The secret for happiness is low expectations.
TEDGlobal 2005: The paradox of choice
There is no shame in being wrong. Nobody expects much from you, anyway.
The problem isn't the kids. It's not even what they can achieve. The problem is what you expect them to achieve. You are setting the bar here. Why? Set it up here! They can make it.
They say a woman marries a man with the belief she can change him, and she can’t. A man marries a woman with the belief that she won’t change, and she does. We do.
Will you hold on to me
I am feeling frail
Will you hold on to me
We will never fail
I wanted to be so perfect, you see
I wanted to be so perfect...
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
— So, isn't the President jumping on your bandwagon?
— What he did was light the bandwagon on fire. Because he knows what I know... that American families are not prepared to put their daughters in harm's way.
— You don't know that.
— In face, I do: Roper, Harris, Gallop — they all come back the same.
— What are you saying? That a women's life is more valuable than a man's? That a women's death hurts a family more?
— I'm saying it's not going to happen. Not when the President is set to turn this into a third-rail issue should I choose to even campaign against him.
<...>
— Can you honestly tell me you wanted that life? Squat-pissing in some third-world jungle with...
— I wanted the choice.
— Oh! That was amazing! How was it for you? Tell me everything.
— It was pretty anticlimactic.
— Yeah, well, welcome to humans.
We feel trapped by the names we’ve been given, as symbols of the intentions and expectations of others...
What you expect is what you get.
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