Success; the bridge between expectations and realities

Expectations are one's anticipation or hope regarding the outcome of an event. The reality is the actual event.

Successful people are successful because they have a plan and follow it. Most times, people's expectations are greater than what reality has in store for them. If you do not have a plan and try to wing it, you will be disappointed.

Most times people have false hope or expectations. People expect you to help solve all of their problems. Unfortunately, you cannot be a mind reader, and it will end badly. You have to work on yourself to grow. If you have a problem and someone tells you to solve it immediately, without solving it on your own, you will not gain experience in it. The day I realized I was incapable of solving my own problems and actually started working on me was the day my success took off. When you begin to work on yourself and know what is right for you to do, that is when you grow. It's easy to fall into a cycle of just trying to please others and do what they want us to do. This can be draining on not only our time, but also our patience. When we start working on what is right, we will see the world from a different perspective and gain new ideas that push us forward.

If you want to be a successful person, you need to learn how to respect others, be a bridge for them to meet their needs and goals, and make a connection where there is none. The essential truth is that, as much as we can't please everyone, we can't make it without people. Without all the relationships in your life, you will find yourself wallowing in self-pity, depression, anger, and, ultimately, failure. Acknowledging your real needs and your connection within your circle will set you up for the best chance of success.

Successful people are successful because they have a plan. It may not be the neatest or the most efficient plan in the world, but a plan is still a plan. These successful people, most are better off for having had a plan, a strategy, vision, which they've followed to the letter and done right to get where they are. It's their reward, but it's also their choice.

People who live and die by a plan are smart, competent and confident, which makes them good people. Their success is in their achievement. If you want to be smart, competent and confident, and you are willing to work hard, you need to follow a plan and then execute your plan. That's when you'll gain the results you want.

The plan is a summary of your expectations. These may cause you undue pressure and stress because you want to see the realities of your goals as soon as possible. This is a conflicting point on the bridge to success. Turning your expectations to realities which are your desired goals requires that you have to be focused, committed, and persistent. All these can be energy draining, that, in most cases, you feel like giving up.

Do we really need a plan to become successful?

Whether you believe it or not, everyone does have a plan. You may not need to write it down on a piece of paper where you can look at it each morning to motivate yourself. But you do have a plan, you do. Once you have an expectation, be it just one, that's a plan, and it's enough to keep you on your toes to achieve your success.

Success is a bridge between expectations and realities, if your expectations are not the realities that you see within and around you, it is indicated that you need to work hard to bridge the gap between your expectations and realities. Successful people are those who are able to bridge their expectations with realities.

How can we define success in this context?

Success is one of the most contested words across various divides. Success is based on individual perspectives or from the angle that you see it. For many, success is the achievement of a goal, this could be financial goals, academy goals, or career goals. However, success in life is much more than just meeting financial goals or any other goals. Success in life entails the complete life of a man. This is where expectations and realities must be bridged.

What do you expect of your life?

The answers to this question will lead you to the part of success. It's a complete life journey which includes your job or career, your relationship with your colleagues in the place of work, your relationship with your family members, the quality of family life you had, your impact on your children and anyone related to you, the quality of love shared between you and your spouse. All these are expectations that must be bridged with realities for anyone to be called successful in a real sense. The bridging is the effort you have to put in making your expectations a reality.