Dick Bolles on Options and Hope

I had never really thought about the idea that options and hope were so interconnected.

I had the delightful pleasure to spend some time with legendary author Dick Bolles (What Color Is Your Parachute?) and his wife Marci last week at lunch.

We talked about a lot of things, but one thing keeps popping up in my mind.

Dick commented on HOPE.  We both recognize that we (hopefully) bring HOPE to people in a very discouraging time.

I remembered a professional speaker remarking that all speakers do is bring HOPE to an audience – that’s why people come to a presentation – they are hoping for something.

Dick Bolles said something like (my paraphrase):

When you have no options you have no HOPE.  Show people their options and you can see their HOPE.

I don’t know why people really get out of my presentations. It’s usually fun, with lots of laughs and a few goosebumps… but I get emails from people telling me I inspired them to ________ (various things).

I think, I hope, I showed them the options they already had, and now they have renewed HOPE.

Are you HOPELESS?

Maybe it is just because you don’t recognize the options you have (or, that you can create).

My next major writing project (AKA book) is about the different options today’s job seeker has, and how to move forward with them.

I’m super-excited about it, and HOPE to give HOPE!

Related about options and hope:

I wrote Depression Clouds Everything early in my JibberJobber journey. Definitely check out that post, and the comments. The job search can feel lonely, depressing, and hopeless, but it doesn’t have to be. Knowing you have options and hope can change everything.