Let's set the mood with a picture or two. This one just to identify this blog post:
^ from: youthvoices.net - Expectations relate to ideals or what one would assume. Reality relates to what truthfully is happening. The parallel between the two is a big part of what goes on in our lives.
And here is a comical, cute, ...yet very realistic idea of expectations vs. reality:
^ from: zofiawu.wordpress.com - Expectations vs. reality. This is Pusheen the Cat demonstrating a few things expected, and what reality is happening or eventually happens.
Personally, this is why I can care less about expectations. It is also why I don't make New Year's Resolutions. Only thing I suggest is just to live. Make good and bad decisions and learn to live with the consequences of making such decisions on the fly. So when looking at expectations and reality, always try to work on things you know you can work on and try to do things as best as you can. You're not the worst person in the world just because you fail to meet expectations or constantly fail at trying to meet expectations or goals. Don't beat yourself too badly if you consistently fail at trying to do something you know you can be better at. I am not being soft here- I am being real and honest. I know there are things I know I can do better but fail to actually do. Once you start getting too hard on yourself, that's when you have an even worse time trying to do things right and be easier to bring down. And when you're brought down, that makes meeting expectations and accomplishing goals even harder.
It is human nature to have such expectations yet not meet all or many expectations set. Life ultimately is about trying to work out as many different issues in your life, but I have seen life to be more about doing what you can with each individual thing you want to change for the better. The real challenge is in trying not to be too down on yourself on things you know you can change but fail to actually do something about. I know from experience- consistently feeling like I can never accomplish any sort of goals eventually makes me feel like I'm worthless and unable to reach any sort of goals.
The parallel between expectations and reality are very telling, but trying to meet most expectations without too much compromise is often one of life's greatest challenges.
That's it for another "John's Blog Space" post. Care to discuss? Here's my question to you all for debate:
How do you deal with expectations vs. reality? What would you recommend to people dealing with this issue?
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2 comments:
I think it is never a good idea to try to fulfill the expectations of others...we must make our own goals and at the end of the day be able to feel comfortable with who we are as people. Great post!
http://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/
I definitely needed this! While I think goals are a great way to motivate me to maximize my potential, I do think that I too often allow my achievement or failure to define my competence and worth. It's easy to forget that a lot of arbitrary things in life can really make a big impact on our hopes--I've found it most helpful to take a deep breath, resituate myself, learn from any mistakes, and keep pushing forward. Thanks for this detailed post, John!
imperfect idealist
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