HOPE?

I often talk with people who aspire to make more of their lives. They know that they want more, but many times feel stuck. They say they are "hopeful" things will work in their favor. I get the sense from these people they are hoping to get "lucky", since for them nothing is certain. But, hope is not a wish based on luck, hope has to be rooted in a certainty. And, hope with no foundation of certainty is just a wish. So what does hope rest upon?

Those who have “hope” - have a realistic goal. To say someone is “hopeless” is not to suggest they have no capabilities, instead, it suggests they have no clear picture of what their future can be, and how they can get there.

One commonality behind most successful leaders is that they are really good at making "hard targets". What is a hard target? A hard target is a goal they are working towards. Most successful leaders don't need anyone telling them they need to be assertive, they automatically have a number of personal and professional goals which align with their passions and personal interests. These leaders are driven to achieve the goals. The fact is, sometimes these leaders have an opposite problem, that being, they may place a little too much value in the goals, drawing value only from what they can accomplish, or what they are able to do - but that is another conversation. Although, the suggestion is that goals, or hard targets, to provide deep meaning must in some ways connect us with, and help us serve other people. The point is, hard targets are part of a successful leaders rhythm.

Do you aspire for more?

To be happy, each of us must have “hope” which is more than a wish. Hope is anchored in a goal (hard target) of a reality we can foresee in our future. A goal we believe can actually become true and part of our story.

So, the real question is, can we name our achievable goal(s) and do these goals align with our best self? If so, they have a life filled with hope! For goals that are aligned with a person's gifts and calling that help us move towards our true self provide us with hope!

Tim