Expectations

I have been reminded twice about expectations, so far. Once from a former classmate/musician and another at a fencing tournament.

Because of this, I believe 2026 is all about the bar you set for yourself.

I used to have very high expectations for myself, and I worked hard to meet them. However, when I faced failure with these, paired with my anxiety, I would beat myself up... a lot. I could not enjoy the process of meeting my goals because I put too much pressure on myself to meet them, and my self esteem became a victim when I fell short.

Everyone approaches failure differently; which means that everyone handles expectations differently.

I am not saying that people should not have goals for themselves. I mean, how else are you going to get through life? However, there needs to be some enjoyment in the steps we take or reflecting on how we get to the "here and now."

So, I'm adopting the Japanese manner of 改善 (Kaizen), meaning "continuous improvement" or 1 percent better each day.

So, since I'm a fencer, let's say I get eighth place in a tournament. The next time I compete somewhere, especially in the same category, my goal would be seventh place or possibly top 4, depending on how many people sign up.

This can also be the same for slams. I get through to the second round one night, so when I compete again later, my goal would be to get to the third or final round.

If setting the bar high works for you, great. Keep doing it and keep achieving your goals. I'm proud of you. However, there is no shame in making small achievements instead and rising higher in a slower manner. Sometimes, you get surprised along the way.

You have to do what's best for you and be able to keep your smile or learn something new in the process.

2026 is the year we start achieving more. I'll be working on it. What about you? What expectations will you set for yourself this year?