One of the reasons why people still go through the hustles and bustles of life is because of the hope of better things. This is why I have always said it that hope is a powerful and potent force, which makes people to keep going even in the toughest of situations. However, one of the worst things that can be done to someone is to present them with a false hope and make them to progress with futile efforts. Giving someone false hope is like making them to believe or expect that good things will happen when you know that it is impossible. This can cause the person to be broken in their spirit because of the disappointment.
Some weeks back, there was a particular story that trended on social media where a particular guy entered a contest. It looked very difficult or rather, the creators of the contest made it so. So they set the price very high. Luckily for him, against all odds, he was able to meet the requirements. After he fulfilled it, the organizers bailed without even redeeming the prize. The guy did all that with the hopes of getting the prize, yet his hopes were dashed. The question is; why make the guy to go through such stress and why put the contest in the first place and give people hopes when you know you cannot fulfill the prize? Imagine how the guy felt after hitting the mark but was denied the prize.
Giving people false hope can damage trust and can break someone's spirit. It can also lead to emotional drain and disappointment. Telling someone what is obviously impossible or what you know you cannot do just to make them feel good temporarily is like telling someone who is ill that they will be fine without any form of medical help whatsoever. The person who would have sought for medical help will just relax and at the end, it may become worse. Refrain from giving people false hope. If you cannot do something for them, then it is pointless trying to make them feel that you can do it because you just want them to feel good at the moment.
Telling someone the truth even if they may feel hurt at the moment, is far better than trying to make them to feel good at the moment by telling them lies, only for them to be disappointed at the end. More so, giving people false hope can waste valuable time and resources. I once heard a very humorous statement that a friend once shared with me how someone told her that by paying certain amount, should would be able to acquire a certain skill under 1 week. When I looked at that skill and how complex it is, I simply knew that the person was just trying to rip her off her resources while giving her false hope, so I explained to her to be cautious.
In order to avoid giving people false hope either knowingly or unknowingly, there are things you need to take into effect. Just to let you know; someone can actually present false hope to someone without even knowing - by trying to shield them from the necessary truth. So to avoid this, you need to be truthful in all your dealings no matter the pressure and what happens. If you are not sure about something or you do not know if it can be done, then do not make promises. I understand that sometimes it may be in your mind to do it, but if you know sincerely that you cannot do, then do not create the impression that you can do it.
It is better that you offer the help that you can give at the moment than giving empty words or fake promises that you cannot keep. If someone needs help and it is beyond your ability, you can just offer what you can and be honest. For example; your friend may need a financial help of $500 and you do not have it. Instead of promising and end up failing, thereby dashing his hopes and preventing him from looking for timely alternatives, it would be better to give him the little you have; maybe $50 and then tell him that it is what you can afford at the moment. Real help, irrespective of how small it looks, is better than empty words of fake promises.
Thanks for reading
