Expectations Control Your Future
Several times recently, I’ve chatted with friends and clients about expectations. Expectations really condition the feeling that we have about an outcome. Do expectations control your future?
Future Expectations
When we embark on something new, sometimes our expectations are high, the new restaurant, the new digital device, or even the new job. We often expect a lot.
Social media is an interesting example. Many people grab their phone, tap an icon and expect to be engaged by a post from a life they aren’t living. They may be looking to live vicariously.
However, social media just like many things in life do not always meet or exceed our expectations. Sometimes, or often, it is something less.
For many others their daily commute is too crowded, the internet too slow, and the weather often seems undesirable.
High Hopes
Hopes, faith, or some form of conviction, it keeps many people going. Yet nearly everyday someone will find a way to describe a dream that is shattered.
High expectations and high hopes can eventually drive a feeling of disappointment. Feeling disappointed people stop dreaming, they stop hoping and they lose faith in a favorable outcome.
Management Expectations
In management circles, workplace expectations drive goals and an outcome is produced. How is that outcome measured? Often it is measured against management expectations.
Do lowered expectations change the results? They can, but they can also shatter dreams.
Expect to Win
There may be a difference between the athlete who wants to make it to the Olympic Games and the athlete who wins. Often one expects to get there, for another, they expect to win.
We can’t lose sight though of reality. Reality is the brutal truth. It pinches us, and lowers the expectations of the dream. The feeling is disappointment, and it often goes unexpressed. It is the social media thread that only illustrates bad news, no good news.
Disappointment is part of life, growth, and ultimately a path to a happier place. Is it about expectations control?
Expectations Control
Expectations can satisfy or leave you wanting more. The trick then is learning to adjust your expectations to the reality of the situation.
You may believe you deserve better or the business goal may be too short sighted, but your expectations will help you determine what happens next.
Don’t give up on your dream. You deserve it, but the hope and faith that will keep you going is based entirely on your expectations.
– DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
