Hope May Not Be a Strategy - But You Won't Accomplish Much Without It
"Hope is not a strategy." I'm sure you've that heard before. It seems to be accepted as "gospel truth" by many people. Of course, whether or not it is true depends on how you define hope. If it means little more than wishful thinking then it's certainly true. Wishful thinking will never help you move along the path to achieving any goal, no matter how small it may be. I wish I could speak Spanish. In fact, I have wished I could speak Spanish for a long time since it would allow me to communicate more effectively with many people. But unless I translate the wish into action I'll simply continue to sit in polite silence when Spanish is being spoken.
Those who say hope is not a strategy would likely agree that a strategy without hope has little chance of success. Writing about hope, Kevin Ryan writes, "Hope lies between certain knowledge of something happening and wishing something would happen. It is the expectation of fulfillment that sets hope apart from wishful thinking."
Hope is the expectation that things can be different, the compelling belief that our circumstances and perhaps we ourselves can be better. It is a motivating force that allows us to see what could be and that gives us the energy to pursue possibilities. That is a powerful force, one that is essential to any good strategy. Some may say that hope is not a strategy but I think that a strategy without hope is hopeless.
One more thing about hope. This weekend is Easter. Christians all over the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, an event that holds out the promise of our own resurrection. That is the most powerful hope of all.
