Setting Expectations VS. Setting Standards.

We all set expectations. A lot of the time, we set our expectations higher than we should... which leads to heartbreak, confusion, emotional distress. I have recently found that setting expectations can destroy the drive you once had, but setting standards can mentally challenge us to meet our personal and professional goals. Here's what I mean:

1. What happens when you set expectations:

You are literally expecting something to happen... a change or improvement of what God's plan for your life may be. What if pain or loss is a part of your personal path? You won't stay down forever, but there are times when we must hurt in order to grow. What if a detour in your career or private life is a part of your personal path? Life is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get to where you're going. Things take time. Life's patterns have to take place, whether we want them to or not. The only control we really have is how we react to the cards we have been dealt, and whether or not we drive in pursuit of what we are after.

2. What happens when you set standards:

It's almost like a personal push. You know your own limits, but with standards, we ensure that our limits are healthily stretched. Standards are like a brand. A brand of self-respect and of self-motivation. A lot of us lose motivation through the chase of false expectations. Dig deep and find your standards. Hold yourself to those standards. Your personal life, career, and mentality deserve a set of standards.

I have only realized all of this throughout the last couple of weeks. I have set expectations and it has put a dent in the way I approach my work. The dent is fixable though, if you will. I have the willpower to swap expectations for standards. There IS a difference between the two. Don't set yourself up for heartache, failure, or false hope by having expectations alone. DO set yourself up for positivity, personal growth and professional growth. Set standards. Follow through.

- T Lee