Charles Snyder's Hope Theory breaks down into three steps: set clear goals using SMART, map multiple pathways to reach them, and take small consistent actions. Each builds the hopefulness and happiness that comes from actually moving toward what you want.
In today's weekly tip, let's turn to the Power of Hope. Charles Snyder, a positive psychologist, studied hope extensively and created his Hope theory, in which he highlighted three simple ways. The first was setting clear and attainable goals. Now we can start by using the SMART formula as a way to articulate our goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time bound. Second, really thinking through all the different pathways through which we will achieve our goals. In this one, we can both harness the power of positive visualization and imagining that we have already achieved the goals. But more importantly, also start to notice all the different ways in which we can get there. Recognize the obstacles and how you might overcome them. Finally, let's harness the power of agency. Let's tune in moment to moment to find small ways, tiny steps that we can take to always keep walking towards our goal. No matter how many times we fall down, let's get up and take the next step forward. When we start to act in these ways, we start to cultivate hope and significantly increase how hopeful we feel about the future and through that, increase our happiness.
Reducing Regrettable Attrition in Organizations by Fixing the System, Not the People Reducing Regret
