Beliefs and Results
“Expect good results, and you’ll get them. Believe in yourself, and you can achieve anything….”
Do these statements sound familiar? A common mantra of the self-help industry is that all it takes to accomplish something is believing you can.
But do expectations, in and of themselves, actually produce results? Does the mere fact you strongly desire to accomplish something ensure that you actually will? Think of a time in your life when you were excited to attend some enjoyable event, only to have everything go wrong there. It never even occurred to you that it would be anything but a great time, but for whatever reason it wasn’t. However, you eventually excepted it and moved on.
What about on the bigger stuff, though? Do you really feel confident in relying on expectations alone for the accomplishment of the things that really matter to you? Think back to your days in grad school. Did you merely trust in yourself and your desire to succeed, in order to pass your tests? No, you reached in and grabbed every tool at your disposal. It required serious time and effort, but in the end you prevailed. The work proved worth it.
The Difference
When we realize that we’ve never just relied solely on expectations and belief when it comes to the important stuff in life, what emerges can become a valuable tool in helping us to achieve the future successes we desire, including getting licensed.
If we convert our idea of expectation into something that is reasonably accomplishable based on the resources I have at my disposal and am willing to employ, then “expectations” can serve the valuable function of concentrating our efforts on a goal and keeping us committed to it through the difficulties.
What I am talking about is hope, based on realistic expectations. How do we earn the right to have this expectant hope? By using the proper resources to develop competency. Unlike mere wishful thinking, expectant hope is based in competency and tethered to reality.
It is possible to see how these different approaches play out when one is preparing to take their EPPP licensure exam. Can I really expect to pass the EPPP without using the right study methods and putting in the necessary time and effort with them? On the other hand, if I consistently and faithfully follow and complete a proven program, passing the EPPP is almost foregone conclusion.
On an intuitive level, I believe we all know but may be somewhat hesitant to consciously acknowledge the truth that unfounded expectations often lead to frustration and disappointment. What few would deny, however, is that realistic goals worked diligently toward almost always produce success and fulfillment when followed through to completion.