Batting practice.
What causes hopelessness? The feeling that success is unreachable, that our efforts don’t matter. If we can’t achieve our desired outcome, the time and energy we invest are for nothing.
But are they?
Why do baseball players spend hours at batting practice? To get better. The inevitability that practice will improve performance is all the motivation they need. There’s no guarantee that their batting average will go up. But in the moment, improvement is all that matters.
Focus on the intrinsic value of what you do. Good work makes you better. Becoming better rekindles the fire of hope.