Expectations.htm

HOME | CONTACT

Expectation & Realization

Expectation Drives Realization

He who does not expect a million readers, should not write a line.

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe - (1749 – 1832)

According to Goethe’s quote, if we are not planning to do something in a big way, we shouldn’t do it at all. This idea is very challenging for many of us because many times we have been taught not to expect big successes in life. So we make comments like: “I'm going to write this little book" or “start this little business." We apply for jobs that we can easily get even though they are not the ones we truly want. We believe that if we lower our expectations then we can avoid the disappointment of failure and increase our chances of success. But what we are really doing is setting a limit on what we will achieve.

When we have low expectations, we often surround ourselves with like-minded people who support our limited thinking. Instead of associating with people who think small, we should instead ask ourselves what is it that keeps us from thinking larger. Is it fear? Is it lack of faith? Is it low self-esteem? It could be any one of these factors … or a host of others.

Do we think we deserve millions of readers, millions of customers, and/or millions of dollars? Do we think we deserve an exceptional relationship, a great job, a beautiful home, and truly supportive friends? If we believe we deserve all these things, then we need to expect to have them. When we expect great things, we begin to operate at a different level. For example, the energy and effort you put into searching for an average job will be different than what you expend when you are looking for a highly coveted one. The energy and effort you put into a business that you think will eventually be worth thousands of dollars will be different than what you will do for one you believe will be worth millions. Likewise, the energy and effort you put into writing a book that will reach a few hundred readers is quite different than what you will do when you imagine your work will be a best seller and be read by millions.

So when you are making plans and setting goals, think big, think bold, and think brilliant. By doing so, you set the stage for expectation. Expectation sets the stage for action. And action sets the stage for realization.

Ambitious goals and plans reflect high expectations. Are yours ambitious? Do they stretch you beyond your comfort zone? To help you make that determination, ask yourself the following questions:

1) Are my goals difficult to achieve?

2) Will my goals require additional learning?

3) Will I have to ask others for help or assistance?

4) Do I feel a sense of trepidation?

5) When I achieve my goals, will I have a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment?

If you answered “yes” to all or most of these questions, you have ambitious goals. If not, I challenge you to consider revising your goals to ones that will demand more of you, ones that will force you to reach outside of your comfort zone, ones through which you will grow and develop your skills, abilities, and talents. Those types of goals require us to raise our expectations of ourselves. When we do that we start a journey that can take us to our millions of readers, millions of dollars, millions of customers, or millions of moments of personal satisfaction and ultimately to the tremendous success we expected.

Donna Satchell, President of STARR Consulting & Training is a speaker, trainer and author. She provides programs in customer service, team-building, time management, public speaking as well as motivational speeches which inspire individuals to live more successful lives. Please visit www.JustGetSerious.com for information about products and services as well as to view videos of Donna’s speeches. Contact her at 770-498-0400 or Donna@JustGetSerious.com.

Permission is granted to reprint this article provided this bio and contact information are included in the publication. Permission is also granted for reasonable editing, including article title change.