About this quote

Hope can jump-start your day if you turn it into a first step. But letting hope sit around all afternoon lets problems harden into excuses. Ask yourself: what single action can you take before dinner to move things forward? Do that action, then check the result and plan the next move.

When to use it

• At work: when a colleague keeps waiting for a promotion without volunteering for visible tasks, I tell them, 'Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper' — sign up to run the next project meeting this week.
• Before exam results: if a friend says they'll 'luck into a curve' instead of studying, say, 'Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper' and spend tonight reviewing the hardest chapter.
• Recovering from injury: when someone expects rest alone to fix them, say, 'Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper' — book the physio session and do the rehab exercises today.
• Family money talk: if a sibling plans to rely on an inheritance to pay debts, tell them, 'Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper' and make a budget and call the creditor now.