Review by aodonnell -- Hope Rises by Dr. Randy Ross

[aodonnell]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hope Rises" by Dr. Randy Ross.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

It’s not common to approach hope from a tactical standpoint, but that’s exactly the angle Dr. Randy Ross takes in Hope Rises Make Your Life, Love & Leadership Soar.

Drawing on his experiences as a leader and coach, Ross breaks down hope and shows his readers that hope is more than a wishful feeling. True hope requires hard work and a practical approach, defining a goal and creating a plan to accomplish it. One key aspect of hope is being able to adjust the goal along the way, letting go of impossible things and redirecting energy toward what is achievable. Whether this is changing the approach to the goal or changing the goal altogether, without this crucial skill hope can burn out. Ross breaks his book up into three parts, starting first with perspective and defining exactly what he’s talking about when he mentions hope. The second part focuses on prophecy and the future—how to take hope and put it into successful action. The final part focuses on prognosis and possibilities. It’s the practical application on the “how” of the second part. The three parts work together to give readers a comprehensive understanding of how and why hope is indispensable as a tool for truly living.

I really liked the way Ross approached the idea of hope in the early chapters of Hope Rises. I’ve often personally struggled with the concept, confusing it with wishing. But Ross clearly demonstrates how hope is different—where wishing is passive, hope is active and charges into a situation with a plan and a goal in mind. Ross’s book helped to dispel some myths surrounding hope and make more things seem possible. I didn’t find much to dislike about the book. At times it was a little repetitive and lost my attention but I was able to bring myself back.

I rate this book three out of four stars. The author had a lot of good insight and information that can be helpful for people in many different situations. It’s practical and applicable and prepares the reader for immediate action. I didn’t rate the book higher because it did not seem professionally edited. Though I could have overlooked the many comma issues, professional editing should absolutely have caught where Ross referenced Hidden Numbers when he meant the book and film Hidden Figures.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for some help understanding and acting on hope. It is particularly relevant for leaders and recent graduates. The author only mentions religion and faith a few times in the latter chapters, so while hope can sometimes be associated with faith, Ross’s book takes an approach that is applicable for anyone regardless of their faith or religious affiliations.

******
Hope Rises
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Mtibza eM]

Thank you for such an insightful review. You are honest and very thorough. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts.