• You’re more successful
• You feel more satisfied
• You’re less affected by stress
• You have more satisfying relationships
• You’re physically healthier
• You’re more productive
• You’re more compassionate
• You’re more willing to help people in need
• You hold yourself to higher standards
• You’re more likely to assume leadership
• You’re more likely to see God as loving, caring and forgiving!

That’s a pretty impressive list! I hope you believe that rising hope can change everything for you too. Regardless of your background, regardless of your job, regardless of your personal makeup or life history, the priority of staying encouraged by learning how to increase your Hope Quotient can change everything.

But let me give one caution here. Hope is so much more than pious platitudes and anemic answers. Hope can seem like cotton candy, which tastes good at first, but there’s nothing to it. Real hope is a deep and powerful force when it is anchored in the seven factors that sustain hope. We’ll be exploring these in this blog in the coming months.

The last thing anybody needs is a shot of hope, a temporary high followed by a crash. On January 1, people get a temporary shot of hope and set New Year’s resolutions, and by January 6 they’re done with it. People get a temporary shot of hope, decide they’re going to lose weight, and three pounds later, they give up. Countless people have said, “This is the year I’m going to read the Bible,” and then make it all the way to Genesis 6. The common denominator in these situations is a temporary, emotional, shallow burst of hope not anchored in the seven factors that support, sustain, and strengthen hope.

My book, and the online test you can take with it, will help you build the seven factors of your life that will help you not just get encouraged but stay encouraged. This is the battle you want to win and the one battle you cannot afford to lose.

In my next blog, I’m going to talk about my time with the greatest single human being I have ever met.

YOUR HQ BOOSTER

Real hope is a deep and powerful force when it is anchored in the seven factors that sustain hope.

The post The Eleven Major Differences That Hope and Confidence Create appeared first on Hope Quotient.

Howard Hendricks gave a gripping definition of discouragement: “Discouragement is the anesthetic the devil uses on a person just before he reaches in and carves out his heart.” He’s right. When people lose hope, they lose their ability to dream for the future. Despair replaces joy. Fear replaces faith. Anxiety replaces prayer. Insecurity replaces confidence. Tomorrow’s dreams are replaced by nightmares. It’s a lousy way to live.

Think hope doesn’t make a difference? Let’s get real for a second. Two people are walking in your direction. One of them is the most encouraging person you know. The other is the most discouraging person you know. Which one do you want to spend time with? That is true in every setting.

In fact, picture what happens when a person of genuine hope comes into your life. All it takes is one. In a flash, the whole atmosphere changes. The impossible actually starts to look possible (think Steve Jobs). Defeat starts to look like it could be turned to victory (think Peyton Manning). Difficult things begin to look like they might actually be possible (think Nelson Mandela). Courage replaces fear, and strength chases away powerlessness.

Yes, hope is that important!

In my next blog, I’m going to talk about the eleven major differences the presence of hope and confidence creates.

YOUR HQ BOOSTER

It’s only possible to be spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, or relationally healthy when we live with a high level of hope.

The post What Happens When People Lose Hope? appeared first on Hope Quotient.