A friend of mine said something striking recently. It shook me. Got into my bones. All the way to the marrow.

He said, “poverty has little to do with how much money you have. It has to do with how much hope you have.”

Our whole lives we fear poverty.

There’s never enough! I will be poor! They will get ahead of me! I will die sad, broke, and alone!

WHATEVER.

How many dumb decisions have been made out of fear of financial poverty?

Like, I used to fall into the trap of just creating random products or services because I was fearful we’d fall short of our monthly goals.

It always caused a mess. It was never thought through. It wasn’t serving our clients well. It was just so I could feel better about our financial position.

It doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention to numbers. Not at all. It just means I let hope, not fear, guide my decisions.

Poverty doesn’t just mean financial poverty, either.

It means emotional poverty. Always thinking about yourself instead of focusing on the person you’re in a conversation with.

It means impoverished life skills. Most folks never pick up a book after they graduate college. Living in the 21st century means we need constant “upgrades” to our intelligence. Don’t be poor when it’s so easy to be rich.

Or maybe it’s impoverished relationships. Only concerned with getting what you need instead of giving what the other person wants.

My marriage started going 100 times better when I started asking the question, “how can I help you right now?” to my wife. Most times she says, “nothing right now.” But she just needs to know I’m not checked out.

Poverty always has the same root: thinking there’s never enough to go around.

Fear of financial poverty is just the whitehead on the pimple called “scarcity”.

The truth is there is always enough to go around. Someone else’s success does not mean your failure.

Hope means you can fearlessly root others on. Even as they pass you. Especially as they pass you.

Hope looks like sincerely desiring the best for others.

This takes practice.

For me, it meant reminding myself over and over, “we are running different races…they are doing the steeple chase and I am running a marathon!”

Hope means you are not motivated by getting more of the pie. You are focused on creating more pies. More pie means more fun.

I can be hopeful when other people succeed.

I can be hopeful when I don’t get what I want.

I can be hopeful when they other person doesn’t reciprocate in the relationship they way I want.

Hope doesn’t let the current circumstances dictate future reality.

Hope pulls forward. Scarcity and poverty push down.

Hope broadens your perspective. Scarcity diminishes it.

Hope leads you to what you instinctually know is true. Scarcity only betrays your confidence.

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s the compass of your soul, pointing you in the right direction.

Hope is what you feel in your bones right before you tear the wrapping paper off your first Christmas present.

Hope is truth.

Hope is for you.

Let it grasp you.

Deep in your guts.

Wait until it hangs around long enough and doesn’t leave.

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