Expectations vs. Intentions

Having expectations is essential to success. It allows you to walk into the “proverbial room” standing a little taller knowing you are already where you need to be. I have seen it countless times as an athlete and businessperson. There is something to be said about the swagger that gives you an edge before you start. Steve Jobs knew his technology was going to be great before there was even a product. Brady knew he was going to make a comeback in the Super Bowl when everyone else was deep into the bean dip. Simply put, expectations create momentum, even when there is no rational evidence for this belief. But that is where most of us just stop, and expect things to happen in our lives without the real work. 

Before any real expectation can exist, intensions must be made. An expectation that falls short is typically built on hope from our heads rather than from intentions made by our whole being. Sometimes you can get away with it, but typically hope falls short over the long haul.

In order to deliver our expectations, we must lead with intentions. Intentions are where the intangibles of greatness come together as a foundation to deliver any game, project, or relationship. The next time you set a goal, make sure your intentions are known. This will set the pace for greater expectations to be realized.

The inverse is also true; intentions without expectations will fall short of realizing our potential. Without expectations, we will wander in the beauty of our intentions, leaving the world short of experiencing what happens when you align both your expectations & intentions. The secret is in the "and" rather than in the "VS"… Intend and Expect. Intentions commit the soul and expectations commit the head.

FluidStance CEO and Founder Joel Heath created The VS. Series in response to how we've become a culture of "versus." Us vs. Them. Hot vs. Cold. Analog vs. Digital. Work Hard vs. Play Hard. Old vs. New. You get the idea. Stay tuned for more from Joel as we continue to build out this series. And, we'd love to hear thoughts, ideas, and suggestions for more topics! Check out FluidStance's full line at fluidstance.com.