Unleashing the power of the word...YET!
Paul White's nationally distributed syndicated column, “Unleashing the power of the word...YET!” is published in 22 publications across seven states. This includes the following newspapers and digital publications: Midland Daily News (MI), SFGate (CA), Seattle PI (WA), Connecticut Post (CT), Laredo Morning Times (TX), Huron Daily Tribune (MI), The Telegraph (IL), and more. In this week's article, Paul shares tips on embracing a simple but profound three-letter word (yet) and how to become a Professional Hope Provider to others.
It’s a “Super Power” word because it provides hope where previously existed hopelessness. The addition of this three-letter word can move us forward in life with a strong wind at our back.
Want examples? I’m not good at playing the piano (yet). I’m not a very good parent (yet). I can’t seem to get a promotion at work (yet). As a salesperson, I can’t figure out how to achieve the success I desire (yet). Nothing seems to help me get over my fear of giving a speech (yet). I’m just not comfortable with starting each day with positive self-talk (yet).
I think you get the picture. That’s just six examples amongst thousands that are used with ourselves and others each day, originating in our minds and many times coming out of our mouths in what we say and what we choose to post on social media.
There’s a saying, “It’s never failure until someone gives up,” and dare I say there’s nothing sadder than witnessing someone giving up, especially on themselves. It’s because they’re hopeless, which is the word I use to define despair. No hope? Then, why go on? This thought process is timely because of the increasing rate of suicide in our society. This greatly concerns me.
Help me here. How can hope be provided to someone who believes they have none? I’ve worked hard all of my life to be able to find some version of hope in everything that life has thrown me. I use hope to inspire me. I use hope to motivate me to take action in some kind of positive direction to make improvements in how I view something and how I talk about it to myself and others. The word YET provides never-ending hope.
Here are some current personal examples. My book “The Answer Discovery – How to Change the World by Helping Others…and Ourselves” isn’t on the best-seller lists YET. I haven’t totally defeated cancer YET. I’m not at my ideal weight and strength level YET. My videos on my YouTube channel, Instagram, and TikTok haven’t gone viral YET. My book hasn’t been made into a movie or streaming series YET (it would win awards if it were). My quest to convince everyone that “the best way to help ourselves is by helping others” hasn’t become a worldwide movement YET. I haven’t fixed the faucet with the constant drip YET(okay, that one’s pretty lame). Whenever these statements float into my mind, I zero in on the word YET. When I zero in on the word YET, I feel called to take some sort of immediate action that will move me closer to the reverse statement. My book IS on the best-seller lists. I’ve totally defeated cancer. I AM at my ideal weight and strength level. My videos HAVE gone viral. My book HAS BEEN made into a movie or streaming series. My “helping others movement” HAS gone worldwide. Yay, I fixed the leaky faucet!
The word “yet” is a hope provider, or at least can be, if you’ll embrace it as such. A person I greatly admire asked me, “What would happen if God granted you everything you asked for?” Not being sure where he was going with the question, I admitted I didn’t know but was greatly interested in what his own answer would be. They responded, “If God granted us everything we asked for, it would eliminate the need for hope, leaving us nothing more than hopelessness…and hopelessness was the worst thing in the world.”
Next time I saw him, I fired back a related question asking, “How does a person become a Professional Hope Provider?” We both agreed that the word YET, when used in the way I’ve described above, could be an instant hope provider and a great way to further positive discussion.
So, here’s my ASK of you today: Think through the huge value that being a Professional Hope Provider to Others can provide to your life. How can you better recognize opportunities to add the word “YET” to the end of a sentence that appears without hope (improving your listening skills provides a jump start)? How can you utilize encouragement as an agent of hope? When you provide hope to someone, what impact could that have on the rest of the world? How can we, as a society, do a better job of eliminating hopelessness?
Look, all these questions are worth some of your thinking time. Many of the answers may appear obvious. The only challenge is… the benefits the answers provide to you, to the people you love, and to the rest of the world won’t even get initiated without some type of action on your part. If you’ll just choose one person that you know is struggling with hopelessness in some area of their life using self-defeating language and call them right now to provide a needed dose of hope, you’ll have made a difference in the world today.
Get busy and make that call right now. Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!
In addition to being a nationally syndicated columnist, Paul White is an author, motivational and inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, podcaster, and life coach located in Midland, Michigan. His new book, “The Answer Discovery – How to Change the World by Helping Others…and Ourselves,” is available to purchase today. If you’re interested in getting in touch with Paul, please submit an inquiry via our Contact Page.