Telling someone to set their expectations low can come off as having a negative connotation. After all, our entire lives we are told to, “shoot for the moon” and we are taught to believe that our futures are where our happiness lies, but that is not what setting low expectations is about. I recently came across a video by Youtuber Jenna Marbles called, “Why Low Expectations are Good” where through the F-bombs, she explained how powerful a thing it is to have low expectations for ourselves and others. She begins by explaining that people are often disappointed when their lives did not turn out how they expected it would. Disappointment is one of the worst feelings really. We’ve all experienced it one point or the other, but sometimes I think how I would have felt if I had set my expectations low for that outcome or even none at all. I know what you’re thinking, “Should we just not try?”. In the video, Marbles explains that there is a difference between goals, standards, and expectations. She says, “Your expectations of outcomes of goals should be low or none whatsoever.” We should always shoot to have the highest goals we can and work as hard, but when it comes down to it, we should not have any expectations of the outcome of that work. This is because we truly cannot control anything that happens to us, whether we think we can or not. Having this mindset can help yourself to live a life without the constant fear of failure, and to greatly appreciate the successes that come along. Setting low expectations can help us in several different areas of our lives such as our relationships, ourselves, and especially our college careers.
If the people you meet in your life are like shiny things, treat them like shiny things. Figure out if they’re a diamond or a bottle cap.
Sometimes, we have certain expectations for the people we make relationships with. In college we get a chance to really choose who we befriend, as opposed to high school where the friend pool was smaller. High expectations are then set for these friends, they do something you don’t like, and the disappointment slithers in. Just because you know someone, doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t hurt you. Keep your expectations the same for all your friends whether they’re diamonds or a bottle cap, because people change.
Instagram is not a photo-shoot, post photos where you look natural AF.. like you got hit by a bus.
In the age where the scrapbooks of our lives are online for anyone to see and judge, try to lower other’s expectations of you. We all know that girl on Instagram who looks flawless, has the perfect boyfriend, seems to go to the beach weekly, all while simultaneously feeding the hungry. Let's just be honest that all of our social media accounts are not realistic views of ourselves. It’s fine to post that cute beach photo or formal sorority whatever it is pictures, but try every once in a while to just give a more accurate representation of who you are. We all have flaws, let’s try to normalize them. Don’t set yourself up for expectations that you cannot live up to.
People think if you do X you will get Y, when in reality you can get any other letter in the alphabet— including X again.
Many students have certain expectations for what will happen to them after college, if they complete various goals. When we have expectations for ourselves, the outcomes can be limiting. We limit our choices and the things we can do in life for the outcome we expect for our lives. College students should especially keep an open mind for what they want out of their careers. Like Jenna Marbles said there could be a lot of people out there who since they were two, they thought they were going to be a doctor. Everything they did up until that point was for the goal of becoming a doctor and living the lifestyle they expected out of that. If they had maybe picked up a sewing machine and tried other things, could they have been Marc Jacobs? You’ll never know unless you let go of your expectations you have for the way your life is “supposed” to turn out and start living for the possibilities of tomorrow.
It sounds glass half empty, but it is glass all the way full.
If you can learn to limit or let go of your expectations, everything that happens after that is a surprise— good or bad. Set your goals high, standards higher, and your expectations to a level where the worst that could happen is the best that could happen.
“Expectation is the root of all heartbreak” - William Shakespeare
Here’s the video by the way!
Warning: Remember what I said about the F-bombs.
