Hope, the mother of engagement

Hope contradicts the claim that people don’t like change.

In an earlier post, I criticized the Stoic concept of zones of influence and control. The current political environment favors those who stay in their tight zone of control. It reduces any effort to influence and challenge the status quo. This is happening all around us, at schools, offices, and civic duties.

Disengagement, I argue, is the visible effect of adopting this pearl of stoicism. It kills, in fact, hope, the mother of engagement.

Modern sociology and psychology suggest that hope is a significant emotion. It is, arguably, the most powerful one. Research seems to confirm what historians already knew. Humankind marched on from natural and man-made disasters for millennia out of hope. Researchers at the University of Missouri recently conducted a study with 2300 participants. They found that hope is more important than amusement, contentment, excitement, and happiness. ¹ The experiment showed that hope consistently predicted a stronger sense of meaning.

Three other publications show that hope builds psychological resilience. First, hope therapy enhances self-compassion and psychological resilience in the elderly. ² Second, hope offers long-term protection against substance use and behavioral problems among teenagers.³ Third, hope is positively correlated to long-term workforce engagement. ⁴

Modern scholars no longer regard hope as a purely individual cognitive trait but as a dynamic social resource. Traditional “Hope Theory” (Snyder’s model) focuses on personal goals. However, research has shifted toward viewing hope as a tool for collective resilience. It is also seen as a means for long-term meaning.Hope is an acquired emotion. It can be learned and forgotten.

I feel discomfort with Stoics telling society in general, and workforce in particular, to focus on their circle of control. This particular approach teaches us to view influence in passive terms, thereby reducing engagement. Hope implies not only the expectation but also the will to act and to influence outcomes for the better. Downgrading hope is a mistake.

Not yet convinced? Pay attention how much positive energy people mobilize when planning the future. That’s the power of hope.