When Negative Expectations Are Wrong
Just when you think you have it figured out…you don’t.
We started basketball again…and my son’s 5th-6th grade team played its first game after two practices. To be honest, the coaching staff (I’m the assistant) wasn’t too sure about the first game. We have great kids but we are not tall or fast. To be candid, I was not hopeful.
Negative expectations often manifest as self-doubt, anxiety, or pessimism, and can have a significant impact on personal and professional outcomes. At their core, negative expectations create a mindset that anticipates failure or disappointment, which can hinder progress and growth.
When people anticipate negative outcomes, they tend to adopt behaviors that align with these beliefs. For example, someone who expects to fail in a task might put in less effort, avoid taking initiative, or even sabotage their own chances of success. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the expectation of failure contributes directly to the undesired outcome. This cycle not only limits achievement but also erodes confidence, making future efforts even more challenging.
Negative expectations can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and even depression. Constantly anticipating the worst generates a sense of helplessness and lowers resilience. This can lead to a fixed mindset, where individuals avoid challenges altogether to prevent anticipated failure.
Fortunately, the kids didn’t have the same expectations as one of their coaches. Not sure they had thought a lot about it as all (like most 10- and 11-year-olds), but they were awesome. We won by 19, and it wasn’t even that close. It was so gratifying to see the kids and their improvement since the end of last year. Great teamwork, passing, and overall effort.
I think people would be surprised that there are times when I don’t see the world in such a positive light. And if I’m being honest with myself, having more positive thoughts only helps me in all kinds of ways.
How many times have we all anticipated “not the best outcome?” Contemplated all the negative consequences rather than all the possibilities? Seen the glass half empty rather than half full? Too often, in the world of too much social media, too many opinions, and not enough self-belief, we shorten our possibilities and pay the mental and emotional toll for not being more open-minded.
Here’s to embracing more of “the possible” rather than “the impossible.” Not only for a 5th and 6th grade basketball team, but for all of us and with most things in life.
