Life seems so simple and enjoyable when we have low expectations. High expectations sometimes lead to a lack of motivation and failure to achieve goals. Low expectations, on the other hand, make things more realistic and generate high motivation that helps people reach their goals.

Last month, I sat down with a bright 22-year-old woman who was smart and had a promising future. She had the financial, mental, and physical resources to go to school, earn a degree, get a good job, and make a comfortable income. As I engaged her in conversation, it didn’t take long to discover that she had a major issue: she had very high expectations for almost everything in life. She wanted to be an engineer and expected to make over $120K a year after graduating from college, assuming that all engineers earned at least $10,000 a month after taxes. She also thought all engineers could afford a decent home in Southern California and live a luxurious life.

When she faced reality and found out that most engineers don’t make $10,000 a month after taxes and often struggle to afford even a condominium, she started withdrawing from her courses, eventually dropping out of her degree program and continuing at her $12-per-hour job, now unmotivated to progress.

If this young woman had had more realistic expectations, she likely would have continued her engineering studies and completed her bachelor’s degree. Her high expectations destroyed her motivation.

What can we learn from this story?

Sometimes in life, happiness and success come when we have low expectations. What do I mean by that? Let me provide some examples:

1. When your goal is to get a college degree, don’t expect to immediately land a six-figure job upon graduating. Be content with any position in your field that offers opportunities for growth, regardless of the starting salary.
2. When looking for love, don’t expect to find someone who looks like a model, or you may end up single for the rest of your life.
3. When investing in stocks or mutual funds, don’t expect to become a millionaire overnight. If you do, you may never start investing and miss out on building wealth. Be patient and satisfied with an average annual return of 8 to 9% that the S&P 500 typically generates. While it may seem low, many who have consistently invested in the S&P 500 for the last 20 years are now millionaires and can rely on their investments for passive income.
4. When going on vacation, don’t expect the destination to be a paradise on earth, or you might not enjoy your trip. Appreciate what you see, and remember that many people can’t even afford to travel.
5. When starting a job, don’t expect the environment and culture to align perfectly with your preferences. If you do, you’ll likely be disappointed and might quit. Train yourself to adapt to different work environments and learn skills to deal with challenging bosses and colleagues.
6. When you start working out at the gym, don’t expect immediate weight loss or muscle growth. If you do, you’ll get discouraged by the lack of quick results and may quit. Be patient and recognize that losing weight or building muscle takes time and commitment.
7. When you have a spouse, don’t expect them to be perfect in every way, or you’ll end up disappointed, which could strain the relationship and lead to separation. Accept that no one is perfect; everyone has both good and bad qualities.

How about you? Do you tend to have high expectations too?