Hope Is Where We Begin

As a business owner, a financial planner, an investment adviser, an investor, and as a provider for my family, I could easily find many reasons to be anxious or pessimistic with regard to this New Year, 2009.

But as many reflect negatively upon 2008's generational decline in the economy and world financial markets, I choose not to end in despair but to begin in hope...

"If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Hope is not a plan; Hope is not a prudent foundation for success; Hope can not be quantified or measured; and Hope does not translate into any form of currency or something that can be exchanged for a tangible good.

Above all, Hope is not rational; but therein lies its power.

Specifically with regard to market sentiment measures of the collective investor herd, greed and euphoria, which mark the top and opposite end of the market cycle from where we are today, are not rational either; however, similar to Hope, their equal and opposite powers to move financial markets are real and should never be dismissed.

"Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence." ~ Lin Yutang

Hope is often a place where the most meaningful, trans-formative and sustainable movements in human history find their respective genesis -- because Hope is the bridge from despair to relief and optimism; which combine to ultimately enable forward momentum and future growth.

As individuals, and as human beings, Hope is often all that remains when everything else fails.  While it may not be a plan, a foundation for success or even a rational endeavor, Hope enables all of these. 

Hope is where we begin.

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Related Posts:

The Power of the Unknown, the Uncertain & the Hidden

Nary Quite Contrary... 2009 

Comments

[Sumit]

Could'nt agree more. Hope is the driver for all endeavors.

I read this post while watching 'The Christmas Choir' on Hallmark in which a young man gives hope to few homeless people of making some money for Christmas by singing as a choir and they become very successful.

Also agree with the fact that Hope is where things begin and then it requires belief and due diligence to take it to next level!!

Nice post!!

[Kent @ The Financial Philosopher]

Thanks, Sumit...

Yes, hope certainly is a powerful enabler of great things.

Thanks again for the comment. I HOPE to hear from you again...

[David]

Hi Kent,

Nice post, and I agree with the sentiment. I'm learning that it is important to try and look on the bright side of things.

I'm also trying to focus more on the positive for 2009, in spite of my fondness for the straight-talk of well known "gloom and doom" prognosticators.

I noticed that you and Howard Lindzon have both stressed the "positivity" theme in your early 2009 posts, so I feel like I'm in pretty good company here.

I hope that we all try to make things a little better for each other in the years to come!

[Oz]

it's back to basics, and hope is a great place to start. thanks for the reminder, Kent.

And I hope you don't mind a shameless blog plug: http://quirkyeconomy.wordpress.com

Happy New Year!