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Expectations.

Every time I messed up in my life and something got me down, it usually came down to expectations.

Be it a business or project I started and expected the world and got nothing instead.

Be it the girl I expected dating for quite a while and was left alone.

Or the people I helped out and expected gratitude and got nothing instead.

Every time I got upset or disappointed about something, it was all because I was expecting things.

Once I realized this, I tried to lower my expectations.

As a matter of fact, ever since I realized this, I tried to completely stop expecting stuff.

The world doesn't owe me anything.

It doesn't owe you anything.

It doesn't owe us anything.

And you know what, it's really tough to not expect anything from this life, from someone or something we do.

I struggle with it every time. And it needs a hell lot of practice.

But it's actually quite liberating.

If you have expectations you can always get disappointed. Reality will punch you right in your face, again and again.

When you expect things, paint beautiful pictures about the future, you have a hell lot to lose (even though it's just a picture in your head). If the reality doesn't look like you pictured it, you'll get upset, disappointed or maybe even break down.

On the other hand if you don't expect anything you also don't have anything to lose. If you don't paint a picture of your future you can't get disappointed.

You'll only be surprised.

And that's quite liberating.

But if you never expect anything in return, how can you motivate yourself to do anything, to achieve anything in this life?

How can you work a job you don't like and not expect anything in return?

How can you date someone and not expect anything in return?

How can you help someone out and not expect anything in return?

These are some pretty damn good questions. And I actually struggled quite a while to find the answers (for myself). 

It's not about lowering your expectations or anything like that.

It's about something else entirely.

If you truly love your work, you will never expect anything in return.

If you truly love someone, you will never expect anything in return.

If you truly love helping out, you will never expect anything in return.

At the end of the day it's all about love.

I know it sounds sort of corny but that's just what it is..

If you truly love something you won't expect anything in return.

Everything will be a side effect of this (sooner or later). Happiness. Friends. Money. Everything.

So only do the stuff you would also do for free (what sort of comes down to love). And get rid of the stuff you don't love, the stuff you only do because you get paid for it.

Only hang out with the people you love. And get rid of all the others.

Only help out if you don't expect anything in return. And don't help out if you expect something in return.

It's that simple.

But not easy.

It's actually pretty damn hard..

Read More: Stop outsourcing your life 

 

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