Lower your expectations
It’s been said a million times to keep your standards high. Yet we are told to lower our expectations. Take a look for yourself…
Standards, noun:
a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment: They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.
an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.: His work this week hasn’t been up to his usual standard.
Expectations, noun:
the act or state of looking forward or anticipating. An expectant mental attitude:
Something expected; a thing looked forward to. Often expectations. a prospect of future good or profit: to have great expectations.
Why lower anything?
There has to be a compromise in life. This goes from buying a house, car, or your job and your relationships. Why is it that we are told to keep high standards and then reduce our expectations in general?
I watch this particular yogi give speeches and quotes on being in the moment and not expecting too much.
However, for me, the word expecting and hoping somehow intermingle. I hope to get this particular account. I am expecting them to reach out to me and receive a positive answer. I hope I get the business.
I cannot lower my expectations on this. I want it and I want them to get back to me with a positive answer.
So where does it end? I won’t lower my expectations because eventually when I get the account their expectations and standards will be high. They will expect my standards to meet theirs and they will want, hope, and expect that I deliver.
In the end, we must…
Lower our expectations on certain things. Lower our expectation that people have the same expectations as you. This is the crux of it all to me. I expect so much of others in my personal life.
Honesty
Fairness
Compassion
Understanding
Communication
Open-mindedness
Right there I may have lost some people because some people are incapable of it all. So in the end must I give in to my expectations? No, but I can modify the level of all of the above. I assume I cannot expect my standards to be equaled by others. I must only take 50% of the above and still have a modified percentage of the standard and expectations.
Zsolt Zsemba 