A short Optimize +1 podcast episode by Brian Johnson summarizing Rick Snyder’s psychological model of hope: three components—specific goals, willpower/agency, and waypower/pathways (planning and flexible route-finding). Johnson prompts listeners with a brief self-check (Do you have meaningful goals, willpower, and plans?) and reminds them that basic health habits (eat, move, sleep) support hope. The episode closes with a promotional description of the Optimized membership (Philosopher’s Notes and Optimal Living 101 classes).
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize plus one. So Rick Snyder was the founder of Research into the Science of Hope and he was one of the pioneers of the positive psychology movement. In fact, he literally wrote the textbook on positive psychology. He documented just how important hope is to our overall well being and tells us that there are three primary components to having high hope. Goals plus Willpower plus Way Power it all starts with a goal. Happy people have projects and and happy, hopeful people have goals. They have a future they're excited about that's pulling them toward it. Then we have what Rick calls willpower. Now in this context, Rick tells us that willpower is that spark of determination that says we've got this, we can hit that goal. It needs to be there in the beginning and it needs to be there after you get knocked down a few times in pursuit of that goal. Rick's protege Shane Lopez described this as agency, a sense of personal power that we have what it takes to make our dreams a reality. Then we have what Rick calls way power. Way power is all about mapping out the plans for how you will attain your goal, along with the wisdom to know that your first plan probably won't work out perfectly, requiring you to continue optimizing your strategy while while pursuing different routes to your goal. Shane Lopez called this pathways so again, goals, willpower and waypower. To be high hope, we need to have all three of those optimized. And it's obviously not enough to have goals without willpower or waypower. But it's also not enough to have goals and willpower but not have the waypower. You could be fired up and really believe you can crush it. But if you're not also doing the planning to find out all the routes to your goal, your hope will take a hit. Today's +1 let's do a quick check in on the status of your hope. Do you have specific, meaningful and challenging yet doable goals? Do you have a spark of determination or willpower that gives you the confidence that you can achieve your goals and helps you move through the inevitable obstacles you'll face along the way? And do you have a plan on how you can achieve your goals and a willingness to constantly tweak that plan as you get feedback from the world via a strong sense of way power? Once more, goals. Way power. I should say goals, Willpower, Way power Where are you strong? What needs work? Here's to cultivating your resilient, grounded yet high hope each day, day in and day out. Especially when you don't feel like it. And P.S. remember, if your basic fundamentals aren't optimized, there's no way you'll be able to get yourself into that high hope state. Consistently eating, moving, sleeping well. That's the best way to boost your hope. Period.
Isn't it a bit odd that we went from math to science to history, but somehow missed the class on how to live? For some wacky reason, optimal living 101 never made the schedule. Of course, it's too late to go back and change that and you're too busy to read full time to catch up. But if you're like us, you're all about optimizing your life and actualizing your potential. So imagine this. Imagine having someone read the best books on how to optimize your life and pull out the big ideas that can really change your life. You know those sections you underline and asterisks and mark all up? Then imagine that guy me connecting those awesome ideas to other great books and helping you actually apply the wisdom to your life today. Well, that's what I do with something we call Philosopher's Notes where I've distilled hundreds of great books into 20 minute super practical summaries. Then imagine me taking the absolute best big ideas from those great books and sharing them with you in hour long Optimal Living 101 classes on everything from productivity, purpose and confidence to nutrition, goal setting and conquering procrastination. Helping you optimize every facet of your life so you can actualize your potential. You've got a personal trainer. I'm kind of like your personal philosopher. Ancient wisdom plus Modern science plus Practical tools. That's what our Optimized membership program is all about. If you're feeling it, we'd love to have you join us.
