110 Best Expectation Quotes To Be Realistic In Life

Expecting too much from your family or friends? We have rounded up the best collection of expectation quotes, sayings, captions, and status, (with images and pictures) to inspire you to be more realistic in and expect less in life.

Expectation means having a fixed belief and picture of what is going to happen. And sometimes life does not offer us what we were thinking. When things don’t go as per our expectations, then we are unhappy, hurt, and heartbroken too.

Also See: Fantasy Quotes

Wise men and leaders of the past have always emphasized on how expecting can kill happiness. These uplifting quotes will help you to focus on the present and understand the difference between reality and expectations.

When we expect less we face fewer disappointments. When expectations exceed the limit it can cause stress in our lives. As humans, we expect a lot from life and from our loved ones. And when this expectation breaks then we tend to get depressed about what we didn’t get.

Also Check: Dreams Quotes

It is often said that if you want to live a happy life free from pain and suffering then limiting your expectations is the best thing to do.

These inspirational quotes about expectations are divided into these sections;

  • Top 15 Expectation Quotes
  • Best Quotes About Expectations
  • Expectations Hurt Quotes
  • Expectation Quotes In Relationship
  • Limit Your Expectation Quotes
  • Don’t Expect Quotes

These sad limit your expectation quotes will help you to understand when and from whom to expect and when not.

If you like these deep quotes then check our posts on disappointment quotes and reality quotes to inspire you to acquire more insights into the truth of life and embrace it.

Top 15 Expectation Quotes

  1. No expectations, No disappointments – Tony Robbins

  2. “Low expectations are the key to happiness in life.” ― Christopher Miller                             

    quotes on expectations
    quotes on expectations

  3. “Happiness is there when expectations meet reality.” ― Debasish Mridha


  4. “Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect.” ― Margaret Mitchell


  5. “If you want peace, accept. If you want suffering, expect.” ― Maxime Legace                                                                                                                                                               

    expectation quotes
    expectation quotes

  6. “Positive expectations are the mark of a superior personality.” ― Brian Tracy


  7. “If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.” ― Sylvia Plath

    quotes about expectations
    quotes about expectations

  8. “We live in a world where expectation exceeds inspiration.” ― Louise Philippe Dulay


  9. “Never expect anything from anyone, if you want to live a happy life.” ― Rashid Jorvee


  10. “When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.” ― Ryan Reynolds


  11. “You get what you expect in life. Expect great things in life. Live your best life.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita


  12. “If you want to give yourself a fair chance to succeed, never expect too much too soon.” ― Po Bronson


  13. “I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.” ― Bruce Lee


  14. “Do everything with a good heart and expect nothing in return, and you will never be disappointed.” ― Barbara Lowe


  15. “When one’s expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have.” ― Stephen Hawking


  16. “Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.” ― Brandon Sanderson

Best Quotes About Expectations

  1. “Hope is a great expectancy.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita

  2. “Peace begins when expectation ends.” ― Sri Chinmoy


  3. “Once you give up expectations, you have learned to live.” ― Osho

    expectations quotes
    expectations quotes

  4. “Frustrations come because we impose our illusions on reality.” ― Osho


  5. “I kept my expectations low, which is one of the secrets of life.” ― Anne Lamott


  6. “We must rediscover the distinction between hope and expectation.” ― Ivan Illich


  7. “It’s a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations.” ― Danny Boyle


  8. “I have enough patience to wait for the fulfillment of my wishes.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita


  9. “Do not expect much from humans. Expect much more from God.” ― Lailah Gifty Akita                                                                                                                                 

    no expectations quotes
    no expectations quotes

  10. “If you align expectations with reality, you will never be disappointed.” ― Terrell Owens


  11. “Keep your expectations high on achievement and low on people.” ― Chinmaya Chiranjibi


  12. “Trade your expectations for appreciation and the world changes instantly.” — Tony Robbins


  13. “Whatever it is you’re seeking won’t come in the form you’re expecting.” ― Haruki Murakami


  14. “High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.” ― Charles Kettering


  15. “I hope you do not let anyone else’s expectations direct the course of your life.” ― Julianne Donaldson


  16. “Expectations are like hidden rocks in your path, All they do is trip you up.” — Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni


  17. “Future orientation is combined with a notion and expectation of progress, and nothing is impossible.” ― Alan Dundes


  18. “If you expect great things of yourself and demand little of others, you’ll keep resentment far away.” ― Confucius


  19. “Sometimes having a big heart sucks, because you expect everyone to care as much as you and they don’t.” ― Unknown


  20. “Expectation wasn’t just about what people expected of you. It was about what you expected of yourself.” ― Brandon Sanderson


  21. “Expectations should not always be taken as reality; because you never know when you will be disappointed.” ― Samuel P. Huntington


  22. “You become a true philanthropist only when you empty yourself to be a blessing to others without expecting anything in return.” ― Topsy Gift


  23. “Expectation feeds frustration. It is an unhealthy attachment to people, things, and outcomes we wish we could control; but don’t.” ― Dr. Steve Maraboli


  24. “Expectations ruin the pleasures of life. To overcome every bad and appreciate every good, consider every day your last and take no one for granted.” ― Nael Gharzeddine


  25. “There is abundant reason to believe that optimism – big, little, and in between – is useful to a person because positive expectations can be self-fulfilling.” ― Christopher Peterson


  26. “That was the thing about the world: it wasn’t that things were harder than you thought they were going to be, it was that they were hard in ways that you didn’t expect.” ― Lev Grossman


  27. “You are your own worst enemy. If you can learn to stop expecting impossible perfection, in yourself and others, you may find the happiness that has always eluded you.” ― Lisa Kleypas


  28. “We’re wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is. And when we realize that it isn’t, we start looking around for the real world.” ― Lev Grossman

Expectations Hurt Quotes

There are two types of expectations. One is the expectations that we place on ourselves and the second involves expectations that we have from others, like our friends, parents, lovers, etc.

Also See: Friendship Disappointed Quotes

When we fall short of our own expectations and become upset. This hurts and disappoints us. In the same way, when people fall short in fulfilling our expectations we feel bad and hurt.

Also See: Hurtful Quotes

We should learn to expect the least out of people and believe more in the reality of life. It is important to limit and restrict your expectations which are far away from reality. By doing so you protect yourself from being hurt and disappointed.

  1. “Too much expectation leads to sadness.” ― Unknown

  2. “Expectation is the root of all heartache.” ― William Shakespeare

    expectation quotes images
    expectation quotes images

  3. “Frustration is the result of failed expectations.” ― Stuart Kidder


  4. “Your expectations give pain, not people or circumstances.” ― Unknown


  5. “Sometimes the stuff you expect to happen can hurt you.” ― Jennifer Brown


  6. “Sometimes we create our own heartbreaks through expectation.” ― Unknown                                                                                                                                                         

    never expect anything from anyone quotes
    never expect anything from anyone quotes

  7. “Don’t expect anything from anyone… Expectation is always hurt…” ― Unknown


  8. “Ask no questions, and you’ll be told no lies.” ― Charles Dickens, “Great Expectations”


  9. “Expectations are dangerous when they are both too high and unformed.” ― Lionel Shriver


  10. “Unhappiness lies in that gap between our talents and our expectations.” ― Sebastian Horsley


  11. “Life doesn’t hurt, expectations do. Things don’t happen to us, they happen for us.” ― Unknown


  12. “Expect more, get less, and feel sadness or expect less, get more, and feel happiness.” ― Vijay Dhameliya


  13. “When you no longer care and no longer expect things to get better, life will become easier.” ― Unknown


  14. “Life is so constructed, that the event does not, cannot, will not, match the expectation.” ― Charlotte Bronte


  15. “There are only two possibilities why you’re disappointed: wrong person or wrong expectation.” ― Unknown


  16. “He was swimming in a sea of other people’s expectations. Men had drowned in seas like that.” ― Robert Jordan


  17. “If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.” ― Michael Jordan


  18. “Rejection doesn’t hurt, expectation does. Lying doesn’t kill, denial does. Forgetting doesn’t heal, forgiveness does.” ― Avinash Wandre


  19. “Never get too attached to anyone, unless they also feel the same towards you. One sided expectations can mentally destroy you.” ― Unknown

Expectation Quotes In Relationship

In every relationship, people have high expectations about how they are treated. People expect to be treated with respect, love, kindness, and affection. They expect their partner to be honest and loyal.

Also Check: Relationship Disappointed Quotes

Knowing how much to expect in any relationship is very important. Having unrealistic expectations from your partner will cause conflict between the two. Such conflicts lead to fights and cause problems in relationships.

  1. “Love doesn’t hurt. Expectations do.” ― Pushkaraj Shirke

  2. “The secret of happiness is low expectations.” ― Barry Schwartz                                               

    lowering expectations quotes
    lowering expectations quotes

  3. “Expect everything so that nothing comes unexpected.” ― Norton Juster                                   

    expectation quotes in relationship
    expectation quotes in relationship

  4. “I’d rather be pleasantly surprised than fatally disappointed.” ― Julia Glass


  5. “Don’t settle for a relationship that won’t let you be yourself.” ― Oprah Winfrey


  6. “There is no joy involved in following others’ expectations of yourself.” ― Miriam Toews


  7. “I break my own heart by expecting people to be as attached to me as I am to them.” Roshini Cholleti


  8. “Don’t blame people for disappointing you, blame yourself for expecting too much from them.” ― Unknown                                                                                                   

    Expectation Hurts Quotes
    Expectation Hurts Quotes

  9. “It’s the weight of expectation that’s the hardest to deal with, really, from my point of view.” ― Kevin Pietersen


  10. “Sometimes you need to know your place in someone’s life, because you might get hurt if you expect too much.” ― Unknown


  11. “Girls might have many expectations in a relationship but boys have only one expectation that she shouldn’t leave him.” ― Unknown


  12. “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.” ― Stephen R. Covey


  13. “Learn to love without condition. Talk without bad intention. Give without any reason. And most of all, care for people without any expectation.” ― Unknown                                                                                                                                                         

    quotes expect the unexpected
    quotes expect the unexpected

  14. “An expectation is a shelter – it gives you a security feeling. So when someone breaks your expectations he is breaking your shelter, making you insecure, fearful.” — Rajneesh


  15. “The law of Love is based on abundance; we are completely filled with Love all the time, and our supply is always full and running over. When we give our Love unconditionally to others with no expectations of return, the Love within us extends, expands, and joins. So by giving our Love away we increase the Love within us and everyone gains.” ― Gerald Jampolsky

Famous Limit Your Expectation Quotes

Limiting your expectations from yourself and others will make your life happier and will keep you at mental peace. Having unrealistic expectations from people can cause problems in any relationship, at the workplace, and life in general.

Also See: Being Let Down Quotes

So it is also advised to keep your expectations low so that your expectations can meet reality. Instead of having high expectations, it is better to work hard to achieve your goals.

  1. “Act without expectation.” ― Lao Tzu

  2. “Expectation is the mother of all frustration.” ― Antonio Banderas


  3. “Hope, but never expect. Look forward, but never wait.” ― Unknown


  4. “Don’t expect too much to everyone, it hurts a lot when it breaks.” ― Unknown


  5. “I find my life is a lot easier the lower I keep my expectations.” ― Bill Watterson


  6. “Life delivers far less disappointment when your expectations are low.” ― Brad Meltzer


  7. “There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.” ― Jodi Picoult


  8. “Life was easier when you stopped caring, when you stopped expecting things to get better.” ― Cora Carmack


  9. “The more you expect in return for what you’re doing, the more your heart feels the loneliness and emptiness.” ― Radhanath Swami


  10. “That was the thing about the world: it wasn’t that things were harder than you thought they were going to be, it was that they were hard in ways that you didn’t expect.” ― Lev Grossman

Don’t Expect Quotes And Sayings

  1. “No expectations mean there is no risk of disappointment.” ― Jude Morgan

  2. “Keep expectations to a minimum… you’ll be less disappointed that way!!” ― Unknown


  3. “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” ― Alexander Pope                                                                                                                                           

    stop expecting quotes
    stop expecting quotes

  4. “When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” ― Donald Miller


  5. “I’ve learned to not have expectations. If you don’t expect things from anyone, you can’t get let down.” ― Mickie James


  6. “Look. I have a strategy. Why expect anything? If you don’t expect anything, you don’t get disappointed.” ― Patricia McCormick


  7. “Set the standard! Stop expecting others to show you love, acceptance, commitment, & respect when you don’t even show that to yourself.” ― Steve Maraboli


  8. “Our desires always disappoint us; for though we meet with something that gives us satisfaction, yet it never thoroughly answers our expectation.” ― Elbert Hubbard

Reality vs Expectation

Expectation is a thought or a vision while the reality is what happens to you. What we want to see is a mirage and what we do is reality. What we expect to receive from people is usually far off from the response we receive.

We can have high expectations, but the result that we get is often not the same. Expectation is more of a world of dreams but reality is usually harsh and cruel. To face reality, acceptance is important.

There are times when you might get lucky and your expectations may turn into reality. It’s not always a matter of fortune, sometimes hard work also pays off. Expectation and reality are never consistent.

If you have some of your favorite quotes which are not included in the above list, please share in the comments section below and we will love to add them to the list.

If you like these amazing quotes on expectations then check our collection of when someone puts you down quotes and set boundaries quotes to inspire you to set limits at work, relationships and life and respect yourself.

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