A good reason to always remain hopeful

'The gods give us many surprises: the expected does not occur and they open the door to the unexpected.' - Euripides

As much as we wish it to be otherwise, the world is full of surprises.

In fact, the only future you should logically expect, is the unexpected one.

Randomness, chance, serendipity, coincidence: are all a part of a hidden realm of mystery that exists beyond the boundary of reason. Choosing to ignore this terrain simply gives it more opportunity to spring bewilderment onto us.

So the saying: 'expect the unexpected' is then a powerful point of view to hold in response to an age where uncertainty appears to hold such dread for society.

Expect good things to come from seemingly bad situations.

Expect disappointing results from an intervention that you intended to be effective.

Expect a competitor to appear from nowhere and radically shift your otherwise seemingly stable market place.

Expect a chance meeting with a random connection to propel you on a rollercoaster ride of new opportunities.

Which is also exactly why you should always remain hopeful about the future.

Not that you'd want to slide into a desperate mindset of wishful thinking, or forgo the opportunity to improve your odds of success with considered strategic thinking, but because strange and wonderful things (both disastrous and fortuitous) can also always happen at any moment that is beyond our control.

Along with a commitment to self confidence and the development of personal agency it's also wise to keep an open mind and a hopeful heart.