For years, my business and life plans were based on hope.

I would expect a miracle to happen. I was going to win the lottery, a long lost rich uncle would die and leave me his fortune, or a huge corporation would discover me and hire me.

But it became apparent that “hope” was not an effective plan.

I plunged into despair, depression and poverty – and grew angry at the universe for betraying me. Why can’t I ever get a break? Why do I always lose? And why are others enjoying the prosperity that so eludes me?

These were the questions I asked daily.

It seems the more frustrated I got, the less likely hope was ever going to work.

I was not alone in my “hope” life plan. Millions of others, then, and today – use hope as their plan, whether they are willing to admit it, or not.

The day arrived when I was unable to pay a $25 bill.

That’s where hope got me.

I stared in the mirror and began to see my only option – me.

Nobody else cared. Nobody else helped. Nobody else.

I was the power. I was the savior of my own miserable existence. As inadequate as I felt at the time, I knew that I had to start making some major decisions.

So preoccupied with my decay, I never saw that within me lied the potential to dig myself out. I had always looked to external forces, yet – they seemed not to care.

This post is more of a plea than anything else – asking anyone who cares to read my words, to abandon “hope” as a key plan, and replace it with a 4-pillar attack:

1. Accept what is. No matter how rotten things are, accept it. Don’t hide from it. Don’t ignore it.

2. Create a plan, or plans, to change things.

3. Act immediately after developing the plans – literally the day you write your last bullet point.

4. Know that things won’t happen as fast as you’d like. A few things will go wrong. And outcomes may not be what you expect. All of that is okay because you will fine-tune. You will adjust. You will change course as needed. One thing you won’t do is give up. The amazing thing about taking action is that it opens doors we never saw before.

I don’t have a lot of faith in “hope”. I do have faith in your inner strength.

You can take the energy that is generated from your frustrations and use that for good.

The universe is waiting for you to make a move.