A Timely Insight
In uncertain times, hope can sound naive. Especially when you’re facing rejections, bills, or long stretches of silence. But according to psychologist C.R. Snyder, hope is not wishful thinking. It’s a measurable, learnable process built on two core skills: pathways and agency.

Pathways are your ability to see different ways forward, multiple routes to a meaningful goal. When you’re job hunting, that might look like applying across sectors, reaching out to old contacts, freelancing while you search, or starting a personal project to stay visible.

Agency is the internal belief that your actions matter. That you’re capable of making progress even when results are slow. It’s the motivation that fuels your follow-ups, your tweaks to your CV, your decision to try again tomorrow.

For job seekers, both are under constant threat. You start out hopeful. Then the rejections pile up. A promising lead goes quiet. Bills don’t. Suddenly, it’s harder to imagine a different route or to believe your effort will make a difference.

And that’s where many people get stuck. Not in ability, but in depletion.

But here’s the shift. Hope isn’t something you either have or don’t. It’s a muscle. It strengthens through practice. You build it by trying new pathways, by taking small actions, and by rebuilding belief one step at a time.

Toolkit: Rebuilding Hope, Step by Step

Hope isn’t a mindset you force. It’s something you build through small, meaningful actions that reconnect you to what’s possible.

This week, try these reflection prompts and exercises. They’re designed to help you strengthen both elements of hope: pathways (your sense of possibility) and agency (your belief in your ability to act).

Pathways: Opening up new options

When hope feels distant, the problem often isn’t you. It’s the tunnel vision that comes with stress. These prompts help loosen that grip.

• Write down your main job goal. Then list three different routes to get there. They can be conventional or creative. All ideas count.

  Example: apply directly, reach out to a contact, pitch a project, freelance, take a bridge role, retrain, volunteer.

• What’s one action you’ve ruled out, not because it won’t work, but because it feels vulnerable? What would it take to try it safely?

• Shift the question. Instead of asking “What jobs are out there?”, try:

  • “Where could my skills solve a problem?”

  • “Who might value the way I think?”

  • “What needs are emerging in my field?”

Agency: Reclaiming belief in your impact

Agency isn’t about feeling confident all the time. It’s about trusting that your effort can still shape outcomes, even small ones.

• Set a micro-goal.

  Choose one task you know you can complete today. Send one message. Edit one paragraph. Write one thank-you note. Then do it and mark it as progress.

• Track effort, not outcomes.

  Create a small weekly tracker. Ask, What did I try this week?

  Count each step, regardless of response. You’re building momentum, not waiting for permission.

• Borrow belief.

  Ask someone who’s seen you do good work, What strengths do you see in me?

  Hearing it in their words can spark agency when yours runs low.

And if you’re supporting someone who’s navigating job loss, a colleague, a friend, a former employee, remember this. Hope isn’t given by telling them it will be okay. It’s offered by helping them see options and reminding them their effort still matters. You don’t need the right words. Just your presence, and your belief in them.

Snyder’s Hope Theory defines hope as a “positive motivational state based on agency and pathways.” These two elements work together.

Pathways thinking, the ability to identify potential routes to your goals, increases your sense of control.

Agency, the belief that your actions matter, fuels your motivation to try those routes. When one strengthens, the other often does too.

Hope declines when people face repeated blockages. For job seekers, those blockages are everywhere. Rejections, ghosting, financial pressure, a loss of identity. It’s easy to start believing the effort isn’t worth it.

But hopeful thinking doesn’t mean denying reality. It means staying mentally flexible. When people hold onto hope, they’re more likely to adapt, try again, and stay connected.

Studies show that hopeful individuals perform better, cope more effectively, and experience less emotional distress during life transitions.

Hope isn’t fragile. It’s fuel.

If you’re in the midst of a job search, or navigating an unexpected career shift, this is your reminder. Your value doesn’t disappear when your role does. Your worth is not tied to responses, rejections, or algorithms.

Let yourself rest when you need to. But when you’re ready, rebuild your hope. Do it gently, practically, and without pressure to feel inspired. A single new action. A new possibility. A moment of belief.

That’s enough to begin.

What’s On

Looking for a moment to connect, reflect, or just step outside your own head for a while?

Here’s what’s on offer right now:

☕ The Beyond Café

A relaxed, drop-in space to think out loud with thoughtful humans. No agenda, just presence. Bring a coffee and come as you are.

🎉 Beyond the Buzzer

A fast-paced quiz session hosted by Khidi. Expect energy, humour, and a few surprising insights — it’s connection through play, not pressure.

You can see everything that’s coming up and book your place here:

danieldixon.net/calendar-of-events

Free Coaching Sessions — Week of 9 June

For one week only, I’m offering a limited number of free 30-minute coaching sessions for readers of this newsletter. These sessions are for anyone navigating job loss, career change, or uncertainty, and looking for space to think things through with support.

Whether you’re exploring next steps, shifting direction, or simply feeling stuck, this is a chance to talk things through in a focused, thoughtful way.

Sessions will take place during the week of 9 June, and spaces are limited.

To request a session, start by completing the short form below.

If a spot is available, you’ll receive a link to book your time.

👉 Request a session here

Until next time

Hope doesn’t always arrive with answers. Sometimes, it’s simply the decision to keep going. One conversation. One attempt. One small moment of belief.

Whatever shape this week takes, I hope you can move through it with kindness toward yourself.

I’ll be back soon with the next edition. Until then, I’m glad you’re here.

Daniel