EXPECTATIONS: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Dream, and dream big, they say! Sounds great, right? But how many people actually achieve their dreams? Not nearly as many as could, or should, be!
Why? Because there’s a subtle line between passive "wishing" and actually making your dreams come true. Thought must be transmuted into action, in order to get results.
That’s a no-brainer.
Decades ago I learned something very profound. It wasn’t very obvious to me at the time I learned it: emotion drives behavior.
What exactly does that mean? Well, to make it simple, while we have a "logical" side of our
brain, and a "creative" side of our brain, emotions tend to win out over logic the vast majority of the time.
That often means feelings can drive our thoughts and actions. Emotions also color our beliefs and expectations. Think about that, and the implications – it’s huge! That’s why the major advertising agencies spend so much time crafting brilliant messages that connect on an emotional / feelings level to make sales.
A belief, by definition is "an acceptance that something is true or that something
exists." Comparatively, an expectation is "a strong belief that something will happen or be the case". Beliefs and expectations, serve as the foundation for how we live, how we think, and what we do, or don’t do, on a daily basis.
The problem is that too many of us set monstrous, almost intangible goals and confuse beliefs with fantasies. People create expectations that can never be met, which can leave them depressed when they cannot reach their desires.
Wishing will not make your goal come true. But action will. Taking action on your expectations sets things in motion and makes it more
likely that you will have a successful outcome.
And you know what?
We know that thought drives action; but did you know that action also drives thought?!
That means that by taking action, enable your mind, giving it permission to believe something that it didn’t believe before. For example, that’s what setting incremental training goals is all about!
You work
hard, hit your incremental goals and then you set new incrementally higher goals. You move on to achieve bigger and better goals, believing they are now possible because your consistent efforts reinforce, and prove your belief!
Action in the form of preparation plus work creates permission to believe in your mind. So, goals without taking action, are fruitless and sets us up for disappointment.
Remember this: "You can’t be upset about the results you did NOT get; from the work you did NOT do". Without action, blood, sweat, and tears, very little happens.
This week, make it a point to take action on your dreams.
Even little steps will help you to get on your way and motivate you to take additional steps.
Success breeds success! Learn, believe, and take action to make it happen!
Stay Strong!
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