It’s a wonderful idea to decline an invitation to fear’s global party don’t you think? The choice to be fearful or hopeful is an ever-present invitation. I am sure we can all recall the inspirational words of Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption. “Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies”.
When I have spoken on hope in sales, I have often said hope is not a strategy. I say to sales people that hoping things will get better and not doing anything about it won’t deliver any change in your business or personal life. Hope for many of us may be a vague concept or it can be like an anchor for your vessel in the storm. I have learnt a little about anchors and understand that in turbulent times at sea the anchor provides safety for the ship, pulling it in a direction to oppose the oncoming waves. Hope indeed is a strong anchor for us all. Hope can keep me from collapsing under those burdens of disappointment, frustration and delay. Hope became my friend when my wife Kyleigh experienced a bleed on her brain on our honeymoon. Hope came through for us both.
To activate hope in our lives, I believe there are three key elements, mixed with determination. It is important to believe that what you hope for will actually happen. It is then important to have the capacity to physically act upon what you believe will happen, and finally realise that we are in control of our hope. Therefore, at this time in history and indeed any other, we should desire to cultivate and maintain an atmosphere of hope in our lives. Living in an age that is dominated by digital devices that often experience technical problems, I’ve learnt the valuable option of pressing the reset buttons when things go pear shaped. In a similar way, we need to consider our hearts and lives like our devices. Often we may need to reset our inner thinking and feelings and turn them toward hope rather than finding ourselves in the gravitational pull of negative and destructive thinking.
It is my choice to live and stir up a life of hope within myself. Others can encourage me and hold me accountable, but it is ultimately my decision to live in hope. Our characters are honed by persevering through difficult times such as these. Those character traits that we develop through turbulence and adversity lead to hope. Don’t give up because you see others around you doing so. If you push through and keep going you will find wonderful qualities of character being developed in your life. Times like these will refine your character - formed and matured by hope. A strong hope is indicative of a strong character.
Its appropriate to finish where we started with more words on hope from the Shawshank Redemption. “I find I’m so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope”.
Live in Hope
Love and cheers Andrew
