Building a Better Future
The Triumph of Hope
When you hear the word ‘Hope’, what kind of thoughts spring up in your mind? Do your thoughts connect to positive associations that fill you with optimism? Or are you one of the cynics who thinks that hope is the last resort of the truly desperate? If you’re not sure, perhaps you should ask yourself whether hope is a useful commodity or just a hopelessly na?ve way of distracting ourselves from the harsh realities of modern life. It’s a word that’s often used without considering the fuller implications of its merits – so, let’s take a closer look at what it really means.
Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.
- Martin Luther
It’s been suggested that you need to have hit hard times to truly appreciate the real value of hope. Because that’s when you’re most likely to feel that there’s nothing left for you to hang onto. During difficult, testing times, when the ship of your dreams has floundered and your precious plans have been wrecked on the cruel rocks of misfortune, you might feel that you’ve lost everything that was important to you. That’s when you cling to hope like a drowning man to a lifebelt. Sometimes, in a storm-tossed sea of troubles, it’s the only thing that keeps you afloat.
During desperate times, hope is a fabulous asset that offers a hint of rescue, recovery, safety and a chance to fight another day. Take away the glimmer of hope and all that’s left is desperation. Which would you rather have in your heart when the going gets really tough – hope or despair? Exactly.
Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear.
If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
In antiquity, there was a popular phrase that was already ancient when it was handed down to the Romans:
Dum spiro, spero - Whilst I breathe, there is hope.
Hope was recognised as an essential component in the quest for survival. It was seen as the motivating force that could put fresh life into a dispirited heart and offer encouragement in the face of defeat. And the same wisdom prevails today.
We might prefer to use more modern descriptions and refer to the power of positive thinking or the ability to remain optimistic in the face of difficulties. But hope touches our hearts. It’s the irresistible light in the darkness that can serve as a beacon that renews our faith in the future.
There’s no doubt, therefore, that hope is a powerfully positive influence to support our ambitions when we run into the inevitable setbacks and obstacles. The question then is to consider whether hope on its own is enough. Although the answer might surprise you – we’d have to say: No, it isn’t.
Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it,
casts the shadow of our burden behind us.
- Samuel Smiles
Hope can certainly be very reassuring when you’re besieged by doubts and difficulties. But, if you want to capitalise on its real potential, you’ll need to add something more to the formula. You’ll need to use your feelings of hope as a platform for taking action. That’s right. Hope can raise your spirits and allay your fears. But without action, it will only touch your emotional centres.
Feeling optimistic is a wonderful attribute to bring to your suite of behaviours and hope can certainly inspire you to rise above any defeat or setback that’s sabotaged your plans. If you’re going to turn defeat into victory and rise above the limitations that beset you, you’re going to need to add a judicious measure of appropriate action.
When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope.
- Pittacus Lore
Getting back on your feet is absolutely essential when you’ve been knocked down. And a healthy dose of hope can provide exactly the right kind of reassurance that you’re going to overcome the problems. Hope alone, though, isn’t enough. Its true purpose is to act as a catalyst that drives you to take whatever steps are necessary to get you back on track.
Hope first – followed by immediate action.
Hope is not a substitute for being in control of your life and your destiny. It’s an enabling force that counters the numbing shocks of defeat disappointment and allows you to catch your breath – and then bounce back. In some respects, however, hope can be mistaken for a purely passive or reflexive feeling that raises the possibility that things might possibly get better.
It’s a well-documented psychological phenomenon that humans tend to project optimistic thoughts about their futures – whatever the evidence may suggest to the contrary. It’s a survival mechanism that encourages us to keep striving even when the odds are stacked against us. It’s how we’ve overcome incredible odds to become the dominant species on the planet. But hope serves a far better purpose when we connect it to the need to do something practical about our situation.
Keep your best wishes close to your heart and watch what happens
- Tony DeLiso
So, we can recognise that hope is a wonderfully reassuring feeling to hold onto when the challenges flow thick and fast and threaten to derail our plans. But the future belongs to those who take action in the quest for success, a better life and the fulfilment of our dreams. Take heart. Keep ever hopeful. And take determined action in the pursuit of your goals.
Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.
- Laini Taylo
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Greg Parry created The Wellness Foundation and the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.
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