Knowing If Your Expectations Are Too High.

Knowing If Your Expectations Are Too High.

 

 

“We tend to get what we expect” – Norman Vincent Peale

 

I’m often told my expectations are way too high. How I feel about family, friends, and co-workers changes weekly based on their life choices. I’m aware that’s sort of an unfair way to go about things, but I also hold myself to a very high standard. If you don’t meet and exceed my standard then I feel like you’re not trying hard enough. In some cases this is true, but not all.

 

Recently a good friend told me that another friend said I take myself and job too seriously. This came about when I didn’t want to go to a shady bar that’s known for some negative things and that I didn’t want to ride around with people who may be carrying marijuana. Not that I care if they smoke, I just didn’t want to be around it. Well, of course I take myself seriously. I’ve worked hard for what I have. I help working families and children. I take that very serious. The funny thing is that I had a conversation just before this about this friend not taking his life serious enough.

 

But is this really a “problem?” I expect a lot from my son. I wish my parents pushed me harder and expected more. I know academically I want him to do his best, for his future. I want him to be 100% more successful than I will ever be. I believe I do a good job at being a father. It’s the best job I have.

 

High expectations have had an amazing effect on my life. Moving out at 16, sleeping on park benches, working full time jobs while in high school, sleeping lakefront in Kentucky. While this aged me and taught me what I could go through, I never wanted to be in a position like this again. I link my attitude to a day I woke up on Lake Cumberland,  It was dawn, I sat up dirty, in need of a shower and I was debating brushing my teeth with lake water. I thought “What the hell am I doing?” I knew I needed to do something and I wanted to make sure I put myself in a position to help other teens later who may be homeless or are in a rough spot. Now I sit on a School Board.

 

At the end of the day “taking myself too serious” isn’t a problem to me. I set goals. I feel like everyone needs to have goals, never be content and always work to better yourself, and those around you. Short term goals and long term. I have them, I expect to make all my goals and set new ones as I go. I mean come on, I’m 27. I’ve been a union rep, and V.P., I’m a published writer, I’ve met some of the coolest actors and been able to sing with some great musicians, I’ve climbed a mountain, I’ve done a tough mudder 13 mile run, I have marched and been pepper sprayed with Jesse Jackson, became a School Board member, I’ve traveled all over the US and out of the country a few times  I’ve been on local and national TV, newspapers and hosted a web series.

 

So, my best words of advice?  GO! Go do something. Try something, Help something, and expect those around you to do the same.

If we all expected a little more out of each other, who knows what might get done. But then again what do I know? I’m only 27.