There’s no hope for this. There’s NO way this is going to happen! I’ve tried everything… and nothing is working. Forget it, I give up. Ever been there?  Have you ever felt like all you are doing is running forward blindly, barreling into an unseen wall and bouncing off?  You get up, shake off the hurt and run forward again only to hit the same wall once more. Amazingly, this can go on and on as there seems to be some deep seeded belief that this is just how life is. That you just have to suck it up and power through it.

But it sure gets tiring and painful, bloodying yourself on that wall, doesn’t it? Eventually there becomes an overwhelming desire to just sit down and rest for a bit. To lick your wounds, to maybe just “think” for a while about the situation that has become so HOPELESS. And right there is where so many dreams die, where so many good ideas go unrealized. Because most never get back up again. They are totally unaware of just how close they are to the success they are seeking.

Take heart, you aren’t alone in this challenge of hitting that sneaky wall. but, it is up to you what happens next; the death of your dream or coming up with another path around the wall instead. The key here is that feeling of hopelessness you’ve developed. It has to go! You MUST have hope in the future for success to be realized.

“When there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present.” – John C. Maxwell

But how do you have hope when the walls seem so high, your physical and mental efforts are taxed and your nose and knees are bloody?  Maxwell has actually given you the formula, but you have to look closely. Read it from the end to the beginning instead.

So, let’s look at five ways you can put power into your present and birth hope for your future:

1. Associate with the right people

Surround yourself with those who have already climbed that wall. Surrender your ways of blindly running and instead follow the path these mentors will gladly map out for you. Additionally, take inventory of everyone you currently spend time with.  Separate from those with negative attitudes or that aren’t supportive of your goals. The harsh reality of this is that these people may very well be the ones that are closest to you.

2. Create and stick to a morning ritual

Begin each day with time dedicated only to you. Fill it with a combination of exercise, prayer, meditation, affirmations and goal review.  Cultivating the habit of starting with accomplishments rather than setting out immediately on the run develops a tone of expectation and focus for the day ahead.  The amount of time you spend is much less important than simply following through on the commitment each day.

3. Carefully choose and limit the media you consume

These days you are bombarded with information from every direction; TV, radio, email, social media and more.  It is simply more than your mind can cope with. The resulting “infoxication” overwhelms your cognitive processing ability thereby decreasing your capability to think and act clearly. The more you limit your exposure to this information glut, the more mental energy and focus you will have for handling things that matter to you most right now.

4. Read good books

The knowledge of the world is literally right at your fingertips. Many of the greatest minds, past and present, have written books about their lives and crafts. Read daily and your mind will be filled with the wisdom, encouragement and guidance of the ages.  Further, a book can serve as a faithful mentor when you are unable to connect with one face to face.

5. Lighten up on yourself

Realize that most of the daily struggles you have are not near as serious as you make them out to be.  They really are just the hassles, challenges and hardships that make up life’s experience, not disasters of the worst sort. You must take time everyday to laugh, especially at yourself and the crazy, messed-up stuff that you do. Realize that being human means you are fallible and that is normal. Don’t take yourself or your day so seriously.

“When we make our present powerful, there becomes a rising glimmer of hope for the future.” – Tom Ziglar

Now it is your turn, in the comments below, tell us how you put power into your present so you can maintain your future hope.