“In the case of uncertainty, expectation is what is considered the most likely to happen. An expectation, which is a belief that is centered on the future, may or may not be realistic. A less advantageous result gives rise to the emotion of disappointment. If something happens that is not at all expected it is a surprise”….Sourced from wiki
“Most likely” means probability. Probability is based on math and statistics. Statistics can predict a general pattern over a large sample, it cannot predict a single outcome. Probability also means that the end result is not guaranteed despite the effort.
Examples of bad expectations:
- I won a gold medal in the last tournament, I should be safe on the streets. Smell the coffee – different rules, different mentality, different outcome.
- If your team is expected to lose and you accept it, then you lose the will to fight. If your team is expected to win and you assume that you can walk over the other team, then you risk an ugly surprise.
- I punch hard, I should be able to knock him out with a single punch.
- I worked so hard to fund my kids through school, he/she better earn some serious cash and take care of me when I get old. Appreciate it when it happens but to think that he “owe” you is bad for any relationships.
- Seniors’ health condition is expected to good down, so accept life the way it is.
- You cannot expect a girl to love you back just because you tried hard. But if you never try, you never know.
Examples of right expectations:
- Expect the underdog will give you a tough game, so work hard on every single pass and for every point.
- If the public expect you to lose, despite the odds against you, you have “nothing to lose” and everything to gain by giving it your best. Work on one point at a time.
- Don’t expect a perfect game, expect that mistakes will be made but let it go because you cannot change the past, you can only affect the future.
- Focus on “getting there” and punching with the right mechanics, don’t focus in on the outcome of each punch. With enough ‘good’ punches, your opponent will go down, even if he doesn’t, he will “pay a price”.
- Seniors’ physical and mental condition will deteriorate over time, the right type of exercise and stimulation will slow this curve. We try our best to improve their quality of life even if it is by 1/2 a year or one year.
- Expect other gymnasts to be at their best. Go deliver your best at the moment. How it get ranked/judged is a consequence you cannot control.
Exercise
Can you summarize from the examples above ingredients or characteristics of “right” expectations?
Can you see the difference between aiming for perfection versus expecting perfection or is it still the same to you?
Is there a better word to use than “expectations” to represent what we mean by the “right expectations”?