Everyone has expectations, however, it is the degree of expectations that differs from person to person. Some people hold themselves and others to extremely high standards while others just want the bare minimum needed to skid by. If you have high expectations, people automatically assume you're an overachiever, and if you have average or low expectations, you're considered lazy. There are plenty of things wrong with these two assumptions, but I'm going to stick with ideas revolving around high expectations.
If you have high expectations for yourself, there is a good chance that you are the type of person who will push yourself to always do the best. While outsiders might see you as a person who is put together and good at everything, only you know what it was like to get there. I promise that it wasn't easy. It took hard work, dedication, and there were plenty of days where you wanted to just give up.
I have always had high expectations and standards (mainly for myself), so in no way am I bashing high expectations. I am simply trying to relay the downsides -- the parts that go unseen and unheard. We always hear about the successes and the end results but never about the challenges that are necessary to get there.
The first of many downsides is that if you set high expectations and standards, you are more likely to be let down. I know that this sounds incredibly pessimistic, but it is true. Anyone who is a perfectionist or an overachiever, or really anyone who sets any kind of goal has experienced this. You can only push yourself so far and rely on other people so much until the limits have been reached. It's not what we want, but it happens. The best thing to do is to learn from the experience in order to make the next one better.
Another downside that pretty much everyone can relate to regardless of their standards is stress. Whether it is for a job, school, sports, or just about anything else, there is always something to stress about. Once you maximize your goals, you maximize stress. This isn't always true, but, typically, the people who have high standards in one area tend to have high standards in other areas. They set their standards and goals and will do anything it takes to achieve them. This adds a lot more onto their plate, but I can guarantee that they will do it all, and they will do it all exceptionally.
I believe that the best way to cope with the negative aspects of high standards is not to lower standards but to be more open-minded. Everyone should hold themselves and others to high standards and have high expectations which is exactly why lowering both of these would make the situation worse. When people set goals, they tend to have tunnel vision. If something goes unplanned, they think they have failed and don't know how to react. Having an open mind can help you find alternatives in order to make the best of the situation.
