The Importance of Hope for Young Men

Hope is a powerful emotional force that gives our lives meaning and is key to psychological functioning and wellbeing. It correlates to relationship quality, physical health and even income. And it is derived from our realistic expectations of the future.

Hope is in short supply among young men today. Many see a bleak future ahead of them. There are no lands or mountains to conquer. Even the prospects of landing a job have diminished greatly from a generation ago, not to mention owning a home, finding a romantic partner and starting a family. Different social forces have impacted all those prospects. Even the notion of “becoming a man”, once a prideworthy goal, has been devalued and stripped of its inherent meaning.

What do young men have to look forward to? What future are we creating for them? What challenges can we set for them that will give them meaning? These and other questions are raised in this richly thought-provoking and challenging talk that also provides some pointers to what we can do to restore hope for young men today.

Neil Bierbaum (South Africa) is an internationally accredited high performance leadership and life coach. For more than two decades, he has coached business leaders to develop and maximize their executive presence by writing their own leadership script and to improve team performance through better communication and trust. As a life coach, he supports men to become strong, self-aware, grounded, and purpose-driven, while navigating the minefield of modern masculinity. He shares his learning and experience through two YouTube channels: The Leadership Script, and Growing Men. He holds a MPhil in Leadership Coaching (cum laude) from the prestigious Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa. He is also a long-term meditator, award-winning writer, business and economics graduate, husband, father and friend, and keen social observer. As a speaker, Neil doesn’t just teach concepts; he embodies them, bringing a level of authenticity and insight that is both rare and invaluable.
Find out more about Neil at: Website https://neilbierbaum.com
YouTube channel (Growing Men) https://youtube.com/growthmapformen