Hope is Not a Strategy

“Hope is not a strategy.” That’s a statement my wife has been saying to me for years. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said, “Sure hope that deal comes through.” And every time, she replies: “Hope is not a strategy.”

At first, I let it go in one ear and out the other. But one day, it finally clicked. I asked her, “Are you saying I need a backup plan?”

She said, “Of course you do. You need to operate with purposeful intentions.”

What does that mean? Purposeful intentions are about making conscious, deliberate choices and taking action with a clear understanding of your desired outcome. It’s aligning your actions with your values and motivations, instead of just reacting to circumstances.

In other words, take control of your destiny. Don’t let one decision or one deal make or break you. While you’re waiting on that answer, keep working on other options. Move forward as if the deal will fall through. If it doesn’t, then great; now you have more work than you can handle.

I want to thank my wife Angela for all the great business advice over the years. It’s awesome to have someone to talk to about business and all the challenges that come with it.

~ David Horton, 2025 CLCA OC Chapter President