When we think of the word hope, it usually carries a warm glow — optimism, positivity, the sense that things might get better. Hope that something changes. In our lives. For our friends. For the world.
That kind of hope feels good — and the intention behind it is fine. But after almost ten years running Monzo Media Productions, here’s something I’ve seen again and again: hope can become a mental crutch.
“I hope we land a new client this month.”
“I hope the edit doesn’t run into issues.”
“I hope the client pays on time — because that mortgage isn’t going to wait.”
Hope is passive. And when it replaces action, it becomes dangerous.
Some things are out of your hands — of course. But the best lesson I’ve learned is to keep a tighter grip on the things that aren’t.
Want new leads? Don’t wait — reach out. Send the email. Follow up. Share your work. Post even when you don’t feel like it.
Want smoother edits? Build a better pre-production process. Clarify expectations. Over-communicate before you start rolling.
In the marketing world there’s a term for this kind of waiting and wishing — “hope marketing” though this can be used for other areas in business and in life.
It’s when a brand posts occasionally, runs the same ad it did two years ago, and just…hopes people show up. Or enroll. Or donate. Or reach out.
Hope is not a strategy. It’s not a plan. That said you can do all the right actions and sometimes it doesn’t always pay off. Still, it’s better to do than to not do.
If you’re promoting your school, your business, or your work — make something. Share it. Tell people what you do. Be useful. Be consistent. Hope can wait.
