Discovering Hope

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast

Hope is like oxygen it is a requirement for living! You cannot live without HOPE! Author Dr. Shane Lopez writes; I have convincing evidence that hopeful thoughts and behavior propel us toward well-being and success; hope underlies purpose driven action. It shows up in everything from going to school to leading an organization and communities. It correlates positively with health and even longevity and it does not depend on the level of our income or IQ (Making Hope Happen p.11).

On June 6, 1966 President Kennedy spoke at Cape Town University in what has become known as the “Ripples of Hope” speech to the student body. In this speech he referenced currents of change through education could be a means to improve not only our lives, but those of everyone around us.

The simple truth is that…

Hope Matters

Hope is a choice

Hope can be learned

Hope can be shared with others

When was the first time you came to the realization the present and the future are connected through our behavior. Hope is an active skill set that takes us from where we are to where we desire to go. It simply is the realization that we can get from here to there. “Here” is the present and in some sense, it is the least desirable against our imagined future. “There” is the target of our longing. You are the one that is moving from the present to your future. We expect something from the future and also from ourselves.

In our minds, our beliefs firm up links between ourselves and the future, priming people for hope. We accomplish this by setting high expectations about the future (tempered by reality) and then acting on them.

The hopeful among us share core beliefs that set them apart from everyone else. There are 4 core beliefs that should be considered.

The first of these 4 core beliefs on looking for hope in our futures starts with

The Future Will Be Better Than The Present

This first belief comes natural to us. Gallup polls have consistently shown that people are believe they will become better in time. Regardless of age, people generally believe that tomorrow holds promise things will be better.

I Have The Power To Make It So

To declare that I have the power to make the future better than the present requires us to see ourselves as lead actors in our life story. Add to this faith in God and now you realize you are acting according to God’s designed purpose in your life. This way of thinking about the future differs from “wishful thinking” and the various “positive thinking guru’s.” Your actions in conjunction with Divine Designed capabilities is what rearranges your tomorrows.

There Are Many Paths To My Goals

There will always be obstacles in our life that force different choices and pathways to conquer obstacles between us our preferred future. We hold to the belief that obtaining some wins in life, we can see the link between between my actions and positive outcomes. The pathway forward is never a straight line and never a single line to our tomorrows,

No Path Is Free From Obstacles

Resourcefulness is the key! There are multiple strategies to move toward your goals. Resourcefulness suggests that if one pathway closes, another pathway can be cleared. As a result of resourcefulness, you gain momentum and staying power.

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Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!