While it seems like a simple concept, hope is a critical driver of transformational change in your life. Hope should never be passive but boldly asserted in your subconscious and conscious endeavors. “Active hope” has three key ingredients:
Desire: Active hope relies on a consistent, clear, and burning desire. Vague desires or desires that keep changing are fleeting, while a burning desire persists. If you are missing a burning desire, make it your burning desire to find out what your burning desire is.
Effort: Active hope requires persistent and focused effort. Hope without effort, focus and persistence can lead to a feeling of powerlessness. In contrast, focused and persistent effort leads to a greater feeling of agency and responsibility for your circumstances and optimism about your destiny.
Faith: Active hope requires a sense of faith in a higher power to do the right thing for you once you have done your part. Active hope combines clarity of our intentions with agency over our circumstances and belief in forces beyond our control to cultivate greater optimism and attract positive forces in our lives.
(Excerpt from my latest book, Spark: Journey From Success To Significance)