The Illusion of Hope
“Hope for the best; prepare for the worst.”
It’s a saying we’ve all heard…and maybe even one you live by. But is it practical? Is it really possible to simultaneously hope for something good, yet prepare for the worst?
To believe this is to acknowledge that hope is simply an emotional state of mind that requires no action. Webster’s definition of hope is “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.” Would you expect something to happen and not take steps to make it happen? That just seems like a waste to me! Why would you expect something and then sit around and just wait for it to come to you without making an effort?
People who hope for things yet don’t try to get out there and grab them are under the illusion of hope. They think they can reach their goals without ever having to get off the proverbial couch and work for them. They think that fulfillment of their dreams will just land in their laps because the world owes it to them. This is called “entitlement,” and it is an ego issue.
Most people, Americans especially, believe that because of the difficult times they’ve endured, they are somehow owed something. Think about it. How many times have you said to yourself, “I deserve this”?
Life is made up of ups and downs, good and bad, positive and negative. You have to take the good with the bad and know that there is a reason for it. Every situation is placed in your life to teach you something, and I have found that I actually learn more from the negative situations in my life than the positives. I always grow more in the valleys. And that, to me, is the reward.
When I hope for the best, taking action to make it come to fruition, I hardly have time to think about the worst. I’m focused on my goals, and I believe that expectation has a lot of power to make things happen. I’m not saying it’s wrong to be prepared; it’s good! But prepare with expectation. Believe in yourself, and be passionate about that belief.
It makes me sad to hear people say, “I’m not getting my hopes up.” (I’ve said this myself many times.) It is a defense mechanism people use because if they were to completely open up their hearts and go all out, passionately going after a dream or a goal, there is always the possibility of being disappointed. So hope is replaced with fear. People close off the “hoping” part of their hearts, not realizing that the very hope they suppress is often the catalyst for the outcome they desire.
Pain is inevitable. It cannot be stopped. But living in fear and missing out on all life has to offer is a greater tragedy than being hurt because you took a step out into the unknown. In the end, I just tell myself that if I get hurt, at least I experienced life.
“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”
Ancient Toltec Knowledge
I know someone who says that line all the time. I think he is a Boy-Scout, or maybe and Eagle Scout. The Nazi plan to brainwash the youth into a martial law state or a solder in the Military. I was a Royal Ranger…A Royal Ranger is Alert, Clean, Loyal Obedient, Faithful. SIR!!!