Are Your Dreams Floating on Hope?

This is a thought provoking perspective on hope.

I hope my résumé stands out against other applicants.

I hope I can pivot my experience into a new industry.

I hope my interview goes well.

I hope my business idea takes off. 

Hope is an expectation that something can or will happen, but it isn’t the strategy that makes it happen. 

Hope fills the gap between your current situation and your life on the distant horizon. If you’re strategic, hope is a catalyst for change. If you’re not, hope becomes a drug, numbing you to your dissatisfaction with life by injecting you with nonstop daydreams and notebooks of plans. You’re hopped up on hopium.

Hopium is not a job search strategy.

Hopium is not a career pivot strategy.

Hopium is not a solo business launch strategy.

Break the Hopium Addiction

Dependency on hope dilutes the action needed to make imagined expectations a reality. If you’ve become delusional from a hopium addiction, take these steps immediately:

• Commit to action. 

• Reduce choices/options.

• Give yourself a strict deadline.

• Tie a consequence and celebration to the deadline.

Committing to action isn’t, “I really need to get this completed this week,” it’s, “I’m completing this by this day at this time, no excuses.” 

Feeling stuck or overwhelmed already? A never-ending list of options doesn’t increase control, it increases confusion. Reduce your choices, 2-3 max. Select one of them—flip a coin, throw a dart, tell a friend to pick—and commit to that action. 

Schedule it for completion within the next seven days. You have two options: (1) Complete your task during the workweek or (2) over the weekend. This creates a sense of urgency. If you tell yourself you’ll start Monday and finish by Sunday you won’t start until Friday. Then, you’ll give yourself an extension into the following week.

What’s your consequence for not completing your action? Don’t say, “I’ll remind myself that I broke a promise to myself.” That never works. We always break promises to ourselves. Have an actionable consequence. Schedule an accountability partner  to push you to completion by standing over your shoulder as you finish the task if you’ve missed your deadline.

What’s your celebration? Celebrate your accomplishment with a friend. Connecting with someone you care about ties a positive emotion to the experience, increasing the likelihood you’ll continue working toward your ultimate goal. 

I recently wrote an article on forced exits in the workplace and how they disproportionately impact employees over the age of 40. In addition to the ‘forced exits’ group, 24% of employees over 40 say they will seek a new job this year.

My research on the topic revealed that 40% of people haven’t updated their résumé in over a year. I can attest to the fact that the last time anyone updated]s their résumé is directly linked to the last time they had to find a job. I’ve recently written five résumés, and four of the five contacted me after they were out of a job.

Hopium says: I hope I’m not on the chopping block during this round of layoffs. I hope the right job opportunity presents itself. I hope my recruiter finds a job for me. 

Strategy says: I’m writing my resume draft on Monday and completing it by Friday. I’m updating my LinkedIn profile starting Friday evening and completing it by Sunday evening. 

Hopium says: I hope my business idea works out (and you just start it and see if anyone bites).

Strategy says: I’m vetting my business idea through market research and testing starting Monday and completing it Friday. I’m analyzing the results of the research over the weekend.

What would my consequence be? Sacrificing my coffee would be painful. That’s just cruel. I’d opt for a scheduled phone call with an accountability partner to push me to completion. What would my celebration be? I’m experiencing it right now as I write this newsletter overlooking one of my favorite views.

Whatever your vision on life’s horizon, keep progressing toward it.

Sending you all Peace, Love, & Harmony.

Do You Need Help Tapping Into Your Potential?

Are you struggling to meet your goals and wish you had support? Have you ever considered working with a coach? You may not know what a coach does.

One-on-One Coaching:

• You and I develop an individualized plan targeting your specific goals

• You receive individualized support from me

• Answers to your specific questions

• Guidance on your specific issues and blocks

• Accessibility to me outside coaching sessions for added support (individual texts and emails to check in)

• Your plan leads to learning how your personal growth is in your control

Are you ready to take action but are at a loss on what step to take next? 

I can teach you how to get started and accelerate your growth by using repeatable methods. Need the tools? I’ve got them. The goal is always to make you independent. I should be working myself out of a job. Once you take off, you may want to have a session from time to time, especially if you are scaling your goals. A good coach teaches you how to stand on your own two feet. Contact me today. Are you ready to CONNECT?