Why Low Expectations Are good

Spread the love

Happy new month folk. The ever lengthy January has finally come to an end. Unlike January, bringing you breath taken articles for your personal development never comes to an end.

All thanks to Whatsapp status, I happened to see something about having low/no expectations on a friend’s status update. These are things that interest a realist like me. I was like wow, let me go online and see what people think about low/no expectations.

To my greatest surprise, I saw the majority condemning it. I’m just kidding, I wasn’t surprised a bit. How will I be when Religious fanatics and optimists still exist (no offence )

The rich ones, however, were in support because they don’t want to support people they call friends financially (just kidding with a little seriousness) lol

Well, I’m here to give my take on the topic. Feel free to air your view for/against mine after going through this article.

A few days ago, I wrote an article on Being lazy- 9 Unbelievable Benefits, the drive behind writing that article is also behind this.

I know many will be like “why won’t one have an expectation?” bla bla bla.

Things To Note About No/Low Expectations

The world has made us believe so many things that are wrong in so many ways and the idea behind expectations is one of them. Contrary to popular belief, low/no expectations are not negative in meaning. You’ll see why as you continue reading. Think of how happier you will be if you lowered your expectations a little or even go as far as deleting it from your life? I know you can feel it already.

Have you ever stayed in a position of great expectations? Maybe the fulfilment of a person’s promise, or meeting with a target? Firstly, it drains you. Secondly, it makes you not see other opportunities to explore.

Jenna explained how this all thing work on one of her numerous youtube videos and I’ll summarize it here.

I know it has negative expectations, and it is associated with failing, but I completely 100% disagree with this. Having low expectations is one of the most powerful things you can do if you can still use it to your advantage. for example, working hard regardless of the outcome.

It makes you hardly/never disappointed and allows you to enjoy every moment in your life without regrets. I don’t like feeling disappointed, how about you? I guess not.

However, having no expectations is similar to having different expectations for your life. Calm down, let me explain. Expecting to pass/fail is same as not having any expectation. you get right? I know you do.

Growing up people create different expectations for their life, their relationships ( friends and family ) etc. and end up being disappointed when things don’t go as plan. you’re like wow, that’s true. No need to be surprised if you were not expecting anything from this article (which is what we expect from you). Expect nothing.

Do you know that your expectations don’t actually count?

A message from Jenna:

I think there are tons of differences between goals, standard and expectations. You can set any amount of goals you want and you can work hard to achieve those goals but your expectations of the outcome towards that goal needs to be low or none whatsoever. I think that working hard towards your goals and having no expectations of what the outcome should be might allow you to live your life completely without fear of failure and it allows you to enjoy any successes that you do have because you’ve already weighed in your mind that what can be worst than horrible?

Expectations – Friends

I won’t be wrong if I say we normally expect one thing or another from our friends; be it financial aids, their time, support etc. We end up disappointed when our expectations are not meant

The solution to this is simpler than you thought. Go into any type of relationship or friendship with no expectations whatsoever. Dump everything you heard about the person and be friends regardless. You end up picking your friends and foes your self without getting disappointed.

Having no expectations will make you focus on the present rather than the future (which you cannot decide). Learn to enjoy every relationship you have with people with little/no expectation and you won’t feel disappointed if they disappoint. You’ll end up moving on with your life happily.

Expectations – Career

The mistakes common to young people are choosing a career which they know little or nothing about without knowing that life happens.

Contrary to an optimist interpretation, I mean it’s better to not be too serious with whatever choices you make at a very wrong age. Else, you will miss out on several opportunities all in the name of “I KNOW WHAT I WANT.”

You can be hell-bent on being a chemist that you’ll refuse to pick up that pencil to draw for once which might be the talent that would have taken you places. Instead, stubborn you want to be a chemist. Carry on, MR JOHN DALTON.

Learn to engage yourself in so many things with no expectations whatsoever, and you’ll appreciate every little success along the way.

Expectations – Events

People are normally left disappointed about their birthday, wedding etc. all because of expectations.

If you’d lowered that expectation a little and decide to watch Netflix all day, even a cup of ice cream will bring so much happiness to you on that day.

Reality can’t live up to the picture-perfect moment in your mind. No day can be as perfect as that perfect day you thought about no matter how the day will turn out to be.

When you go into something with super high expectations, it will never live up to what you imagined, no matter how great it is. That’s why it’s a great idea to take this advice from Jenna:

Every birthday that you have, assume that you’re going to lay on your couch and watch Netflix. Everything that you do that’s better than that is really exciting and great. And you’re grateful and you’re happy and everything’s wonderful.

Expectations – Work

Hard work pays. However, if it fails to pay, your level of disappointed will be a function of the expectations you put in it.

Believe that you are not guaranteed a job even when you graduate with a good grade. Also, your years of service does not guarantee you any form of promotion. If that’s at the back of your mind, you’ll end up always happy with whatever you are doing.

Expectations – Parents

This is a special type of relationship. many of us are tied to the expectations demanded by our parents.

We end up scared of journeying into areas contradicting to their expectations. It’s frustrating, I know. I happen to be in that category.

Your life is your responsibility you know. The earlier you man up to tell them the awesome things you want to do with your life, the better for you (don’t be rude about it though). They’ve lived their life, Don’t let them live yours.

Conclusion

From low expectation is the secret of happiness and compassion:

Have higher expectations if you want improvement, and lower expectations if you want contentment.

If you want to get bigger and encourage others to get bigger, cultivate high expectations even if it means being disappointed or sounding non-compassionate, and if you want to feel big enough already and satisfied with what others deliver, lower your expectations.

It’s all about managing the “aspirational gap,” the gap between what is and what could be, what you have and what you expect. It’s all about expectation management.

kindly share and I look forward to your comments and contributions

Watch Jenna full video on the topic below

Claim Your Special Offer