Check, check, check this. This is Marty's Minute Audio Podcast. Whoa. The other day I was talking to a client about their current BAM project.
And during that conversation, the client said, I really hope our project goes well. Now, I'm not sure you have all said that statement before, but when you think about the word hope, it sounds like the outcome is out of your control, that you really have no say in the matter. How would that conversation have been different if the person said, I'm optimistic that our project will go well? When you look at the definition of hope and optimism, you see very similar words, but very different meanings.
Optimism is the confidence about the future or a successful outcome of something, whereas hope is defined as the expectation of a positive outcome. Dr. Yupal Dolia, a professor at Rice University, says, linguistically speaking, the concept of hope seems to be a really decided inferior concept, like a cocktail of optimism mixed in with a bit of desperation. Hope is less control and optimism has more control.
I think simply put, the optimistic person believes that somehow, through his or her actions, the future will be successful in fulfilling. The hopeful person, on the other hand, believes that the actions of others will secure a successful and fulfilling outcome. As you consider these two words, I think you will see how even the subtle differences in word choice can make a big impact on how you approach things. While I hope you like Marty's Minute, I'm optimistic that you will take these writings to heart.
Until next time, I'm Marty. Take care, Minute Count.