Quora: Dealing with life expectations
Q: What is your best advice for managing expectations in life?
A: Whose expectations?
Yours or other people’s?
Technically, anything is possible. You can be the President, a Hollywood star, cure cancer, have 14 kids and 7 wives … you name it. Maybe all of it at the same time.
But, just because it is possible (other people have done it or it seems doable) doesn’t mean it is something you should expect to be able to do, or that it is even right for you.
Now, if you do have certain expectations of yourself, and of how your life should be, maybe you’ve even planned for it but not achieved it yet, take another look at these expectations and goals. Use the SMART formula to see if they are as realistic as you think.
As for managing other people’s expectations, that is trickier.
You cannot control how other people see you or what they think, that is out of your hands. The only thing you can do is try to be as true to yourself as possible.
If you want people to see that you are competent and a hard worker, you show your competence and do the hard work. Not all will see it, but it’s a place to start.
The danger is that you can become trapped by the image that you project. That the expectations other people have of you become more than you can handle. To avoid this, be aware of how much you stretch to satisfy their demands. Is it a level you are comfortable with? Can you maintain this for the long haul?
In summary, your own expectations can easily be managed. Just be honest with yourself. Know what you are capable of and what you want.
As for other people’s expectations, don’t worry about them. Be true to yourself and live your own life, not someone else’s.
