The Benefits of Not Expecting

It is normal to expect. It is normal to want. It is normal to desire. We are human beings with needs that are desired, wanted, and often expected.
 
The problem with expecting, however, is that when we expect we subconsciously believe that we are in control of whatever impacts the realization of our lofty goals. The reality is that we are not, as there is the saying “we plan but God has its own plans.”
 
This lack of humility can lead to anger—anger with ourselves for not being as powerful or in control as we believe we should be or angry with those to whom we delegated the ambitious task who didn’t meet our expectations.  To avoid blame, to avoid our anger or disappointment and to secure rewards, people may set low targets rather than pushing themselves to do their best.
 

If we aim high—high enough that there might be a chance we might miss the goal—do our best but don’t expect to achieve that ambitious goal, if the goal is achieved, it is an opportunity to celebrate. However, note that we will not learn anything new from success.

When we set high goals, strive to be the best we can be, and do our best to achieve those goal but do not expect them, if the goal we wanted and desired is not achieved, we are emotionally free to analyze what went wrong and why. It is a valuable opportunity to examine why, despite our best efforts, the goal wasn’t reached. This reflection means that our best can be improved, and it’s time to learn.
 
The more we learn and improve upon our “best,” the better we become—and that is what truly matters for long-term success.