Did you know there is a debate about hope? Is it a good thing or is it a bad thing?
Some people believe that having hope is a bad thing because it can lead to inaction. They believe that the mere presence of hope in our mindset hinders us from moving forward and actively reaching for our goals.
In other words, hope equals inaction. It’s as though we’re just sitting around, twiddling our thumbs, and waiting for some outside force to change us. Those opposed to hope picture us sitting on the couch, eating donuts, and hoping that we lose weight. It doesn’t add up to them.
On the other side of the fence is those that believe hope is the spark, the catalyst for change and that without it there is no action forward. In other words, how can one change without first having hope?
How can we know what we want to become or know what we want to do without first dreaming about it, without first desiring it, without hoping for it on some level?
I don’t know what side is right and personally I think both sides miss the main point.
Who cares what causes inaction or what is the spark for change? The real question is this: what will it take to make ME change?
So many of us struggle with our health. Maybe we eat too much sugar, maybe we don’t get enough exercise, or maybe we’re so emotionally unhealthy that it sabotages us in other areas of life.
Knowing that so many of us struggle the real question should be: what will it take for ME to change?
Whatever side of the fence you’re on one thing remains true… nothing changes without change and change is an active intention.
Reread that last line. Nothing changes without change and change is an active intention.
In order to eat less sugar we must have the thought and then take action. In order to exercise more we must first have the thought and then take action. In order to change our emotional state we must first have the thought and then take action.
And these are not one time actions. They are repeated actions that require us to constantly re-commit to our thought.
If we don’t eat any sugar at breakfast we must also have the thought and action repeated at lunch, at dinner, at snack time, on Monday, on road trips, and every time that we eat. It’s a repeated thought and action pattern.
While the debate about hope continues on for some people I am convinced that some of us need hope. It’s our fuel. It is the motivation behind our action.
I’m also convinced that some of us could care less about hope and the idea of it holds no value at all because it does nothing for us in terms of taking an action.
No one is right and no one is wrong. What matters is action. Whatever fuels that action will vary from one person to the next, but in the end nothing changes without change and change is an active intention.
So I go back to my original question and ask you… what will it take for YOU to take action on the things you want?