Don't Set Low Expectations for Yourself. It's Dangerous!

I’ve always like the adage “make today’s ceiling tomorrow’s floor.” It means that you should reach high today so you can reach higher tomorrow. This applies especially to your expectations for yourself. 

If you set the bar for yourself low, that’s what you’ll aim for. Even if you achieve it, you probably would achieve more if you had higher expectations. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of setting small, achievable goals. Setting goals that are unrealistic are just setting you up for failure and it may hurt your self esteem. It’s okay to set the bar low at first, just don’t keep it there. After a while, aim a little higher. You might surprise yourself. 

As I got older, my expectations for myself evolved. I expected more of myself. That’s because as I got older, I became more experience and more mature.  How I viewed myself and the world evolved, and so did my expectations of myself. 

The idea of setting higher expectations can be misunderstood as being greedy, but there is a big difference. One being satisfied with what you have, but still aiming to reach the next level (whether it’s lifestyle quality, career path, or financial goals) and the other is never being content with what you have. 

Be satisfied, but strive for more. Strive to improve yourself and your lifestyle. Keep pushing yourself so you can reach higher today so you can reach higher than that tomorrow.

Roderick Conwi is the Executive Editor at Nourishment Notes. He is also the author of The Procrastinator's Quick Guide To Getting It Done. To get powerful insights that enhance your day, join his free newsletter.