Proverb

Why Hope?
Hope for centuries has been symbolized as an anchor, the strong link that keeps our boat secured to solid ground and protects us from being tossed by a storm or lost at sea. Hope has also been symbolized as light in the darkness, a match struck in the deepest cavern pointing toward a way out. Hope makes us stronger. Hope is the foundation for our courage, patience, and will to overcome difficulties. Hope provides energy, focus, courage, and motivation for the best way forward. Hope protects us from feeling out of control and gives us tools to navigate the unpredictable.

The good news about hope is that it can be improved and developed. Like a great player must practice ball handling, hope is a daily pursuit. Hope is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, hope means confidence in the future. As a verb, hope means to leap forward in expectation, to trust.

Hope and Goal Setting:
Researcher Jen Cheavers has demonstrated that there is a high correlation between hope and goal setting. Students with higher levels of hope set more goals than those with lower levels of hope. Christina Moon in her research discovered higher hope individuals found access to more pathways, resources, options, and breakthroughs than people with lower levels of hope.

Hope—Self-Check
How easily are you distracted from your task at hand?
How many of your relationships (home, work, school, friends) do you view as possible threats to the success of your future?
How many goals do you have written down right now?
If someone asked you what you hope for right now, what would you answer?
What percentage of your thinking is spent on recognition of threat cues and fear of the future?
What percentage of your thinking is devoted to finding resources, options, and tools for your future success?
What is your level of authentic cheerfulness?
How does your cheerfulness or lack of it influence those around you?

3 Actions to Build Hope:
1. Find resources, people, and programs that energize and inspire you to live your best. Listen, read, and learn from them.

2. Post clear goals. Have them written out and put them where you can see them daily.

3. Be an initiator, not a responder. Don’t wait for your coach to set your workout, plot your basketball course, or schedule your future. Grab your calendar, get trained, get excited, and get internally motivated.

Hope energizes us and is the foundation for innovation and growth. “Hope is the power to be cheerful in circumstances which we know to be desperate.” G. K. Chesterton