The problem with hope
Inertia — 166
Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
― Will Rogers
The big idea of inertia is that humans experience it like any other object bound by physics. We prefer to keep behaving as we already are, to stick with the default choice unless we’re specifically motivated to change it.
First studied in the 1960s, inertia glues our beliefs in this way: we resist changes to our ways of thinking, relying on mental models to manage our behaviours and decisions, even in the face of old, redundant knowledge—simply for our need to be consistent. But while this may be a faster way to decide, there’s danger in this level of over-reliance.
'Hope' has a similar problem. Life is a forest of happiness, mistakes, good and bad fortune, and in essence, hope counts on all the things you want, working out in the future. Sometimes, we feel destitute and demoralised by life’s fumbles. We try to turn a corner—through epiphany or love or learning—but hope can sneak in as an unhealthy source of ‘meaning’ (aka false hope). We then attach our well-being to it and quieten the present to live in this ‘if-then’ model—which says you’ll only be happier if something happens.
If you buy a house, if you get a pay rise, if you have a better boss or group of friends.
It’s a fundamentally limiting way to be. Because let’s say you do get what you want. How long do you think you’ll be happy before you want more? A day? A month? The cycle never stops because you’ll always desire a new destination, with the memory of the journey ending up as a flaky part of the background in your life.
So, why not try a different way?
Since I was a kid in school, I have always found pleasure in learning new things and supporting other people’s emotional well-being. After all, trying to be a colourful and thorough person with a huge heart and plenty of energy is fun. What came with this was the opportunity to see many different perspectives from an early age, but only recently have I understood the benefits.
So, if you want to feel alive, passionate, connected, joyful, successful, and grounded in the world, your mind needs immense flexibility. Not only is it essential for a competitive edge, but many of us weren’t awarded the same luxuries, despite our beliefs, as others. Resisting change or focusing on negative causes or consequences harms us more.
It’s okay to have hope and for hope to overcome uncertainties—to ensure momentum and a happy journey. Go where your sun rises; choose your course and align your values with action. See life not as something happening to you but as something you have a hand in shaping.