THE POWER OF HOPE

 We live in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous world(VUCA). The other day I read a newspaper article where a mother dropped her new born baby in a pit latrine. I also read an article where a suspected witch doctor murdered two children in Kiboga District. Today Uganda is becoming insecure because many people have lost hope in the future. One can not move at night because iron hit men can destroy their lives. Some of these thugs are arrested and they come out. What is the cause of all this? Could it be hard economic times or something else?

It is said that hope is one of the most needed commodities in the world. The world is desperate for leaders who inspire hope in the population. Uganda is privileged to have over 70% of  its population below the age of 30 years. When I move across the country I see a number of youths who are working hard to make ends meet. That is very commendable. However I have also witnessed a section of youths who misuse opportunities because of a negative mindset or attitude. There are graduates who have given up on looking for jobs with the mentality that all jobs are already taken. I once met a youth who said he expected to die within 5 years. Remember what one focuses on expands. So the youths of a country can become a blessing if they are nurtured to be creative and critical thinkers. But if majority of the youths are bent on waiting for handouts then the future of the country is bleak. In a country where some youths divert tuition  money for gambling that is a signal of treading a dangerous path. 

Some youths have given up on going to church yet it is a center of transformation. When we witness an increase in drug abuse some of the causes are the loss of hope among the youth. It should be noted that having hope is very critical in building businesses and transforming societies. So many youths prefer to be given handouts instead of seeking for knowledge to start their own businesses. I have seen some youths being invited for financial literacy trainings and turned down the opportunities because they were not given  transport allowance. What a waste of opportunities?

So from the above scenarios we can see that hope is very important in redefining the direction which people and the nation take.

HOW DO WE BUILD HOPE?

1.Have trust in God. God is the source of our lives and we should put our trust and hope in Him.

2.Associate with successful people. If one wants to become a medical doctor you can not find him hanging around drug addicts.

3.Life long learning. I met a graduate who said that after his first degree he was done with books. That is a dangerous statement. Leaders are readers.

4.Long term thinking. Harv Eker in his book Secrets of a Millionaire Mind notes that rich and successful people thinking long term. Brian Tracy in his book the 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success supported the same argument.


Hope is very necessary in an uncertain world. We need to build a society with hope .This is because a person without hope is dangerous to humanity since he has nothing to live for.


Phillip Kiryowa

Finance and Leadership Coach

+256752615916


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