Comments on: What do you expect? http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/ Personal Development for Smart People Sat, 09 May 2009 21:45:19 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Steve Pavlina http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/comment-page-1/#comment-192 Steve Pavlina Thu, 25 Nov 2004 02:26:45 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/#comment-192 I'm amazed it took so long for someone to ask these questions. I'll address them in my next blog entry. I’m amazed it took so long for someone to ask these questions. I’ll address them in my next blog entry.

]]> By: serious_observer http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/comment-page-1/#comment-191 serious_observer Thu, 25 Nov 2004 01:27:30 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/#comment-191 Several emotions go thru my head when I read your posts Steve. Why improve at all? We are born. We die. Everything else shares the same fate. Then why this struggle to improve? What is the use? Expectations can only lead to misery if we dont achieve. Why not just lead a life of no expecation and see what happens? That chap Jim achieved first place. Cool! So what next? He will now set his goals to win the Milky Way Speaking Championship? Ok, let us give him the first place there. Then what? Has anybody here tried to live a life of no goal setting, competition, improvement? Doing things intuitively without expectation. Isnt that peace? Isnt that what we are truly after? Several emotions go thru my head when I read your posts Steve.

Why improve at all? We are born. We die. Everything else shares the same fate. Then why this struggle to improve? What is the use? Expectations can only lead to misery if we dont achieve. Why not just lead a life of no expecation and see what happens?

That chap Jim achieved first place. Cool! So what next? He will now set his goals to win the Milky Way Speaking Championship? Ok, let us give him the first place there. Then what?

Has anybody here tried to live a life of no goal setting, competition, improvement? Doing things intuitively without expectation. Isnt that peace? Isnt that what we are truly after?

]]> By: Chris - SunAndGames http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/comment-page-1/#comment-190 Chris - SunAndGames Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:32:40 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/#comment-190 Steve, thanks again for another great post. I've been reading your blog faithfully since it's beginning, and will continue to do so. Jims story is very inspirational, and strikes a very personal chord with me, as I happen to have a special needs daughter. It's quite amazing how accepting and giving people can be of those who need a little extra help. That winning coach certainly had his perspectives and priorities in order. All the business/motivational/entrepreneurial books I've been reading lately, seem to talk to the reoccuring theme of giving without any immediate expectation of personal gain. Just because it's the right thing to do. It's an encouraging concept, and one of the beliefs I'm tyring to incorporate more into my own personal life. Steve, thanks again for another great post. I’ve been reading your blog faithfully since it’s beginning, and will continue to do so. Jims story is very inspirational, and strikes a very personal chord with me, as I happen to have a special needs daughter. It’s quite amazing how accepting and giving people can be of those who need a little extra help. That winning coach certainly had his perspectives and priorities in order.

All the business/motivational/entrepreneurial books I’ve been reading lately, seem to talk to the reoccuring theme of giving without any immediate expectation of personal gain. Just because it’s the right thing to do. It’s an encouraging concept, and one of the beliefs I’m tyring to incorporate more into my own personal life.

]]> By: GBGames http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/comment-page-1/#comment-189 GBGames Wed, 24 Nov 2004 15:17:04 +0000 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2004/11/what-do-you-expect/#comment-189 I had similar thoughts going through my head, although nothing concrete. When it comes to learning how to program, I used to find myself stopping short of finishing certain projects, figuring that I understand the concept so I could program it if I needed to. The problem was that I was missing out on the challenge of getting my known concept into a working program! But no one was around to challenge me, as this wasn't a school project or anything like that. I had to raise the bar for myself. I pushed myself to finish such projects to the point that it was high quality work instead of "good enough for me". Not only was I learning how to program better, but I was also learning about certain problems I might have when I start programming without the training wheels of a book or tutorial. Raising the bar for myself above and beyond what is expected is how I credit my general success in life. The difference these days is that I now consciously do so with a purpose. I had similar thoughts going through my head, although nothing concrete. When it comes to learning how to program, I used to find myself stopping short of finishing certain projects, figuring that I understand the concept so I could program it if I needed to.

The problem was that I was missing out on the challenge of getting my known concept into a working program! But no one was around to challenge me, as this wasn’t a school project or anything like that.

I had to raise the bar for myself. I pushed myself to finish such projects to the point that it was high quality work instead of “good enough for me”. Not only was I learning how to program better, but I was also learning about certain problems I might have when I start programming without the training wheels of a book or tutorial. Raising the bar for myself above and beyond what is expected is how I credit my general success in life. The difference these days is that I now consciously do so with a purpose.

]]>