If you expect to win or expect things to go well, there’s a good chance you’ll be disappointed. Disappointment often leads to fear which in turn leads to paralysis the next time you play. You don’t want to take risks for fear of disappointment and you prefer inaction to action. The dark side has won.
So, how do you avoid this? Stop pegging expectations to results. Never ever expect to win or lose. Just expect to play. Take it a step forward and perhaps even expect to give it your best shot when you play.
Pegging expectations to the process means you keep focus on things you influence – your preparation, your attitude, and your effort. If the result is good, incorporate the positives into the next game. If the result is bad, figure out what you can do differently. The best outcome of the infinite game is you learning from experiences to become the person you want to be.
Expect to give what you do your best shot.. and enjoy the game. The rest is just noise.
A Learning a Day 