Finding Hope!

Finding Hope in Hopeless Situation   

In the 1950's a researcher Curt Richter a Professor at Johns Hopkins did what is now a famous study.  He had some rats. Domesticated, wild and wild rats.  he placed them in a bucket of water and timed and observed their responses.  Interestingly the rats all made it about the same length of time in the buckets.  So his hypothesis that wild rats would live longer was not supported by the evidence.  Then he tried another variant. Adding Hope to the equation. 

This time, he put rats in buckets and just before they drown (in about the same amount of time before), he pulled them out dried them off and held them for a bit.  Then placed them back in the water.  After this experience their  survival rate went from less than an hour to more than triple the time, and none of them "gave up" they kept trying till the end.   Hope as defined in this study kept them going till the very end.   

 I find in coaching a simple question often opens up hope in my clients.   They will say they have no hope about a situation the in which they are simply stuck.  "No way out." they say.    Then I will ask, "if there was a way out what would it look like?"  The answers are often astounding.   When you integrate the fear and doubt with the possibility of hope answers often come.   I recall one client who said their relationship was hopeless.  The energy was gone just hopeless no resolve.  In a different question I asked if you found hope what would it be like.  In less than 1 hour the answer to their hopeless situation was clear and present and in just a few days their world was changed to hope and anticipation.  Their relationship had a sudden great new spark.   You see if you ask the right questions with a belief there is an answer.  Answers, come.   Hope is always an inside job.  However how to find hope may require some help.  That is where coaching arrives.   Lost your hope?  Let's talk. 

Jack Stanley B.C.C. 

www.stanleycoaching.com

jack@stanleycoachig.com

Lets find hope!