My son’s 8th grade class at Mater Dei School put on an incredible performance of The Shawshank Redemption this past week. While “Shawshank the Musical” may not be sweeping Broadway anytime soon, there was something magical about watching a group of 14-year old boys act out one of the greatest stories ever told. For those of you not familiar with the plotline, (Are there any of you still out there?), Shawshank tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a man wrongly accused of murdering his wife. Sentenced to life in prison, he must deal with a violent, dead-end world without hope. His only salvation is the possibility of a daring escape after 20 years of life inside the crumbling walls of Shawshank Prison. This sliver of hope allows Andy to survive in his brutal world.
Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” –Andy Dufresne, Shawshank Redemption
It is this hope (even the faintest of hope) that allows us to stay positive and motivated despite all the setbacks in our lives. I firmly believe, deep down, that people are naturally prone to optimism. Eventually, life beats this out of some of us and leaves a trail of pessimism and bitterness in its place. Business failures, broken relationships, financial hardship and mundane tasks can sap our positive energy. We can overcome all of this as long as we maintain even the smallest kernel of hope. Hope is the possibility (not the promise) of a better times ahead. We know there are no guarantees for future success. But just imagining a better future puts us is a state of mind to keep moving forward and keep fighting for a better life.
What gives you hope in your life? Is it the possibility of working your way up the corporate ladder or simply achieving financial success? Is it the possibility of dating a special person or changing someone’s life? Even far-fetched goals such as winning the lottery or becoming a professional athlete can give you hope for the future and allow you to survive and thrive in your everyday lives. Don’t be afraid to dream big and feed off the potential for the future. Along the way, there will be people who will tell you to stop wasting your time about a future goal. They may be well-intentioned, but it is up to you to keep hope alive. Everyone is different and as long as your dreams, goals and actions give you hope, it is a good thing. And no good thing ever dies.
The enemy to hope is “never”. I could never be as strong as him. I could never be as smart as her. I could never write that line, throw that pass, hit that golf shot, solve that equation, play that instrument, make that speech, or run that company. “Never” automatically takes you out of the game. You give up before you even start the race. All hope is removed and eventually you start to believe those other voices. Apathy sets in and soon you don’t even care if tomorrow is a better day. You just want tomorrow to come as quickly as possible so you can get it over with. Snap out of it! Hope is easy. It doesn’t cost you anything. It doesn’t ask anything from you. It doesn’t come with a downside. And the beautiful thing is, anyone can have it. Hope is up to you.
Good managers and coaches will tell you that hope is not a strategy. And they are absolutely correct! Hope doesn’t take the place of hard work, execution, and vision. Hope doesn’t take the place of determination and grit. You can’t just hope for a better life and then do nothing to back it up. But sometimes you put in the effort, pay the price, execute on your plan and it still doesn’t translate to success. These setbacks, both personally and professionally, can be devastating. During these times, it that hope for the future that allows you to move forward and give it another shot. Step back up to the plate! Keep trying! Keep dreaming! Be resilient! And keep hope alive.
I hope you find success in your next endeavor. I hope you always maintain that drive to do things better. Above all else, I hope (and that is the best of things).
Until next week, keep smiling!