Comments on: Unrealistic Expectations

By: mysoul

mysoul — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:44:20 +0000

I am late here. Whats unrealistic about expectations? They are very Real and it rules most lives for people from most all cultures. While having expectations does drive people to achieve a lot and become better people, I do think everything in MODERATION is key. I come from a place where having an expectation for the people in your life is a norm. There are expectations with respect to behaviour, education, language, morals, attire, faith, most anything I can think of. Else we wouldnt have all these subtle judgements we make in our everyday lives. I think Striving comes from expectations. Would there be failure and disappointment when we dont meet expectations? Sure, if you want to look at it as Failure or disappointment. But in truth all it is, is a lesson in how not to do or how to do what we do. We need to have a bar that is not so high as to not be able to reach it, but not too low so as to create an ambience of “anything goes”. Raise the Bar, in little steps so that there is a gradual building of what we are capable of.

By: The Links | Worship Journey

The Links | Worship Journey — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:57:48 +0000

[...] This is just goodness on unrealistic expectations. [...]

By: Kristin Zuvich

Kristin Zuvich — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:11:49 +0000

It’s interesting, because I think my parents had fewer expectations for me, since I was the baby of the family. There was less pressure on me. In a way, I wish there had been more pressure, I sometimes wish my parents had expected more of me because then it would have sent the message that they believed I was capable of achieving those expectations.

Nevertheless, I should probably count it as a blessing, since I think my parents were pleasantly surprised when I exceeded a lot of their already low expectations.

By: Dani

Dani — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:49:46 +0000

I was thinking the same thing for these athletes. I feel so bad for them when I watch as they are crushed when they don’t get what they are expected to get. I was watching the diving the other night and the lady that was announcing was so picky. It was driving me insane. She was like Ohh. Her legs came apart about an inch. Oh I think she was a little bent on the entry. And on and on. Same with Gymnastics. I felt so bad for the USA girl for the diving. She was really young. I think she was 16. She didn’t make the cut for the finals and she was so upset. I felt so bad for this girl. I am the type of person that is okay with getting second place. I strive for the best in everything but if My best gets me the silver..that’s great! My parents never put to high expectations on me. They always taught me to do my best at everything and that was good enough for them. I am blessed.

Thanks for this post.
~Dani

By: Billy Chia

Billy Chia — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:22:33 +0000

Pete,
I have some big, audacious, unrealistic goals for my church I’m expecting God to come through – but I don’t think I’ll chew him out if He hands me the bronze medal.

By: Marla Saunders

Marla Saunders — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:24:42 +0000

Unrealistic expectations. Interesting, when combined with your post about living in community and what do you have the hardest time dealing with. Lately I have a hard time believing the best about anyone. I’m beginning to feel like House on TV: everybody lies. Maybe not that drastically, but my expectations have fallen way too low. I think it is time for me to set some higher standards for my community to live up to.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:13:38 +0000

I place the most unrealistic expectations upon myself. Especially when it comes to my career.

I also probably place some unrealistic expectations on my marriage. It is always easy to look at other couples and think we should have a bit of this and/or a bit of that in our lives..they seem so happy etc. Ironically these usually are our friends that end up divorced….none the less, I always expect our marriage to be the perfect one. Totally unrealistic.

By: The Gang' All Here!

The Gang' All Here! — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:38:32 +0000

I have mentioned before, most of my unrealistic expectations are placed upon me by me. Cutting me slack is not my first reaction when I fail or drop the ball.

Additionally, the Lord has been dealing with me strongly in the area of the expectations that I put upon my relationships to fill my heart and my need for relationship. I should be putting my expectations for fulfilling relationship solely on HIM, and letting HIM (depending on HIM) for the meeting of all my heart-to-heart connections. (I am a woman who desires strong deep friendships and I place a very high value on the relationships in my life – I love people.) When I expect humans to fill the need for relationship solely, I am cheating HIM of the intimacy that I need from Him and that He desires with me.

Expectations – big topic in my life right now!

By: Jody

Jody — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:32:32 +0000

I have enjoyed the Olympics every night!

However, it is ok for us to question the score given to a diver or a gymnist, and yes I watch gymnastics, but it is not ok for us to judge new christians. I have witnessed, sometimes on this very site, people state their expectations of a new believer. We are in the seed planting business, people, Jesus is in the transformation business. Last time I checked the score for GRACE was a perfect 10.0. My imperfect and judgmental human mind didn’t even qualify in the preliminaries. After the life I have lived I will be happy to get a bronze from God someday.

By: sara

sara — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:28:25 +0000

@pete: Ironically, I just listened to a great sermon from the Crosspoint archives where you and your wife talked about that very thing. You should re-listen to it… it was really good.

sara
http://www.gitzengirl.blogspot.com