High Hopes by Panic! At the Disco

Photo by Danica Tanjutco on Unsplash

This week completes our trilogy with Panic! At the Disco’s track which is also entitled High Hopes. This time, rather than focusing on the struggling but successful ant, the lyrics encourage us to consider how we view ourselves. Yet, nevertheless, it is written from the perspective of someone who hasn’t been born into success and ease:

Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing. Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision.

What seems to underpin the actors hope is a sense of self:

Didn’t know how but I always had a feeling, I was gonna be that one in a million.

The character has had a supportive and encouraging background. They are encouraged that life is their own destiny and is not to be left to chance. They can:

• Be something greater
• Go make a legacy
• Manifest destiny

Not only this, but they are encouraged not to be held back by their story so far:

• Burn your biographies
• Rewrite your history

These are powerful words of intent, but they don’t come without the warning that it’s going to be complicated. This returns us right back to last week’s ant. There is a two part process at play. Set your direction and then be resilient as you travel.

Thankfully, setting a direction and resilience are both things we can work on and improve. Not many of us are born ready for what we may face in life. But part of maturing is learning and growing through our experiences. It won’t happen without a conscious decision, but we can be greater, create our own legacy and experience our own destiny. But it will take time and effort, and we may even have to unlearn the lessons we have taken on board from our past experiences.

Want some help to become the ultimate version of you? Why not consider booking an appointment with the author, Dr Dave Wood?

Taken from the album: