About this quote

Hope is often the smallest thing people need to start moving again. When expectation dies, action follows it out the door, and that’s when tasks pile up and people give up. Look for one tiny thing you can reasonably expect tomorrow and use it to push your feet out of the rut. Can you name a single small step you’ll expect and then keep to it?

When to use it

• Work — After being laid off, at the kitchen table I tell my partner, 'I'll pitch two clients tomorrow; that's my hope for paying next month's bills.'
• Study — The night before finals a student texts a friend, 'If I finish this chapter tonight I expect to pass the exam, so I’m staying up for that.'
• Health — In rehab after knee surgery a runner tells the therapist, 'I'll try a short jog next week; I still expect to make it back to the track.'
• Money/family — After months behind on rent a single parent calls the landlord and says, 'I've scheduled a payment for Tuesday; I expect that to keep us afloat.'