Do you set expectations for yourself or others? I was thinking about this recently and how our expectations often fail us. I know I can unintentionally set high expectations for things that are never met. And when I actually thought about why this happens I realized something: that I don’t need to set expectations at all because I’m not doing anything to help meet those expectations. In fact, I’m getting rid of all expectations in my life and choosing intentional goals instead. Because when you set purposeful, intentional goals for your life or business, you work towards those goals with action steps to get there. When you set expectations for yourself (or others) you often feel like those should naturally be met with little or no effort, when that isn’t the case at all. Here’s why I’m giving up expectations for goals and what the difference is between the two.
Expectations:
The Oxford dictionary definition of expectation is a strong belief that something will happen or be the case. To me, that means that we think something will just happen. That we won’t have to do much to make it happen but we assume that it will happen. When we set expectations, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment more often than not. That’s not to say that great things won’t happen to us, or that we will receive blessings we’ve prayed for or hoped for without having to work towards those things. But if we approach it differently, without expecting and assuming that it will just happen, we will be that much more joyful and appreciative when it does.
I’ve also found that most times when I set expectations for something or someone, I am doing so without even realizing it. And therefore, I’m setting unrealistic expectations because I’m not putting the thought into it that it deserves.
Goals:
I’ve talked a lot about what intentional goals are and how to set them. The biggest difference between goals and expectations is that goals are meant to be something that you work towards. They are generally something you’re passionate about and something you genuinely want to achieve in your life or business. You don’t just expect this thing to happen, but you’re willing to work for it. The Oxford dictionary definition of a goal is the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result. It’s the destination at the end of a journey. In this case, I think journey is a keyword, because it takes time and effort to reach a goal. It’s typically not an overnight success thing (like most things in life and business).
