Managing Expectations
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned throughout my young adulthood, it’s that the higher you set your expectations, the more you set yourself up for disappointment. It’s something that I’ve seen time and time again. On the flip side, the lower that you set your expectations, the greater chance you have at feeling successful.
Sometimes less really is more. The more you set your sights on what is out of reach, unrealistic, and currently not feasible, the harder it is to appreciate what you already have. It’s so easy to get locked in to this sort of mindset nowadays with everything that you see online.
Social Media
With today’s technology, almost everyone has the power and potential to be some sort of celebrity. And it seems like more and more are popping up every day. Scroll around on Instagram on any given evening and you will see all sorts of people with tons of followers and all sorts of stuff going on.
The reality is that you could be a good looking, intelligent person, but that doesn’t mean that you’re going to necessarily do well on social media. At least not instantaneously.
In that case, that’s where it’s important to set small goals, and be grateful for the attention that you do receive.
Going Off To College
When I first got signed up to go off to college, my expectations were so high as I was making that move. After everything that you see in movies, TV, and even just online on social media I felt like I knew what to expect and what I wanted things to look like.
In a lot of ways, I held true to what I wanted to do, but a big part of that involved lowering my expectations as I went along. I can still remember sitting on the bus after a long day’s work during that first semester, feeling bummed out because I had “accomplished nothing” for the day. I had went out and explored the campus, done homework, and went to class, but I felt like I was walking away with nothing to show for it. Afterall, I was sitting on the bus alone, and about to head back to my apartment to be alone some more.
It took going through those bumps along that first semester to take less emphasis off of the results and learn how to just enjoy the process. As a guy moving up with practically nothing, I felt like I had so much to put together. New friends, a job for after graduation, a new place to stay for when my lease ended, and so on. I was running around trying to do too much at once, and I lost focus on my coursework and let my mental health take a nosedive. Lowering my expectations and slowing down was what helped me get back on track.
Getting Older
You hear a lot of different life scenarios when you take time to listen and look around online. Some claim to have reached millionaire status at the age of 28. Others are even younger and already have a popping online brand and a wide audience to promote to. Some folks are 29 but look mature and grown enough to be 35.
If you’re not careful, it can make it hard to appreciate what you have on your own when you’re busy looking at everybody else. As a guy like Gary V. would probably say, just stop paying attention to them, put your head down, and work.
In my case, it’s something I need to work on doing a better job with. It’s much more satisfying to just focus on putting the work in, remaining disciplined, and letting the results come as they will than to run around always trying to “get”. But, it’s also challenging to sit back and look at your content not getting viewed and engaged with, and to see others with so much more. It makes you wonder if you’re not doing enough, or what it is that you could be doing better.
Life Is A Marathon Not A Sprint
Sometimes the best thing is just to keep sticking with whatever it is you’re doing and be patient. At least as I’ve heard. “As long as the direction is correct, you will eventually reach your destination”.
Many of the successful folks that are able to maintain relevancy over a long period of time did so by starting small, playing the long game, and working their way up. The reality is that if you get it fast, you can lose it just as fast. A lot of those high-profile social media celebrities tend to have a fairly short shelf life. They shoot up for a short while, and then they get comfortable and slip back.
When I first started putting content out consistently back in 2021, this was an easy pill to swallow. I didn’t care if my song only got 15 views. I was aware that I was just getting started and that I was in it for the long haul. 4 years later and I have had so many great experiences and have grown so much. I’ve connected with so many other great artists, producers, and interesting people. I’ve received countless comments and direct messages providing positive feedback and encouragement for my work. But, sometimes there is still an underlying drive to “get” rather than just grow and have fun. It’s something I’ve been more cognizant of recently, and am working hard to get back to my roots and back on track.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope you have enjoyed. I will see you on the next one.
