在人生的各个阶段，“希望”都能带来巨大的好处。要想把握希望，你首先要有意识地去想象一个更加美好的未来，接着要制定支持未来的计划，同时也应该拥有接受现实的能力。无论何时，你都可以这样做来创造并保持希望。  

希望对于人类的繁荣发展至关重要。然而在商界，这是一个很少涉及的话题，直到新冠肺炎疫情暴发，人们才不得不开始谈论。在大动荡时期，谈希望或许会让人觉得很幼稚——甚至，就像在为未来的失望做铺垫一样。然而，希望对于我们的满足、动力、健康和表现至关重要。当前景黯淡无光时，保持希望是我们最艰难也最重要的自我管理任务之一。这很难做到，因为我们需要保持一种微妙的平衡，既要接受未来是无法预知的，又要相信事情定会转好。这很重要，因为当我们失去希望时，我们忍受并最终获胜的意志也会消磨殆尽。

Hope is crucial for human flourishing but is a subject rarely addressed in business until the pandemic made it unavoidable. In times of great turbulence, hope can feel naïve — or worse, like a set-up for future disappointment. And yet, hope is essential to our satisfaction, motivation, health, and performance. When things look bleak, remaining hopeful is one of our toughest and most essential self-management tasks. It’s tough because it requires a delicate balance of accepting that we cannot know the future, while believing things will be better than the present. It’s essential because when hope is lost, so, too, is our will to endure and ultimately prevail.

新冠肺炎疫情进入第三年，俄乌战争持续至今，几乎每天都有证据表明气候灾难即将来临，全球供应链中断、通货膨胀，麻烦接踵而至，保持希望比以往任何时候都更加重要。无论是工作还是个人生活，我们都需要它。好消息是，你可以采取行动来保持希望，并收获许多已经记录在案的好处。

With a pandemic heading into its third year, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the almost daily evidence of impending climate disaster, global supply chain disruption, and inflation, among other woes, sustaining hope has become more important than ever. We need it in our jobs as well as in our personal lives. The good news is that you can take actions to sustain hope and achieve the many documented benefits hopefulness confers.

首先，我们要理解希望的本质。美国盖洛普咨询公司（Gallup）资深科学家、学者谢恩·洛佩兹（Shane Lopez）对希望进行了大量研究，他将希望定义为“相信未来会比现在更好，并相信自己有能力做到这一点”。正是这种乐观主义和个人主观能动性的结合，将希望与虚张声势或一厢情愿的想法区别开来。买彩票的时候，我们总是一厢情愿的。而当我们起草一份商业计划并向银行申请贷款时，我们就有了希望。

It begins with understanding the nature of hope. Shane Lopez, who has studied hope extensively both as an academic and as a senior scientist at Gallup, defines hope as “the belief that the future will be better than the present, coupled with the belief that you have the power to make it so.” It is this combination of optimism and personal agency that differentiates hope from its lesser cousins like bravado or wishful thinking. When we play the lottery, we are engaged in wishful thinking. When we draw up a business plan and take it to the bank for a loan we are in the domain of hope.

在人生的各个阶段，希望都能带来巨大的好处。满怀希望的学生可以取得更好的学习成绩，满怀希望的成年人对生活的满意度更高，满怀希望的老年人死亡率明显更低。我在各种规模的组织中指导领导者的经验表明，满怀希望是高绩效者的基本特质。

At all stages of life, hope produces immense benefits. Hopeful students have better academic outcomes, hopeful adults report greater life satisfaction, and hopeful seniors have significantly lower rates of mortality. And in my experience coaching leaders in organizations of all sizes, I’ve found that hopefulness is an essential trait of high performers.

要想把握希望，首先要有意识地去想象一个更加美好的未来，接着要制定支持未来的计划。同时我们应该拥有接受事实的能力，明白即使我们拼尽全力，未来仍是未知而不可知的，以此来获得韧性。无论是在面对巨大的不确定性和悲伤的时刻，还是任何时候，你都可以这样做来创造并保持希望。

Bringing discipline to hope starts with conscious work to imagine a better future, continues with planning that supports that future, and is made resilient through an ability to accept that, despite our best efforts, the future is both unknown and unknowable. Here is what you can do to create and sustain hope not only in this time of great uncertainty and sadness.

想象可行而积极的未来

Imagine a Plausible, Positive Future

三年前，全球最顶尖的环境律师之一参加了我主持的一个韧性研讨会。在准备过程中，学生们完成了一项评估，要求参与者评价他们对“未来可能会比现在更好”这一陈述的认同程度。当我们谈论希望在培养韧性方面的价值时，她说，“我可以向你们展示数据，来证明未来无疑将比现在更糟。” 她眼中含着泪水，讲述了在一个不可逆转地走向气候灾难的世界里，她为保持希望所做的努力。

Three years ago, one of the top environmental lawyers in the world was in a resilience seminar I was leading. In preparation, the class had completed an assessment that asked the participants to rate their agreement with the statement “the future will probably be better than things are right now.” As we were talking about the value of hope in fostering resilience, she said, “I can show you data that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt the future will be worse than the present.” With tears in her eyes, she talked about her struggle to stay hopeful in a world moving irreversibly towards climate catastrophe.

如果你无法想象一个更好的未来，那么希望就不可能存在。我们的想象会影响我们的情感和身体。运动员通过反复生动地想象自己的优异表现，来对身体表现产生有益影响。相反，当我们想象一个暗淡的未来时，它会对我们的表现、情绪甚至生理产生不良影响。缺乏积极的未来意象可能导致抑郁，强烈的消极意象侵入可能导致创伤后应激障碍。由此，我们为可能不会到来的未来付出了情感和身体代价。

If  you cannot imagine a better future, hope is impossible. What we imagine impacts us emotionally and physically. Athletes experience meaningful benefits to their physical performance from repeatedly and vividly imagining themselves performing well. Conversely, when we repeatedly and vividly imagine a bleak future, it impacts our performance, mood, and even physiology. A lack of positive future imagery is associated with depression, and the intrusion of strong negative imagery is associated with PTSD. We pay an emotional and physical price for a future that may not even arrive.

因此，与其执着于暗淡的未来，不如有意识地为自己合理想象出另一种未来，一个可以带来活力和动力，而非恐惧和焦虑的未来。

So instead of fixating on a dismal future, consciously imagine plausible alternative futures for yourself that bring you energy and motivation instead of dread and anxiety.

首先，写下你目前对未来的想象，以及这些图景所激发的情绪。确切地描述你的想象（例如，“明年还在我的卧室里工作”），而不是泛泛而谈（例如“在家工作”）。区别于笼统的想法，具体意象可以对我们的内心状态产生最大的影响。通常，我们并没有完全意识到我们脑中的意象，及其造成的内在影响。第一步是将其具象化，这类似于斯多葛学派的消极设想实践，生动地想象最坏的情况可以使这些意象丧失力量。 

First, write out what you are currently imagining about the future and the emotions these images provoke. Describe exactly what you are imagining (for example, “still working from my bedroom next year”) instead of generalities (like “working from home”). Specific images, not general ideas, have the greatest impact on our internal state. Often, we are not wholly conscious of the images that we are holding or the impact they are creating internally. Making them concrete and tangible is the first step, akin to the Stoic practice of negative visualization, in which vividly imagining worst-case scenarios robs them of their power.

第二步，想象你在接下来的两年里一切都很顺利，然后从那个未来给自己写一张明信片。描述你的生活。你的工作环境是怎样的？个人世界呢？关键的问题是：“如果我一切顺利，我会在哪里？”它需要让人感到乐观而现实。

Second, imagine things have gone well for you over the next two years and write a postcard to yourself from that future. Describe your life. What is going on in your work world? Personal world? The key question is: “Where will I be if things have gone well for me?” It needs to feel optimistic but realistic.

第三步，立足未来。生动地想象你所描绘的未来的自己。想象一下你和周围人的对话。想象一下你的感觉。试着在你的想象中包含尽可能多的感觉——拥抱你所爱之人的触感，确定升职时握手的感觉。研究表明，我们的想象越生动，它对我们内心状态的影响就越直接。

Third, stand in that future. Vividly imagine yourself in the future you have described. Imagine the conversations you are having with people around you. Imagine how you are feeling. Try to involve as many senses as you can in your imagery — the tactile sensations of hugging a loved one, the feel of a handshake to seal your promotion. Research shows that the more vivid our imagery is, the more directly it impacts our internal state.

确定下一步最佳行动

Identify the Next Best Action

希望还需要形成研究人员所说的“思维路径”，培育我们可以将想象中的未来变成现实的信念。想象让希望成为可能；计划使其成为现实。

Hope also requires the formation of what researchers call “pathways thoughts” that foster a belief we can make the imagined future a reality. Imagination makes hope possible; planning makes it real.

传奇精神表现教练彼得·詹森（Peter Jensen）曾与100多名奥运奖牌得主合作过。在开始与一位新运动员合作时，他拿出一张白纸。在右上角，他写下他们的目标——比如“获得2024年奥运会的参赛资格”。在左下角，他写下他们的现状——比如“全国赛第五名”。随后，他从左下角到右上角画出一条对角线作为时间轴，并开始与运动员一同在上面策划行动路线。他们首先标出“奥运会选拔赛”和“全国锦标赛”这样的关键性标志。随后继续回溯，直到遇到一个简单的问题：“下一步最好做什么？”

When legendary mental performance coach Peter Jensen, who has worked with more than 100 Olympic medalists, starts working with a new athlete, he pulls out a blank sheet of paper. In the top right corner, he writes their goal — for example “qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.” In the bottom left corner, he writes their current status — for example “fifth at Nationals.” He then draws a diagonal line from bottom left corner to the top right corner and, working with the athlete, starts to plot out their pathway on the timeline. Critical markers like “Olympic trials” and “National championships” go on first. They continue working backwards, until they arrive at a simple question: “What’s the next best step?”

在工作和生活中，你也可以采用同样的方法。你想象中的未来之路是什么？关键性标志是什么？最重要的是，下一步做什么？如果你在确定下一步时遇到困难，可以从以下几个领域着手行动：

You can take the same approach to your path at work and beyond. What is the pathway to the future you’ve imagined? What are the critical markers? And, most importantly, what is the next step? If you are having trouble identifying your next step, work your way through the following potential action areas:

行为——有什么事情我应该多做、少做或一以贯之？

Behaviors – Is there something I should do more, less, or with increased consistency?

人际关系——有没有一种关系是我需要建立、加强或抛弃的？

Relationships – Is there a relationship I need to build, strengthen, or jettison?

学习——是否有一种技能或能力是我应该去投资、去发展的？

Learning – Is there a skill or ability I should invest in developing?

信念——有没有一种信念是我需要放弃或培养的？

Beliefs – Is there a belief I need to let go of or cultivate?

视挫折为转折点而非失败

See Setbacks as Inflection Points, Not Defeat

希望的最后一个组成部分——赋予其韧性的部分——是一种接受现实的能力：尽管我们有着丰富的想象力和周密的计划，但我们仍无法控制或预测未来。当事情没有按计划进行时，我们应该培养一种能力，即将逆境视为转折点，而非放弃希望的理由。在即兴游戏“幸与不幸”中，一位演员以“幸运的是”开头讲述故事。他们可能会这样说：“幸运的是，我在地上发现了100美元。”另一位演员接着说：“不幸的是，当你弯下腰去捡的时候，你得了疝气。”如此循环下去。

The final component of hope — and the one that makes it resilient — is an ability to make peace with the fact that we cannot control or predict the future despite our vivid imagination and best laid plans. When things don’t go according to plan, cultivate the ability to see adversity as an inflection point rather than a reason to abandon hope. In the improv game Fortunately, Unfortunately, one actor starts a story with the word fortunately. They might say something like: “Fortunately, I found a $100 bill on the ground.” Another actor then continues the story with unfortunately: “Unfortunately, when you bent down to retrieve it, you suffered a hernia.” And so on, back and forth.

这个游戏十分有用，它提醒我们隐藏在逆境中的机会。多年来，我接触过的许多成功人士都将失败时刻视为其最终取得成功的关键催化剂。

The game is a useful reminder of the opportunity hidden inside adversity. Many of the most successful people I’ve worked with over the years point to moments of failure as critical catalysts in their eventual success.

在进行自己的“幸与不幸”游戏时，你应该预料到，事情不会按计划顺利展开。当逆境来临时，问问自己，这对你来说可能是一个转折点，你能做些什么来让不幸变成幸运。同时，问问自己从逆境中学到了哪些对将来有所帮助的东西。然后，放弃原先的计划，开始重新想象另一种未来。

As you move through your own game of Fortunately, Unfortunately, you should anticipate that things will not move neatly along the plan you have identified. When adversity hits, ask yourself how it might be an inflection point for you and what you can do to turn unfortunately to fortunately. Also ask what you’re learning from adversity that will serve you well in the future. Then let go of your original plan and start reimagining an alternative future.

当你想象出一个比现在更好、更可行的未来时，确定通往那个未来的行动路径，并接受事情很少完全按照计划进行的事实。这样你就可以培养出既实用又有韧性的希望。

When you can imagine a plausible future that is better than present, identify the pathway to that future and accept that things rarely go exactly according to plan, you will cultivate hope that is both useful and resilient.

戴恩·詹森（Dane Jensen）|文

戴恩·詹森是Third Factor的首席执行官，该公司致力于跨学科领导力发展，在体育、商业、学术和政府领域开展运营。他也是北卡罗来纳大学凯南—弗拉格勒商学院的教员，还在加拿大女王大学史密斯商学院任教，并著有《压力的力量》一书（哈珀·柯林斯出版社，2021年8月）。

何婧|译  周强|编校