Hope vs. Hopelessness
Overcoming despair
By Yashar Khosroshahi, ND, ACC
How do we access hope when we are in a state of hopelessness? A seemingly impossible act when we are in a state of uncertainty, overwhelm, devastating grief and grave atrocity. This level of uncertainty, from the brain’s perspective, can easily trigger a sense of despair.
How can we access the lighthouse that is hope in the storm?
WHAT IS HOPE?
Simply put, hope is the belief that the future will be better than the present moment in a particular way, or in a specific domain, coupled with the belief you have the ability to create that change. Without this fundamental belief, one is functioning in a state of hopelessness. This, of course, is not an effective strategy.
WHY IS HOPE IMPORTANT?
Hope has been shown to protect the brain against anxiety, and enhance physical and psychological well being, and interpersonal relationships. It also corresponds with superior psychological and physical performance. Furthermore, research shows that leaders who are able to inspire hope within their employees are able to increase engagement by 69%, compared to only 1% of employees who feel engaged when their leaders are unable to inspire hope.
These by-products of hope strongly illustrate the value of learning how to use hope as an approach towards challenges, as well as the degree of human capital that is lost if one does not do so.
The Hope Equation (HE), described below, is a skillset that can be utilized by anyone, in any situation, to increase their effectiveness.
Apply the HE to help you do better, by thinking better.
HOW TO CREATE HOPE USING THE HOPE EQUATION
Hope = Goal(s) + Agency + Pathways
GOAL(S):
An identifiable concept or idea that you would like to achieve/ work towards.
MINDSHIFT Questions:
+ Who is Your Best Self (YBS)?
+ How will YBS show up to achieve this goal?
+ Name a past successful goal that is similar to this goal. How did you effect change then?
+ What is the story you are telling yourself about your ability to bring about change? How is that serving you?
AGENCY:
Your capability and capacity to take action, and effect change, specifically in relation to your goal. This is at the heart of all our mindset coaching programs.
MINDSHIFT Questions:
+ Who is Your Best Self (YBS)?
+ How will YBS show up to achieve this goal?
+ Name a past successful goal that is similar to this goal. How did you effect change then?
+ What is the story you are telling yourself about your ability to bring about change? How is that serving you?
PATHWAYS:
A specific strategy formulated, and reformulated, to achieve your goal. It is easy to fall victim to the idea that we need to have all the steps figured out, when in fact it is more important to understand what the next best step requires.
MINDSHIFT Questions:
+ If you were to take one step towards realizing your goal, what would that look like?
+ How will you measure your progress?
+ When will you know it is time to re-evaluate your pathway steps?
+ How can you create sustainability within your plan?
It’s imperative to mention that you, by yourself, cannot create a HE for someone else. The most successful HE are the ones that are created in a personalized manner coupled with action steps. Set the example by embodying your HE. Use the tools presented to support your community, family, and team in cultivating their own HE.
Together we can create more fruitful ways forward. Our collective hope has immeasurable power when activated with aligned pathways. This is how we SHIFT the future of leadership.
Want more?
Join the conversation on episode 14 of THE SHIFT as we explore the power of hope deeper.
Try these exercises to activate your hope muscles and uplevel your mindset. Here’s to you doing better, by thinking better, #likealeader.
