#11 Personal Expectations

Personal Expectations

When I wake up, there are certain things that I expect out of myself.  Straight up, if I don't meet these expectations, then I feel like shit.   I often think about this very thing with other people.  When people start to wonder why things aren’t going their way, it’s usually due to not setting proper expectations.  And if they tend to not meet them, then shit isn’t going to work out for them.

My Expectations

I expect, with a non-negotiable mentality, to work out.  I expect myself to read, listen, study or watch something inspirational in order to make myself better.  I expect to go to work and put my best foot forward.  I’m not going to be out fucking around drinking or acting crazy.  I expect certain things out of myself, and I also have other expectations when it's time to have a little dysfunction.

Expect to Win

People talk about these things all the time, right?  Tom Brady, he expects to win. The Patriots organization expects to win.  Why do you think it's like that?  Because they know there's a certain level that's expected out of the players and coaches.  That's the way it is.

From a personal standpoint, I've continued to push on the things I’ve mentioned because I expect more from myself on a consistent basis.  From there I can tweak the process to get the results.  To be straight, when shit works, I’m not that surprised.  It might sound kind of arrogant, but it's the truth.  It’s the truth because when I do a certain thing over and over again, and I get the result I seek, I'm going to double down on it.  I'm going to make it better.  I'm going to add to it, I'm going to subtract from it, and I'm going to keep working those personal expectations to get the results.

Not Surprised

Like I said, I'm not surprised when shit works.  I'm thankful, I'm appreciative, and I have gratitude, but I'm not surprised.  So, I expect for it to work and I expect to win.  Then there’s people that say, "Everything you do just turns to gold."  No, motherfucker.  It works because of all of the calculated risk and preparation involved. 

Guess what?  A bunch of shit doesn’t work out.  It’s just part of the game.  But I will continue to put my foot forward, do what I have to do, and expect to win.  I'm willing to do more than most others are willing to do.  Maybe because they don't have the daily expectations that they should.

Not for Everybody

This ain't for everybody, y'all.  Some people wake up and really don't have any expectations for themselves.  And that's okay, but don't complain about it.  If you're sitting there watching and you're thinking, "Man, maybe I need to expect more.  Maybe I need to expect more discipline from my studies.  Maybe I need to expect more discipline in my craft.  Maybe I need to expect more discipline in my family life."  Whatever it is.  

Just understand that it's a very hard but easy equation when it comes to setting personal expectations.  If you’re seeing some light towards your goals that you want and you consistently blaze towards them, you're going to get what you ask for.

Winners Win, Losers Lose

I'm consistently putting the work behind my goals.  It’s a different mentality.  It’s why the winners win, and the losers lose.  You hear ET talking about that.  You've heard a lot of people talk.  It's the truth, because once you start winning, you start thinking, "Oh, shit, I'm going to double down on this. I'm going to keep pushing on that.  I'm going to expect more.  I expect not to cheat on my diet today."  It doesn't always happen, but that's what I expect. 

I expect to get through that hour-and-a-half workout. I expect to lunge 800 meters.  I expect to make sure that I put in an hour of study.  I expect to blaze this fire today.  I ain't scared to turn a camera on.  I'm going to get it done.

That right there, everybody, I'm telling you, is part of it.  This comes with confidence over time, but it starts with a basic expectation of how you operate.  If you're not getting the fucking result that you want, then you need to expect more, evaluate the process, tweak it, shape it, and mold it.

Doesn’t Have to Be My Process

It doesn't have to be my process.  I'm teaching you what I know.  I'm not saying it works for everybody, but it works for me.  This is what I do, this is what I display, and this is how I operate.  Not everybody can do that, and I get it.  But, in your own way, you have to dial in what you expect out of yourself.  You can only be accountable to you.

You can have people to holler at you, you can have training partners, but at the end of the day, you have to not eat the Oreo.  I want to eat the Oreo, but I can't eat the Oreo if I want what I want.  I can't go to the bar on Tuesday and drink if I want what I want.  All of these things are natural, but I have a daily expectation to keep and maintain.  It’s the winner’s mentality.

Consistently Raise the Bar

I want something different than what I grew up with.  I want something different than I have right now.  Getting better means that I have to continually raise my personal expectations and meet them with consistency.  So, if you want something better, examine your personal expectations.