IN THIS MODULE

In the last module, we learned that hope is an active, goal-oriented way of thinking. In this module, we will explore the two key ingredients that enable you to navigate toward hope: WillPower (agency thinking) and WayPower (pathways thinking). WillPower provides the inner drive to start and persist toward your goals, while WayPower helps you find and adjust routes when obstacles arise. Rick Snyder, a psychologist and hope researcher, identified these two ingredients as agency and pathways (2002). You can think of them as the engine and roadmap.

Willpower (Agency Thinking)

WillPower: Your Inner Drive

Agency is the voice inside you that says, “I can do this”. It is the spark of motivation that gets you started and, more importantly, keeps you going when you are pursuing your goals and things get tough (Snyder, 2002). It is the quietly stubborn part of your heart and mind that refuses to give up, even on days when everything is more difficult over before.

What WillPower Looks Like in Everyday Life

A high-hope person often starts a goal with zest and enthusiastically pursues their goals. The positive, goal-focused energy carries them forward. They tend to have robust internal messages like, “I can do this” and “I am not going to be stopped”, running through their mind (Snyder, 2002). This positive self-talk helps them stay focused on their goal, even when distractions pop up.

A low-hope person often pursues a goal with apprehension, a sense of worry or doubt. Their internal dialogue might be dominated by thoughts like, “I am not going very well” or “I am never going to get there” (Snyder, 2002). This self-critical thoughts pull their attention away from the task, and can create a rush of negative emotions that stall forward progress before it even begins. 

Why WillPower Matters for You

For many people living with a neurological disorder or chronic health condition, agency really matters. With ambiguous prognoses or when your body does not cooperate the way it once did, a sense of agency drives you toward those things that really matter: staying connected to people you love, enjoy your passions and hobbies, or achieving a meaningful goal that brings you joy. Agency (WillPower) keeps you moving forward.

WayPower (Pathways Thinking)

Finding You Way

If WillPower is engine, WayPower is the roadmap. WayPower is your ability to locate a route that helps you navigate to where you want to go. Obstacles are a natural part of pursuing a goal, and WayPower helps you find a new route when the first one gets blocked (Synder, 2002). It is about staying flexible and creative as you chart a new course.

What WayPower Looks Like in Everyday Like

In everyday life, WayPower is often about finding creative solutions to the challenges that you encounter. Let’s say you love to get outdoors, and your goal is to complete a mission with your mates but fatigue or limb weakness makes it hard. Engaging WayPower might help you explore different possibilities: getting an e-mountain bike like David, taking a slower pace like Duncan, using planning superpowers like Raffaela, or drawing on community for support like Bryce. Maybe it means taking breaks more often when you go for a walk and planning a mindful rest on a bench in your favourite park with a friend. In each of these situations, the path changes but the heart of what you are pursuing – connection, meaning, and joy – stays alive. 

However, it’s important to note that WayPower shows up differently for different people. A high-hope person is often a flexible thinker. They can generate one or more routes toward their goal with a strong sense of confidence, and when an obstacle appears, are highly effective at producing alternate pathways (Snyder, 2002).

By contrast, a low-hope person will often struggle to locate or articulate a clear route. Their pathways tend to be tenuous, vague, uncertain, and hard to hold onto. When their primary pathway is blocked, they are less likely to generate alternatives. Additionally, if their goal is vague to begin with, successful planning becomes even more difficult (Snyder, 2002). However, the great news is that WayPower, as a way of thinking, can be learned and improved.

WillPower and WayPower Can Grow

Every small step you take, like choosing to try, deciding to keep going, or reach out for support, strengthens that inner voice. That’s your WillPower growing.

The more you practice flexibility when thinking about your goals, the easier it becomes to find new routes when the old ones get blocked. That’s your WayPower growing.

At Mastering Mountains, we are here to help you build both. When setting out on a goal, no-one has all the answers and skills to begin with, and our job is to help you find them. One step, one pathway, one moment of determination at a time.

References

Snyder, C. R. (2002). Hope Theory: Rainbows in the mind. Psychological Inquiry, 13(4), 249–275. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1304_01