i heard it said once that saying “i hope” is nothing but a tacit acknowledgement that you have no control over the outcome of any given situation, and while i generally abhor the “life hack” style of “simple tricks to be… whatever” – i can no longer hear someone remark on their “hopes” without a small, sad laugh. i think people in general sell short their ability to affect change in the world and their own lives in particular. we get into habits, habits of thinking of our wants instead of our abilities. of our problems as opposed to their solutions. we spend so much time training our bodies. hardening things. creating and refining automatic behavior. it makes sense that we would spend at least as much attention to our minds, to our thoughts – curating those same automatic behaviors, working diligently to increase strength, endurance, speed, power, flexibility, agility, and resilience. doing everything we can to have options and exist as a product of our own design. to shape our very selves. we are all tools, tools of our own making, this is about learning and refining. becoming a force multiplier. becoming an agent of change. to trade in our hopes for calloused hands and a saw-toothed, grinding determination. in the end we are judged by our actions. be aware, and be deliberate.
kevin is an example of what can be accomplished when an individual digs a little deeper. starts to look at the process, the opportunity to break and rebuild their very selves.
someone who chooses to live deliberately – to hope less and work more – to take responsibility.