The Spark: High Expectations 06/11/2023

I was scrolling through LinkedIn recently and came across a phrase that got me thinking:

"How you feel on Sunday, right before the workweek starts, speaks volumes."

Hmm, it got me thinking that this topic is worth more than just a post; it's like a whole book waiting to be written! It delves into life's purpose, self-identity, the grasp of capitalism, the ever-present industrial standards and many more.

But let's keep it short today and focus on one aspect - high expectations.

I'm not here to provide answers, but I want to raise something I find crucial.

The global stress surrounding work seems to be on the rise, and it's not hard to see why. In a world where "GROWTH" is practically a religion, high expectations are par for the course.

It makes sense. After all:

no growth means no income -> no income means no new hires -> no profit means investors lose interest, which ultimately means that -> customers aren't interested in your product if it doesn't meet their expectations.

In the end, everyone is expecting something from someone. Think about it – when you order pizza online, you expect it to arrive on time and taste delicious. That means the delivery guy needs a good vehicle, the team needs to be well-organized, the receipts should be in order, the chefs must know their craft, and they need quality ingredients, which, in turn, need to be grown properly. It's a massive logistical chain where everyone has standards, and everyone expects something from someone.

There's a chain of employees expecting fair wages, clients expecting a quality product, and managers and investors expecting business growth. All these expectations can lead to stress, anxiety, and a constant fear of letting people down...

This expectation game applies to pretty much every industry and situation in life. We EXPECT, and let's be honest, how often are our expectations not met in a day, a week, or a year? If you look back at your life, how long is your bucket list of unfulfilled dreams?

(I stopped here to think...)

What if we followed the philosophy of "the less you expect, the better results you get"?

Food for thought, right? ??

I analyzed several aspects in the table below regarding where this idea can lead, and its dualism is quite evident:

In the end, the philosophy of "the less you expect, the better results you get" offers food for thought, and the balance between expectations and adaptability can vary.