What Is the Connection Between Modern Motivation and Age-Old Hope? Part 1

What Is the Connection Between Modern Motivation and Age-Old Hope? Part 1
During midlife, man prays to survive life's turbulence, in a detail from “The Voyage of Life: Manhood,” 1842, by Thomas Cole. Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Public Domain
James Sale
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Is there a connection between motivation and hope? And do we need to know about it?

Let’s immediately dismiss ideas like that found in a Russian proverb: “In the kingdom of hope there is no winter.” We needn’t talk about hope as being mere wishful thinking. Let’s talk about something much more powerful and essential. The Greek myth of Pandora had it just about right: When Pandora disobeyed and opened the box (or jar) letting out all the evils of the world, only—after she had shut the box—did hope remain.

James Sale
James Sale
Author
James Sale has had over 50 books published, most recently, “Mapping Motivation for Top Performing Teams” (Routledge, 2021). He has been nominated for the 2022 poetry Pushcart Prize, and won first prize in The Society of Classical Poets 2017 annual competition, performing in New York in 2019. His most recent poetry collection is “StairWell.” For more information about the author, and about his Dante project, visit EnglishCantos.home.blog
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