Over the years I have learned something I do not think many people share. I have learned to at least try to not keep expectations. They can be dangerous because you may find yourself becoming more attached to the expectation than to reality, so when the two do not agree or even align, the result is pain, of one kind of another.
I do not consider this a pessimistic view, after all expecting the worst is an expectation, isn't it? It is a protected or hardened view though, because how can failure hurt you if you were not expecting success, or did not even define what failure is?
Lacking expectations can also be somewhat relieving, as it can remove certain fears. The other day I found a job that I would love to have and I will admit I have had day dreams about being in just such a job. Based on the listing, I am qualified for it, perhaps not perfectly, but pretty well, so I applied for it. I have no expectations of getting it, getting an interview, or even being told I have been rejected. (If anything I expect to not get any of those based on how other employers have treated me over the years.) In part this is because while I am qualified based on the listing, I cannot doubt that better candidates are going to apply and they will be the recipients of that attention, as they should be. Knowing this, I still applied because I set my expectations aside.
I also applied because I had to. I had to apply because this is too much a job I want. It would be unfair to myself to not apply; to disqualify myself. Oh I believe I will be disqualified, but I had to apply. There is no chance without applying, and even if the world has taught me again and again that I will be rejected, that I will not achieve my dreams, there is always going to be that satisfaction of trying anyway.
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