Hope.
Often this term is used is the "wishing for" sense when it has a much more valuable meaning for life in the "something to live for" sense.
Hope is not a strategy. That simply means that we cannot go through life just hoping for or wishing for good outcomes. I hope I get that listing, I hope I make a sale, I hope I get my commission check, I hope I pass my test, I hope my checkup at the dentist is OK.
If all we've done is hope for something to happen and not done anything constructive to bring about or cause that outcome, then about all we can do is wish that it happens. Usually that's not the case, and it's not a predictable strategy. Listings and sales don't just happen. Sometimes referrals seem to - but there's actually a major reputation and work product behind that referral.
Anything that we can do to impact or have an effect on the outcome we desire, we should do. I'm sure you've heard the motto "whatever it takes."
Hoping that we get a listing or a listing appointment, hoping that we get an offer, hoping that the seller accepts our offer, or hoping that we studied well enough to pass the test. These require more than hope. They require our action. They require effort - sometimes lots of effort. However, since few things are totally certain, we can "hope" that we've done enough and be reasonably confident that we have.
Some things in life are really beyond our control and are just something we would like to have happen. We say that I hope my team wins, I hope I win the lottery, I hope it doesn't rain, or I hope I get a good parking spot. Obviously we are happy when such things happen but we really can't influence them.
Now, take the important hope. The hope we get from God. This is why we get up in the morning. This is why we sell. This is why we start businesses. This is why we develop relationships. This is why we raise our families. This is why we endure. This is why we mentor and volunteer. This is why we bother.
Without hope - a fervent belief that life is worth living, that it matters, and that we can make a difference - it's sometimes hard to face life's challenges. We have to have a deep-seated hope (light a pilot light) that keeps us going and allows us to take on any challenge, persevere, and conquer. Prayer and faith will keep our pilot light lit. Joy, optimism, and enthusiasm for life will make our light burn brighter.
The "wishing for" hope is not a strategy, but the "believing in" hope is a core principle of the successful life.
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For more information on my coaching services or sales tips visit my website stevehoffacker.com or my blog homesalesinsights.com.
