The Hope QuotientSample

To a business executive whose company is fighting to stay afloat, I say, “Keep your emotional and spiritual batteries recharged and you will have the strength you need to face challenging times.”  

To a young mom whose husband walks out on her, I say, “You may not control what your husband does, but you do have control over one thing. Keep your spiritual batteries recharged and you’ll be in better shape to get through this with your kids.” 

To high schoolers whose friends are trying to drag you away from your faith and values, I say, “If your spiritual batteries are charged, you’ll have strength even when your friends try to take you down a road you don’t want to go.”  

To a young pastor who realizes that seminary doesn’t prepare you for complex leadership challenges I say, “Your single most important leadership step is to learn to stay encouraged—and that only happens if you keep your spiritual, emotional, and relational batteries charged.” 

For all people trying to build a future, I say, “The road to a better future is never traveled on an empty tank”. 

Why? Because drained people are more susceptible to the toxic emotions of fear, anxiety, and discouragement. Drained people make bad decisions. Drained people do not respond well, feel well, or live well. Every person needs to ask: What drains me? And What fuels me? 

The first, most important pathway to hope is to figure out what fuels you, and then do that. Because everything in this world runs on fuel. 

Think Up: 

The most important thing for a person to do is to stay encouraged so every person has to answer the questions, What discourages me? and What drains me?  

How can you identify what drains you? (Read on).