Expectations vs. reality

The world thrives on expectations...

Imagine a routine day in your life. You wake up and are getting dressed for your school or college or work. You expect a healthy breakfast on your table (your mom cares for your health after all) a bus or a taxi that can take you to where you have to be (you hope there’s no traffic on the road as you don’t want to be late), a smile from your peers (they’re your bets friends after all) a pat on your back from your teacher (for doing your homework well in time) a reward from your parents (for being such an obedient child), a gift on your birthday (its your special day after all), patience and understanding from your boyfriend or girlfriend (they’re your partners they ought to understand you right?), a raise and heavy bonus (because you worked so hard this year), absence of pain and disease in your body (because you eat well and exercise regularly), a long, healthy and happy life…

Now who doesn’t expect that?

Are we realistic enough?

Why do we expect at all?

Expectations only prove that you are human. They reflect every living being’s desire for wellness, goodness and optimism for oneself (as well as your loved ones and everyone in general). We all wish and hope and dream and expect good things in life. We don’t wake up in the morning hoping for an earthquake, a terror attack, a tantrum, failure in an examination, or being laid off! We wish for the best but we need to realize that the best happens not just by wishing but by working for it. A goal is of no purpose if it is not attainable. It will only make you realize your shortcomings. If your expectations are reasonable, you will be able to fulfil them and convince yourself that wishes can very well come true. So we ought to learn to wish right.

Internal & external expectations

We keep talking of expectations from the world, from the government, from friends, parents, neighbours, employers, and everyone in our external space (including god!). However the highest and best way is to expect is from yourself. It has been rightly quoted ‘we usually live up to our own expectations’. It’s quintessential to keep high internal expectations from yourself. A study had once proved that we usually end up achieving what we set out to, if we set our targets appropriately, realistically and sensibly. In terms of probability, the world seldom matches to what you expect of it. It is easiest to entrust yourself with responsibility than another. So the more you take accountability for your actions, the lesser you will anticipate from others, and the higher are your chances for achieving what you set out for. This does not imply that you do everything by yourself. You ought to balance your strengths appropriately and do what you are best at, and entrust suitable others to do what they are good for.

Moving towards reality

The real world is sometimes not pleasant. However the real world is still a very beautiful place! We need to ascertain ourselves about our own strengths and weaknesses put together. Some of us tend to undermine our strengths and are unaware of what we are capable of; thereby failing to soar to the heights we could have achieved. Yet some of us underestimate our weaknesses too and set out to attain unaccomplishable targets; that’s when reality slaps us in the face and visages us with failure. Know yourself. Know your positive points; know your areas of improvement. You cannot sleep through your math class all year long and expect to score a 100% in the final examination. You cannot eat like a glutton, put on weight, and expect to look slim and prim at the christmas ball. You cannot gossip about your friends and then expect them to stand by you in your times of need. You cannot shun work, let business drop, and then expect a raise. The world is round (this is a fact and we all know it) so you must remember that what goes around, comes around! So it starts with you, goes full circle and comes back to only you.

Don't be hard on yourself

Midst the struggle, be nice to yourself. Eat healthy, exercise regularly, study well, be honest and hardworking, respect those who deserve it, stand up for goodness and righteousness, put in your best in whatever you do, expect higher from yourself and lesser from others. Give your best to what you do with everyone around you and the best will come back to you; that’s a promise!