What do people around the world need most from their leaders right now? Earlier this month, Gallup released new research based on surveys in 52 countries. They asked two questions:
- What leader has the most positive influence on your daily life?
- Now, please list three words that best describe what this person contributes to your life.
Hope topped the list by large percentage (56%). The runners up were trust, compassion, and stability.
Losing Hope
Hope means a trusting confidence in a good future – or at least, the possibility of one. We live in an era in which people are losing hope. Barraged by volatility in social, environmental, and political spheres, many – especially in younger generations – find it hard to envision a future of stability, health, and happiness. It’s common to come across articles on the morality of childbearing in today’s world, the decline of happiness amongst young people, and something called “hope fatigue.”
But let me assure you, not everything is hopeless. There are tangible actions we can take and meaningful ways to inspire others that can truly make a difference in our world.
What Leaders Can Do
- Model Healthy Social Media Use: Research consistently shows that excessive social media use can lead to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression. By demonstrating wise and balanced use of these platforms, we can inspire others to do the same.
- Practice Gratitude and Inspire Others: When we focus on gratitude, we can sharpen our awareness of the gifts within the present moment, dissipating anxious ruminations. Gratitude helps reset the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing to promote overall relaxation.
- Cultivate Compassionate Relationships: In times of physical, mental, or spiritual struggle, people need to feel acknowledged, safe, and supported. Building compassionate relationships fosters an environment where individuals can thrive.
- Take Compassionate Action: Initiating group volunteering or community advocacy can have a profound impact. Evidence shows that compassionate actions not only alleviate depression but also foster hope through the power of social connections.
- Choose the Long View: An “apocalyptic” mindset can stifle optimism and agency. Remind those you lead that history is rich with examples of resilience and ingenuity in the face of adversity. Hope is about believing we can endure and flourish, even during the toughest times.
- Encourage Spiritual Deepening: Research shows that individuals who feel connected to something greater than themselves often experience better mental health and well-being. Nurturing this connection can be a source of strength and hope.
Practicing Hope: Letter to your future self
In my keynotes and workshops, I often ask people to envision and interact with their future self – the one who’s seen it all, survived it all, and become stronger and wiser by walking through challenge. Most find this to be an incredibly grounding, hope-inducing, and values-clarifying exercise.
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking in Japan, where I visited the serene Sanzen-in Temple on the outskirts of Kyoto. Surrounded by gently falling snow and the tranquility of nature, I participated in a profound exercise designed to inspire hope. The guiding question was: “Why not write a letter to the you that exists three years from now?”
Three years may seem like a brief moment in the grand timeline of life, yet it offers a unique opportunity to envision a transformed present—a future filled with promise and potential. This practice, rooted in the temple’s name, Sanzen-in, symbolizes a sanctuary for weary travelers seeking a “Pure Land” or a paradise free from suffering and grief. And a belief that the future possibilities are endless, despite the overwhelming difficulties of the present.
For leaders, envisioning your future self goes beyond personal reflection; it’s a powerful practice that equips you to instill hope in others as you imagine a meaningful path forward. I experienced this firsthand while sitting in a calm room, immersed in a beautiful musical composition crafted from sounds recorded at Sanzen-in. In that peaceful moment, I penned my letter to the person I aspire to become in three years, an experience that grounded me deeply in my vision for the future.
Envisioning Tomorrow: What Would You Write?
It isn’t necessary to travel to Japan to engage in this transformative exercise—it can be done from anywhere, even at this very moment. Are you willing to take the leap and discover what unfolds when you write a note to your future self? What dreams and aspirations do you envision for your future?
As you embark on this journey of self-reflection and hope, may you and those you lead feel re-grounded in a trusting expectation of future goodness. Together, let us deepen our connections with ourselves and one another, harnessing the transformative power of optimistic imagining.
