Expect Less!

Unmet expectations are the root of most of our anger, sadness and frustration each day.  Upset about a test score?  Your reaction is based on your expectation that you would earn a higher grade.  Frustrated that your car broke down?  Your reaction is based on your expectation that your car will work properly.  Having conflict with someone?  Your reaction is based on your expectation that the person did not meet?  Expectations are random perceptions on how we deem life should be and are based on less facts than we think and involve countless more variables than we ever consider.  Expectations are assurances in future events.  There are too many variables that are not in our control to expect much in life.  Goals are different than expectations.  There are no assurances in goals.  Goals give us direction.  We hope to reach our goals but the understanding is that goals are meant to motivate us and guide us and reaching the goal is a consequence of the previous two priorities.  Expectations unmet typically lead to nothing but disappointment so we should set goals and not expectations.  (Warning:  many have been told throughout their lives to "have high expectations" and "expect more from yourself".  Feel free to go with that philosophy if it works for you.  My experience has shown that less the .0001% of the world's population performs well under pressure and/or responds to failure in an appropriate manner.  Most people respond negatively to unmet expectations because they don't properly evaluate the variables that resulted in the expectation to be unmet and then they don't respond appropriately to the erroneous information they now have in their position).