Dr. Barbara L. Fredrickson, Principal Investigator of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab and Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, argues that hope "...comes into play when our circumstances are dire", when "things are not going well or at least there’s considerable uncertainty about how things will turn out". She states that "[h]ope literally opens us up...[and] removes the blinders of fear and despair and allows us to see the big picture [, thus allowing us to] become creative" and have "[b]elief in [a] better future".

"Psychologist, C.R. Snyder and his colleagues say that hope is cultivated when we have a goal in mind, determination that a goal can be reached, and a plan on how to reach those goals". Hopeful people are "like the little engine that could, [because] they keep telling themselves "I think I can, I think I can".

Hope is distinct from positive thinking, which refers to a therapeutic or systematic process used in psychology for reversing pessimism. The term "false hope" refers to a hope based entirely around a fantasy or an extremely unlikely outcome.

As a literary concept

Hope is a common theme in cultural works across the world, and has a strong place in both classical and contemporary western literature as well as in works of world literature.

A classic reference which has generally entered modern parlance is the concept that "Hope springs eternal" taken from Alexander Pope's Essay on Man , the phrase reading "Hope springs eternal in the human breast, Man never is, but always to be blest:"

Hope is key concept in many classic and contemporary fictional works. It can be used as a plot device and is often a motivating force for change in dynamic characters. A commonly understood reference from western popular culture is to the subtitle "A New Hope" from the original first installment (now considered Episode IV) in the Star Wars science fiction epic space opera . The subtitle refers to one of the lead characters, Luke Skywalker, who is expected in the future to allow good to triumph over evil within the plot of the films.

Noun

hope (countable and uncountable; plural hopes)

1. (uncountable) The belief or expectation that something wished for can or will happen.

   I still have some hope that I can get to work on time.

   After losing my job, there's no hope of being able to afford my world cruise.

   There is still hope that we can find our missing cat.

2. (countable) The actual thing wished for
3. (countable) A person or thing that is a source of hope

   We still have one hope left: my roommate might see the note I left on the table.

4. (in Christianity) The virtuous desire for future good

   But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1Cor. 13:13)

Derived terms

• Cape of Good Hope
• forlorn hope
• great white hope
• have one's hope dashed
• hope against hope
• hope chest
• hopeful
• hopeless
• hoper
• no-hoper
• out of hope
• overhope
• unhope
• wanhope

Hope Powered and Motivation @ HopePowered.com
An informational site about Hope Powered and Motivation. ... Powered by Hope - Powered by Hope is a team on a mission to ... Health: Mental Health: Self-Help: Products (18) News ...
www.hopepowered.com

---

	New Location:
city:
state/region:
country:

• Motivational Speakers@ (291)

See also:

• Health: Mental Health: Self-Help: Products (18)
• News: Alternative: Good News (22)
• Reference: Quotations: Inspirational (68)

---

• You Can Choose To Be Happy
  csulb.edu
  A self-development text is available free of charge, as well as psychologist-created programs.
• Motivation: An Overview
  edpsycinteractive.org
  Offers a detailed overview of psychological research on motivation to achieve.
• Dare to Believe
  dare2believe.com
  Motivational e-zine, articles, and online tutorial.