"Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life" - William Congreve
I have a thing with expectations. I think sometimes we all get too caught up in trying to fulfill everyone else's expectations for us we never have the opportunity to see what we really expect from ourselves. Ever felt so caught up in what everyone else wanted you to do you couldn't remember what you should be doing? I'm pretty sure everyone's been there at least once in life. Influenced more by expectations from parents, friends, colleagues or even people in positions of authority than by what we think is the best way for us.
I've said before that I like quotes, and this one's going to be full of them!
"You have to expect things of yourselves before you can do them." - Michael Jordan
Now have you ever been in the situation where someone thinks you can do something and yet you're convinced that you can't? I'm working at the moment with two lecturers (mainly). One of whom has decided that I am amazing and can do everything that she is expecting of me. She frequently tells me that to get straight into PhD I need to get first class honors - an average of around about 80% overall... Piece of cake right! Pfffffft!!!
Meanwhile, the other - besides the fact that most of it was his fault - is convinced it's going to take me an extra semester to complete. I've since found out that I'm pretty well done in terms of the actual work that I need to complete, I just need to type it all up and present it appropriately.
Whilst I simply don't know! Considering I have no idea as to what I am supposed to produce, how can I! But thanks to Mr Pessimism, I'm now not going to officially graduate until mid semester next year... YAY...
"Happiness equals reality minus expectations." - Tom Magliozzi
What do you expect from yourself? What is it that you think you can achieve? For me, one way or another I will finish this course - even if it is just to spite at least one of my supervisors. I don't know when but I will manage one way or another!
Perhaps it's just easier to say that expectations suck! It's so much easier just to breeze through not necessarily having to achieve anything, be anything, do anything. I've found a better quote. Rather than expectations setting you up to get what you want,
"What we anticipate seldom occurs, what we least expected generally happens" - Benjamin Disraeli
it's the complete opposite. Much better, I think... why have expectations - you're setting yourself up for possible failure! Let's be human - take the easy route - no expectations no chance of failure...
I'm not entirely sure which is the 'easy' option to be honest... Personally - I expect most of you who read this to set several expectations for yourself right away...
"I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can't be helped" - Gestalt prayer, Fritz Perls
Kazzi
