“I am not in this world to live up to other people’s expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine.” - Fritz Perls
The moment we attain the age when we are able to comprehend, we are saddled with expectations; expectations, that are both – tangible and intangible. As a child we are expected to be - “good children”, when we join schools and colleges, we are expected to be - “good students” and are expected to be “good citizens”, in future. In our personal lives, we are expected to be good sons/daughters/husbands/wives etc. Similarly, in our professional lives we are expected to be good employees/managers and what have you. Gradually, the weight of expectations bogs us down and we start evaluating ourselves on a yardstick that is calibrated on a scale that ranges from meeting zero to hundred per cent of what others expect from us.
Somewhere down the line, while endeavouring to meet others expectations, we gradually start expecting from others – expectations of love, care, affection, favours, appreciation, compliments etc. Again our expectations are both – tangible and intangible.
Thus the vicious cycle perpetrates!
Such a situation impels us to align our efforts and to channelize our energy to meet the expectations of others and not to surpass them. This leads to mediocrity. This also leads to heartburn, angst and disappointment which in turn ushers in pain and the resultant suffering.
The day we free others from matching our expectations, we shall be at peace and happy. And what is more we shall also make others – happy and at peace with themselves!
