There’s always going to be tension between hopes and expectations. It is natural to hope that our current efforts will all pay off handsomely. It doesn’t do us much good to expect it to pay off.
The way to circumvent this is through non-attachment. Dream all you like. But, don’t get attached to the dream. Instead, understand what it takes to go forth in the direction of these dreams and direct all energy on the journey/process.
If the outcome is exactly what you hoped, savor it. It doesn’t happen often. If it is less than you hoped, that’s also great. It means you dreamt big.
However, let it always be more than you expected. High expectations are just a trap – very little good comes out of them.
(As always, this is easier said than done. But, if it sounds like the result of an enlightened zen-like state, it isn’t. We just have to be aware enough to catch ourselves falling into the expectation trap.)
A Learning a Day 