Hope — the pull towards better

(Secondary emotion)

At a glance

  • What it’s saying: “A decent future is possible — keep going.”

  • What it wants: A clear aim, a workable path, and one step today.

  • Use it well: Tie hope to small actions and honest feedback.

  • Watch-outs: Wishful thinking, toxic positivity, or clinging to long shots that hurt you.

  • Time focus: Future

What hope is

Hope is the steady lift that says, “This could work.” It’s not fireworks. It’s the feeling that gets you out the door to physio, makes the next job application worth it, and keeps families turning up through rough patches. Real hope pairs a goal with a plan. It doesn’t deny pain; it helps you carry it.

It’s not optimism (a general sunny outlook), not denial (ignoring facts), and not mania (revved-up energy with risky calls). Hope can be quiet and stubborn.

Biogenic lens

Primary domain: Self-Production.

In the triad: Hope mainly supports Self-Production — it refuels effort and recovery so you can keep building. It also helps Self-Organisation by aligning people around a shared aim and fair roles, and it serves Self-Correction by testing paths, learning from feedback, and adjusting the route without quitting.

What it’s optimising
Self-Production: Hope gives you the energy to show up again — to rehab the knee, send the CV, try the next IVF cycle, sit the next unit. Small wins top the tank; sleep, food and friendly company keep the flame steady.
Self-Organisation: It lines people up around “what we’re doing and why” — timelines, job splits, check-ins. Shared hope is glue when effort gets dull.
Self-Correction: It stays honest with reality. When a path blocks, hope asks, “What’s another way?” or “Is it time to change the goal?” Wise hope pivots; it doesn’t just cheer louder.

How it feels in the body

Longer out-breath, lifted posture, a bit more warmth in the chest, a nudge to move. Less clenched, more willing.

Common triggers & what they’re really about

  • Signs of progress: pain down a notch, a call back, a kinder day → need to bank small wins.

  • Good maps and mentors: someone shows the path → need to copy workable steps.

  • Decent teams: fair roles and steady backing → need to share the load.

  • Fresh starts: new term, new job, new community → need to set realistic aims early.

Look-alikes (so you don’t treat the wrong thing)

  • Optimism: general glass-half-full; hope is goal-and-path specific.

  • Denial: refusing facts; hope looks and still acts.

  • Toxic positivity: “just be positive” that shuts down real feelings.

  • Mania/hypomania: days of little sleep, grand plans, risky spending — not hope, see your GP.

  • Faith/trust: values-based confidence; can team up well with hope.

How people have explained hope (very briefly)

A simple model: hope = goal + pathways + will to try again. It’s a practical emotion — less a mood, more a way of moving through hard things. The takeaway: name the aim, sketch two ways there, take one step.

A clip that shows it well

The Martian (potato scene / closing monologue). Hope as maths-plus-grit: solve one problem, then the next, until you’re home. No magic, just steps.

Try this when hope feels thin (or bright)

The 60-second spark

  1. Name the aim (one line): “Get back to 5km pain-free.”

  2. Name the next tiny step: “Book physio / walk 10 minutes.”

  3. Tell one person or put it in the diary.

The 10-minute two-path plan

Write five lines:

  • Goal (realistic, time-framed): ___

  • Why it matters (to you): ___

  • Likely obstacles: ___

  • Path A / Path B around them: ___ / ___

  • Today’s first step + check-in date: ___ / ___

The daily rep (keep it alive)

  • One step (small enough to finish).

  • One review (what worked / what didn’t, in two lines).

  • One refill (sleep, food, mate, nature) so tomorrow’s step happens.

Using hope without making a mess

With yourself

  • Pair hope with numbers and dates: “3 applications this week,” not “something will turn up.”

  • Keep grief and hope in the same room. You can cry and keep going.

  • If a long-shot keeps hurting you, ask: “Is there a kinder goal that still honours the dream?”

With family and friends

  • Share aims and roles: who does what by when.

  • Celebrate tiny milestones out loud; they’re the fuel stops.

  • Don’t “positive-vibes” people. Ask, “What would help you try the next step?”

At work

  • Translate hope into roadmaps: clear deliverables, check-ins, and honest risk notes.

  • Leaders: keep hope credible — name wins and constraints; adjust plans when facts change.

In the community

  • Back realistic projects that move the needle: local clean-ups, tutoring, fundraisers with transparent goals. Hope scales through boring, decent work.

Myths to retire

  • “Hope is naive.” Blind hope is. Practical hope is grit with a compass.

  • “If I admit doubt, hope dies.” Doubt keeps hope honest.

  • “Big leaps only.” Most futures are built from small, repeatable steps.

Keep a simple eye on it (two-minute log)

  • Goal I’m working toward: ___

  • Today’s step: ___

  • Result: worked / partly / didn’t

  • Adjust: keep / tweak / change path

  • Tomorrow’s step: ___

When to worry (and what to do)

  • Hope feels gone for weeks; nothing seems worth trying (possible depression).

  • You swing to grand plans and risky choices with little sleep (possible mania/hypomania).

  • Long-shot chasing is hurting finances/health/relationships.

If that’s you: talk to your GP or a psychologist. If there’s immediate risk, call 000. In Australia you can also call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.

A short story

After tearing his Achilles, Dan spirals: season over, job on hold. His physio shrinks the mountain: Goal — back to walking kids to school in 12 weeks. Path A — clinic plan; Path B — pool sessions if pain blocks land work. Dan texts a mate to meet him at the pool twice a week. He logs tiny wins (first heel raise, first pain-free lap) and adjusts when swelling flares. Three months later he’s at the school gate, slow but smiling. Not luck. Hope, with steps.

Wrap-up

Hope is the pull towards better. Keep it honest, keep it small, keep it moving — and let your future be built by the steps you actually take.