I’ve been told many times that I am very optimistic, that I am a cup half full kind of guy. However, when people wanted to depict this trait in a negative light, they would call it “wishful thinking.” In other words, they were trying to say that this kind of thinking is not realistic and doesn’t stand in the real world.
Though, the thing I couldn’t explain to some is that I have hope! I describe myself as hopeful, not only optimistic. Although there is nothing wrong with being optimistic and seeing the glass half full, there is a difference between being optimistic and being hopeful.
What Is the Difference Between Being Hopeful and Being Optimistic?
Imagine you’re planning to launch your own business. You hope that you can build a billion-dollar company, which is very ambitious. Does that mean that you’re optimistic? Not at all! You can hope to build something big like a billion-dollar company, but that doesn’t mean you cannot see the real picture. You can still predict the chances of failure and imagine how hard the journey will be. Despite that, you still hope that you can build a billion-dollar company. Your mind can see that!
I think hope comes from believing, and this belief lets you think clearly. Notice, I’m not talking about thinking positively. I’m talking about the ability that allows people to think as clearly as they can.
Kansas University’s blog defines and highlights the difference between “Hope” and “Optimism” perfectly: Hope is the process of setting goals and following through on them, while optimism is a positive thought pattern.
I think what it says is that in order to set a goal and follow through on it, the first thing you need is hope. If you don’t have hope, how can you think big and move toward your dreams? In other words, if you can’t think big, you can’t grow and reach beyond your current state enough to achieve things.
The truth is, a lot of people are suspicious about being hopeful and accomplishing their dreams. So, they end up calling it luck. Yet, I believe luck comes from having an imagination. Whoever is more imaginative is luckier!
But What Allows Some People to Be More Hopeful Than Others?
I met an experienced entrepreneur recently, and he explained the ways he was focusing on his startup. During the conversation, he said something interesting. “Get rid of the pollution,” he told me. And that, I think, is the key!
I think those who avoid the “noises” and “pollution” around them are either more hopeful than others or simply know how to manage them. And I’m not just talking about the deafening noise of social media. No! Noise can come from your closest friends, family, coworkers, and so on. For example, people might tell you somethings like, go find a new job or even accept the offer. You might think big, but noises are like bad signals on old TVs that make your bigger picture less clear.
But when we’re talking about thinking big, don’t forget that each person has different priorities and a purpose in life. A goal for someone can be considered big, while for someone else, it might not seem that important, but what defines them is how hopeful they are.
The easiest solution to become more hopeful is to distance yourself from bad noise and replace it with the right sources. Does that mean you should avoid your loved ones if they let you down and always ask you to quit? Of course not! But first, you need to find the sources that provide you with the right motivation to think big and try to pass them on to more people, especially your loved ones. Once you can prove it, the next steps become easier, and you gradually begin having more impact on the people around you.
Of course, sometimes, this approach may not work. Imagine you’re planning to launch a business, but your co-founders don’t think the same way as you, and your investors don’t value your work. Further, your partner thinks you’re wasting your time, and your closest friends ask you to find a real job! You can’t change all their mindsets. Instead, it’s probably better to put that effort into your vision. This works differently for everyone; sometimes, you really need to change your environment to find that hope.
Some people may say that hope makes you feel frustrated. Regardless, there is nothing wrong with having hope, especially when it is mainly connected to you. If you put all your hope into something that you don’t have much control over, it can be frustrating; however, when that focus is connected to you, you can trust yourself.
I want to finish this post with a quote from Ted Lasso:
I’ve been hearing this phrase y’all got over here that I ain’t too crazy about. “It’s the hope that kills you.” Y’all know that? I disagree, you know? I think it’s the lack of hope that comes and gets you.