Maybe this sounds silly, trite, or just plain wrong. Yet we see daily reminders of how reality generally matches what we expect. A quick look back at our thoughts and beliefs about a subject shows that they match current results. If we agree that we get what we expect, why don’t we simply choose to […]
Yes, expect more. But what we expect matters. If we expect specifics–especially what a specific person or situation could or should give us–we will have a bad time. We see this in sales when we put faith in one opportunity to make our number for the quarter. We see this in leadership when we micromanage […]
We all always get the level of success we expect. Want more? Expect more. In your corner, Mike PS: Rien de plus simple, oui? PPS: By expect, I don’t mean, “I expect you to finish your dinner, young man!” I mean, “quietly, excitedly anticipate like a dog waiting for her human to come back home.” […]
In yesterday’s note, we saw how our beliefs about people’s capabilities affect their performance. Regardless of how much we may want them to do well, if we think they won’t, they likely won’t. If we expect them to do well, they very likely will. But how do we set up this positive anticipation? And how do […]
We get what we expect. Not what we hope, not what we think should be. This is true in general and it is especially true for getting other people to do stuff. When we plead or demand that others do stuff or when we worry about or criticize them for their inability to do stuff, […]
We can live life and lead others as if we are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Anticipating that something bad is bound to happen (because, it always does, right?), we exist on high alert. We divert quite large quantities of time, energy, and effort to preventing, preparing for, and dealing with a sea of unwanted […]
If we expect that meeting or this interaction to go poorly, it will. If we are even concerned a bit, our results will fall short of what we desire…regardless of what we might do to achieve those results. If, on the other hand, we expect that things will go well and if we can remain […]
Who says it takes a lot of time? Where is it written that having what you want will take a long time? Sure, you may point to your experience. It may tell you to expect that good things do not come quickly. If you expect it to take a long time, it probably will. What […]
I am grateful to a reader of yesterday’s Note (“expect that what you want will arrive”) because she helped me refine my suggestion. She noted that when she expects others to do things, for instance, she ends up disappointed, not happy. Expectation failed, I suspect, because she focused on how something should be done (person […]
Expect what you want. It feels super when you do. It also has that funny way of helping what you want to happen. And even if it doesn’t work out, you will have spent all that time feeling good. In your corner, Mike PS: Go ahead. Today’s photo credit: xopherlance via photopin cc