Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Why Hope Matters: Believe You Matter and Create Big Ripples of Change | EP 558
Fri, 10 Jan 2025
Why hope matters is a question we often overlook in the chaos of our daily lives. Yet, hope is far more than a fleeting emotion—it’s a transformative force that fuels resilience, rebuilds communities, and reminds us that we matter. In today’s episode of Passion Struck, we unpack why hope matters and how it connects to our deep need for significance.Drawing from Viktor Frankl’s powerful insights in Auschwitz, the Greensboro sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement, and my personal experience following Hurricane Helene, we explore how hope, when paired with the belief that our actions have meaning, can ripple outward to inspire change in others.If you’ve ever wondered why hope matters in overcoming personal and collective challenges, this episode will provide answers—and show you how to harness its power in your life and community.Download the Leave Behind in the full show notes at: https://passionstruck.com/why-hope-matters-turn-belief-into-impact/This episode is a must-listen because it delves into one of the most transformative yet often overlooked forces in our lives: hope. Whether you’re navigating personal challenges, striving to create a positive impact, or looking to inspire those around you, understanding why hope matters can be the key to unlocking resilience, purpose, and connection.We explore how hope is more than a fleeting feeling—it’s a driving force that transforms adversity into opportunity. Through powerful stories, like Viktor Frankl’s insights from Auschwitz and the ripple effects of the Greensboro sit-ins, this episode demonstrates how hope becomes unstoppable when tied to mattering. You’ll also hear personal reflections on how hope ignites action and strengthens communities, making it both personal and universally relatable.Most importantly, this episode offers practical insights you can apply to your own life. It challenges you to see the hidden power of hope and invites you to take small but meaningful steps to create ripples of significance in the world around you. If you’ve ever felt the weight of insignificance or wondered how to inspire change, this episode will give you the tools to reclaim your sense of purpose and start creating lasting impact today.In this episode, you will learn: Why hope matters in navigating adversity and uncertainty. How Viktor Frankl’s lessons from Auschwitz reveal the power of purpose-driven hope. The Greensboro sit-ins: a story of small acts sparking big change. Why hope flourishes in connection and collective action. Practical strategies for cultivating hope and mattering in your own life. Next Episode Preview:Join me next week as I sit down with Dr. Rick Hanson, a psychologist and best-selling author, for an enlightening conversation on the science of happiness and how to hardwire resilience into your brain. You won't want to miss it.How to Connect with John: Connect with John on Twitter at @John_RMiles and on Instagram at @John_R_Miles. Subscribe to our main YouTube Channel here and to our YouTube Clips Channel here. For more insights and resources, visit John's website. Want to explore where you stand on the path to becoming Passion Struck? Take our 20-question quiz on Passionstruck.com today!If you found value in this episode, share it with a friend and leave us a review to help spread the message of intentional living. Let’s bridge the gap between theory and action and live our lives with purpose!Sponsors: Mint Mobile: Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at “MINT MOBILE dot com slash PASSION.” Hims: Start your journey to regrowing hair with Hims. Get your free online visit at hims.com/PASSIONSTRUCK. Quince: Discover luxury at affordable prices with Quince. Enjoy free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/PASSION. 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Learn more at johnrmiles.com/speaking.Episode Starter Packs: With over 500 episodes, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We’ve curated Episode Starter Packs based on key themes like leadership, mental health, and personal growth, making it easier for you to dive into the topics you care about. Check them out at passionstruck.com/starterpacks.Catch More of Passion Struck: Check My solo episode on Why We All Crave To Matter: Exploring The Power Of Mattering. Catch My Episode with Jennifer B. Wallace on the Consequences of Prioritizing Achievements Over Mattering Can’t miss my episode withGabby Bernstein on finding profound freedom and inner peace My solo episode on Fading into Insignificance: The Impact of Un-Mattering in Our Interconnected Era If you liked the show, please leave us a review—it only takes a moment and helps us reach more people! Don’t forget to include your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally.How to Connect with John:Connect with John on Twitter at @John_RMiles and on Instagram at @John_R_Miles. Subscribe to our main YouTube Channel here and to our YouTube Clips Channel here. For more insights and resources, visit John’s website.Want to explore where you stand on the path to becoming Passion Struck? Take our 20-question quiz on Passionstruck.com and find out today!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapter 1: What is the transformative power of hope?
Coming up next on PassionStruck, what if hope isn't just a feeling, but a force? A force that rebuilds communities, drives revolutions, and transforms ordinary people into extraordinary catalysts for change. In episode 558, we uncover the surprising truth about hope, how it thrives, how it spreads, and how it can reshape the world. Hope isn't just about believing in a better tomorrow.
It's about knowing you matter today. Curious? Stay tuned. Welcome to Passion Struck. Hi, I'm your host, John R. Miles, and on the show, we decipher the secrets, tips, and guidance of the world's most inspiring people and turn their wisdom into practical advice for you and those around you.
Our mission is to help you unlock the power of intentionality so that you can become the best version of yourself. If you're new to the show, I offer advice and answer listener questions on Fridays. We have long-form interviews the rest of the week with guests ranging from astronauts to authors, CEOs, creators, innovators, scientists, military leaders, visionaries, and athletes.
Now, let's go out there and become passion struck. Welcome back, everyone, to Momentum Friday and episode 558 of Passion Struck. Whether you're a longtime listener or brand new to the show, I am so glad you're here. This is the place where we explore intentional living, challenge conventional thinking, and uncover what it truly means to live a life of purpose, passion, and impact.
Before we jump into today's episode, let's take a moment to recap the incredible lineup we've had on the show recently. On Tuesday, I was joined by Max Lugavere, who shared groundbreaking insights in how nutrition and lifestyle choices shape our brain health and longevity.
Max's expertise is a game changer for anyone looking to take charge of their well-being and thrive both mentally and physically. Then on Thursday, Esther Dyson brought us an eye-opening discussion about how investing in community health and well-being is the key to creating sustaining, thriving societies.
Her perspective on reframing our priorities and focusing on the long game of health is a must listen for anyone passionate about making a lasting impact. For those of you new to the show, welcome to the Passion Struck family. With over 550 episodes, I know it can feel overwhelming to decide where to start, but don't worry, we've made it super easy.
Head over to passionstruck.com slash starter packs or browse our curated Spotify playlist to explore topics like mindset, resilience, emotional health, spiritual growth, and personal development. These resources are designed to help you jumpstart your intentional journey with PassionStruck. And while you're there, be sure to sign up for my Live Intentionally newsletter at passionstruck.com.
Each week, I share strategies and thought-provoking insights to help you thrive in every area of your life. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for episode highlights and engaging content designed to inspire and empower. Now let's dive in to today's episode. It wasn't a box. That's the first thing you need to know about Pandora's famous story.
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Chapter 2: How did the Greensboro sit-ins spark change?
But the real question, the one we've overlooked, isn't about the jar. It's about what was left behind. When Pandora opened the jar, Zuza's gifts escaped. Suffering, disease, despair, all the evils of the world spilled out, reshaping human existence forever. But one thing didn't escape. One thing stayed behind. Hope. Here's where it gets interesting. Why hope?
Was it an accident, a cruel joke by the gods, or was it intentional, a safeguard ensuring that humanity had the one thing it would need the most in the face of chaos? Fast forward a few thousand years. February 1960. Four young men step into history. They walk into a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. They sit at a whites-only counter and refuse to leave.
The action is small, quiet. They have no guarantees that their protests will succeed, but they believe their presence matters. And that belief, the belief that what they're doing has significance, sparks a fire of change. This isn't myth. This is real life. And yet, it's no less extraordinary. This is the power of hope. It's not just a feeling. It's a force.
Hope survives where logic says it shouldn't. It transforms ordinary actions into extraordinary movements. But why does hope thrive in some places and vanish in others? And what happens when hope connects with something even deeper, our need to matter? Let's explore the hidden link between hope and mattering, how it fuels revolutions, rebuilds communities, and transforms lives.
And maybe, just maybe, how it can change yours. Thank you for choosing PassionStruck and choosing me to be your host and guide on your journey to creating an intentional life. Now, let that journey begin. Hope is one of those forces that's so fundamental to our lives, we rarely stop to question it.
It's the quiet current running beneath every decision we make, every risk we take, and every challenge we endure. But unlike fear or ambition, hope doesn't demand our attention. It works in the background, nudging us forward. And yet, it's often in the moments when hope should feel most impossible that its true power reveals itself. We've already touched on the Greensboro sit-ins, a quiet act
that ignited a wave of transformation. But let's look closer. What exactly made those four young men walk into that Woolworths? And why did their actions ripple so far, so quickly? It was February 1st, 1960. Four freshmen from North Carolina A&T, Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond, walked into Woolworth's and sat at the whites-only lunch counter.
They weren't loud or confrontational. They didn't shout slogans or hold signs. They just sat and they stayed. And when they were told they couldn't be served, they didn't leave. By refusing to leave, they were making a simple yet profound statement.
we belong here too now on its surface that might not seem remarkable after all these were just four college freshmen they weren't famous they had no political power and yet what they did that day reverberated far beyond that small lunch counter within days other students joined them within weeks sit and spread across the south and within months walrus and other major chains were forced to change their policies
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Chapter 3: What lessons did Viktor Frankl teach us about hope?
What can we do to help, they asked, and they meant it. One friend arrived with supplies we hadn't even thought to ask for. Another showed up, unprompted, to clear branches from our yard. These weren't just gestures of kindness, they were acts of ownership. Our recovery wasn't just ours anymore. It belonged to them too. These weren't grand acts, but they weren't small either.
This wasn't just kindness. It was hope in action. Each one reminded us of something profound. We mattered, not just to ourselves, but to others. And that knowledge that someone saw us, that someone cared, sparked something. Seeing others step in inspired us to do the same for our neighbors.
Hope rippled through our community, not just as an abstract concept, but as tangible, meaningful acts of connection. The ripple effect of hope is what makes it so powerful. It starts as an internal force. our belief in the possibility of change. But it becomes transformative when shared. That's where hope ties directly to mattering. It's not just about survival or success. It's about significance.
Hope reminds us that our efforts, no matter how small, have meaning. However, a vital question stands out. If hope is so powerful, why does it feel so fragile? Why does it thrive in some moments and vanish in others? That's the question we need to answer next. Hope, in its essence, is a paradox. It's fragile, yet it endures.
It asks us to believe in things we can't see and to move forward even when the path isn't clear. So, hope feels fragile even though it's so essential because it doesn't promise certainty. It doesn't guarantee outcomes. What it does is sustain us in the uncertainty, reminding us that our lives are worth the fight and that our contributions matter. But hope isn't passive.
It's not just a flicker of light in a dark room. Hope is active. It pushes us to act, to create. to fight for something better. And here's the remarkable part. The moment we act on hope, it transforms from a belief into a driving force. To understand this, let's revisit an experiment conducted in the 1950s by Kurt Richter, a psychologist at Johns Hopkins University.
Richter wanted to study resilience, what kept living beings going in the face of impossible odds. His subjects were rats. placed in jars of water, forced to swim. Initially, the results were grim. Most rats swam for just a few minutes before giving up and sinking. But then, Richter tried something different.
Just as the rats were about to give up, he pulled them out, dried them off, and gave them a moment to recover. Then, he placed them back in the water. The outcome was startling. These same rats, who had only managed a few minutes before, now swam for hours. Why? Because they had learned something new. Their struggle wasn't futile. They had experienced rescue. They had a reason to keep going.
This experiment is unsettling, but it reveals something profound about hope. Hope isn't born from certainty or guarantees. It emerges when we believe there's a chance, however slim, that our efforts will make a difference. It's not the guarantee of rescue that drives us. It's the possibility of it. Now, let's think about Viktor Frankl.
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Chapter 4: How can small acts of kindness create ripples of hope?
individual hope might inspire action but collective hope creates momentum it's the belief that you're not alone that your efforts matter because they're part of something larger here's the paradox the very moments that seem designed to isolate us disasters oppression crises are often the ones that draw us together more powerfully when hope is shared it doesn't just help us endure it transforms us it turns survival into significance
There's a hidden ingredient in shared hope that often goes unnoticed. The sense that we matter. Hope isn't just about believing in a better future. It's about believing that we have a role in creating it. Without this connection, hope can falter. But when people feel seen, when their actions are recognized as significant, hope doesn't just persist. It flourishes. Consider this.
During the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the success of the movement didn't rest solely on its leaders or its strategy. It rested on ordinary people. Domestic workers, students, ministers, who were reminded, often for the first time, that their presence mattered.
Every individual who walked miles to avoid the buses, every volunteer who organized carpools, became a critical part of the movement's success. They weren't just participants. they were indispensable. Their hope was fueled by the knowledge that their actions, however small, had meaning. Psychologists have a term for this, mattering.
It's the feeling that we're important to others, that what we do is noticed and valued. And it turns out mattering is deeply connected to hope. Research shows that when people feel insignificant, When they believe their contributions don't matter, they're more likely to experience hopelessness. But when they feel seen and valued, hope becomes possible again.
This isn't just about social movements or historic moments. Think about the small, everyday ways we experience this connection. A teacher tells a struggling student, I believe in you. A coach reminds a player that their effort on the field inspires the entire team. These moments might seem fleeting, but their impact is profound. Being seen doesn't just validate our existence.
It gives us permission to hope. One of the clearest examples of this connection between hope and mattering comes from Martin Luther King Jr. 's leadership during the Civil Rights Movement. King didn't just deliver speeches about a dream. He gave people a sense of agency within that dream. He made them believe that their voices, their presence, their courage could create change.
For the marchers on Selma's Edmund Pettus Bridge, hope wasn't abstract. It was tied to the belief that they mattered. Their actions weren't just symbolic. They were essential. And this brings me to one of the most important lessons from today's episode. Hope alone sustains us for a time, but its true power lies in its ability to multiply when shared.
Now, consider how this plays out in smaller, less visible ways. After Hurricane Helene, the acts of friends and neighbors weren't just about clearing debris or sharing supplies. Each knock on the door, each phone call asking how can I help, was a reminder you are not alone.
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Chapter 5: Why does hope thrive in communities?
The hope that dialogue was possible, that solutions could be built, that the future might look different from the past. Bruneau's work teaches us something essential. Acknowledgement isn't passive. It's an active, deliberate practice. It requires presence, effort, and vulnerability. But when we practice it, it has a cascading effect.
When people feel seen, they're more likely to see others in turn. They extend recognition outward. creating a feedback loop of connection and belonging. This is how acknowledgement transforms from an individual moment into a collective force. Another strategy for cultivating hope and mattering is inclusion.
In 2016, a grassroots organization in Baltimore launched a community-led initiative to clean up neighborhoods affected by years of neglect. Instead of relying on external contractors, they invited residents to lead the charge. They provided tools and training, But the work and the decision-making belonged to the people who lived there. The results were transformative.
It wasn't just the neighborhoods that changed. The residents themselves began to see their communities differently. By being included in the process, they gained not just cleaner streets, but a renewed belief in their ability to shape their environment. This approach highlights a critical truth. When we involve people in solutions, we're not just addressing problems. We're building hope.
Inclusion reminds people that their voices and actions are integral to the outcome. It shifts them from being passive recipients to active participants, reinforcing their sense of agency and connection. Leadership, too, plays a vital role in cultivating hope. And here's where the most effective leaders stand apart. They don't just set goals or articulate visions.
They make people believe they are essential to achieving them. In 2013, a group of researchers analyzed speeches by some of history's most iconic leaders. From Winston Churchill to Barack Obama, they found a common thread. Great leaders, it turns out, don't just talk about what needs to happen. They highlight who will make it happen.
They weave their audience into the narrative, giving them ownership of the vision. It's not, here's what I will do, but here's what we will do, and here's why your role matters. These strategies, acknowledgement, inclusion, and leadership that highlight individual contributions aren't revolutionary, but that's precisely the point.
Transforming hope into a sustainable force doesn't require sweeping changes or dramatic gestures. It's built in the small, consistent acts of seeing, hearing, and valuing others. The result? A cycle of hope and mattering that feeds itself. When people feel they matter, they're more likely to take action. And when they act, they give others a reason to hope.
This feedback loop, simple as it may seem, is the foundation of resilience, innovation, and progress. So, what does this mean for us? It means that cultivating hope isn't about waiting for the right moment or the perfect conditions. It's about starting small, recognizing effort, inviting others in, and reminding people of their significance.
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Chapter 6: What is the connection between hope and mattering?
Thank you, as always, for spending your time with me today. Your commitment to growing, learning, and living intentionally inspires me every single day. I hope this episode has reminded you that hope isn't just a feeling. It's a force. And it starts with the belief that you matter. Because when people believe they matter, they act. And when people act...
They create hope, not just for themselves, but for everyone around them. Remember, the fee for this show is simple. If you found value here, share it with someone who might benefit. Until next time, keep leaning into curiosity, purpose, and connection. And as always, live life passion-struck.