Don't Expect the Worst

Have you ever heard the phrase, “expect the worst, and you’ll never be disappointed?” I have not only heard it, but believed it at times. It almost makes sense. If you do well at managing your expectations, you manage your satisfaction levels in life. But you also inadvertently set yourself up for a negative outcome.

Expectations are a major element of our lives. At a men’s gathering I attended during college, the leader often said that most of life’s disappointments come from unmet expectations. Every time we are discontent, we can examine an area of our lives where we had an expectation for it to go differently. Sometimes it’s unconscious, and it takes pulling the cover off in order to really see our desires. Understanding and examining our expectations is important. But it doesn’t mean we should lower them to the level of predicting the worst possible situation so we feel less disappointment.

Instead of expecting the worst, what if we boldly believed the best? We could view situations as having the optimal outcome rather than the worst one. Sure, we might be disappointed now and then – and that’s okay. Think of it this way: would you rather expect great things and occasionally be let down or expect nothing to go your way and occasionally succeed? One perspective focuses on the positive while the other dwells on the problems. It doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared for the worst, because I think you should. But preparing for the worst is much different than expecting it all the time. Boldly believe the best, prepare for the disappointments that will inevitably come and you might be surprised at the positive outcomes that come your way.