"Hope is not a plan"

I've heard this quote attributed to multitudes of people, from the Marines to Anderson Cooper. Its very powerful, and very misunderstood. Mostly, people use it to put down hope, to say that hope is worthless and won't get you anywhere. I don't think that's what it means, not really. I think it means that hope by itself won't get you anywhere. Hope is not a means to an end. It will not get you past finish line, or even closer to the finish line, but it will get to the starting line. One step won't win a marathon, but it starts every one. And hope is that one step.

The danger of hope is that it isn't a plan, but it feels good enough that people get tricked into thinking it is a plan. When we work hard for that raise, look forward to the (better) new year, or figure everything will work out once we sell our house, that's hope talking, and its a start, but that's all. Hope alone won't give us a raise, a better year, or make everything work out. Even worse, hope alone lets us feel like we are working towards something, making some progress, while not going anywhere. Not only does it keep us from reaching our goals, often it keeps us from making clear goals to begin with. Without a clear goal, you have no idea how to attain what you want, or even if you've attained it!Its the equivalent of getting in the car and starting to drive, but with no map, directions, or set destination.

Hoping for more money, more time, more customers, or more happiness won't get you anywhere, even if you feel you are working towards your hopes, and here's why:

What does "more" mean? If its money, is it making more money, having more money in the bank, having your money go farther, or something else? Without more specifics, its impossible to gauge your progress. And if you can't gauge your progress how can you know you are actually working towards your hopes? You could be running in circles, or even counter to what you actually want, because you have nothing to compare your "progress" to.