Something in @JamesClear’s email newsletter today struck a chord:

_Anticipate, but don’t expect.

Anticipation: You’re excited for what the future holds, but you don’t try to control it.

Expectation: You try to predict the future and restrict your happiness to one outcome.

Always be excited about the possibilities. Never be entitled to them._

I love that he found the exact right words that I had previously struggled to find when I wrote about surrender. So simple. Enjoy the anticipation, but don’t have expectations. 

Isn’t anticipation and expectations the same, you might ask?

For me, anticipation is a feeling located somewhere in the gut or heart, while expectation is a concept, a narrative, a story you tell yourself in your head, intellectually.

I remember I once had this idea to create a product that captures the spirit of anticipation. It’s a countdown web app. Single use. Micro-SaaS. Create a countdown to an important event that you’re eagerly looking forward to. Set the date, upload a nice photo of the place/event from Unsplash, and publish the landing page. I made a few such landing pages using this now-defunct app that does the same thing. And I remembered really enjoying the feeling of anticipation every time I visited the page, and seeing the numbers of days decrease. The sense of excitement and hope—the butterflies in the stomach as the day approached—made the days preceding it all the more alive. It makes the process a reward in itself too. Having something to look forward to in life is always a great motivator for life itself. 

That’s anticipation. 

Expectations on the other hand, is a story in my head. More cognitive. It’s my bet on the future, and a contract I made with myself that I will be happy when I reach that goal. Far too often I had set goals, reached them, only to not feel any sense of accomplishment or celebration. A sense of relief and release is more often the case. Like it was an ordeal. The process didn’t delight, and the journey wasn’t enjoyable. Expectations is just checking that goal off, and then moving on to the next thing. Seldom satisfied, always hungry.

That’s expectations.

That’s why, I loved James Clear’s quote so much. 

Anticipate, don’t expect. 

Make your days preceding that moment come alive, instead of heaving a sigh of relief when you do. 

Capture that feeling, and lose the story. 

More feel in the gut, less talk in the head.

Be excited, not entitled.

Great advice, considering how we’re all wanting to expect the COVID19 pandemic to blow over.