My friend and mentor Tim Kight recently shared a distinction between passive hope and active hope by saying, “Passive hope wishes for something and then waits to see what happens. It wants, but it doesn’t work. Active hope, on the other hand, clarifies a desired future, and then takes disciplined action to achieve that future.”

As school leaders, we must teach students that “wanting” something doesn’t make it happen. If a student “wants” to attend Ohio State or “wants” to become a cyber security expert, the vision is excellent, but more is required to make the wish a reality.

We teach students to “do the work.” Making dreams come true doesn’t happen with pixie dust. Dreams come true when we have the vision, do the work, and live with active hope. Active hope provides the energy and confidence to embrace the journey, learn from failures, and gain skills through experiences.