--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If people know we expect good things from…" description: "\"If people know we expect good things from them, they will in most cases go to great lengths to live up to our expectations.\" — Alan Loy McGinnis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png" --- # If people know we expect good things from them, they will… ![“If people know we expect good things from them, they will in most cases go to great lengths to live up to our expectations.” quote by Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png) > “If people know we expect good things from them, they will in most cases go to great lengths to live up to our expectations.” [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to rise to the expectations placed on them, often exerting extra effort to meet them. **In simple terms:** Expectations shape behavior. Key Takeaway Set clear, positive expectations. Themes motivation expectations behavior leadership Mood encouraging reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - team management - education - coaching - parenting Key Concepts psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - How can you set expectations that inspire without overwhelming? - What signs show expectations are becoming counterproductive? A Different Perspective If expectations are unrealistic, they can cause stress or burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [If we fear nothing and radiate love, we can expect good things to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/if-we-fear-nothing-and-radiate-love-we-can-expect-good-things-to-come/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [Everything this series is being built up to be - I think it's going to live up to those expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/everything-this-series-is-being-built-up-to-be-i-think-it-s-going-to/) [Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/) > [You can never live up to everyone's expectations, but you can live up to your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varsha-sharma/you-can-never-live-up-to-everyone-s-expectations-but-you-can-live-up/) [Varsha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varsha-sharma/) > [I had such high expectations of myself. I was going to be the best mother, the best housewife, the best entertainer, the best nurse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/i-had-such-high-expectations-of-myself-i-was-going-to-be-the-best/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) > [“All other things being equal, you will generally live up or down to expectations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dilworth/all-other-things-being-equal-you-will-generally-live-up-or-down-to/) Mark Dilworth > [I can't think of anything worse, really, than to try to live up to someone else's expectations of what you should be. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/i-can-t-think-of-anything-worse-really-than-to-try-to-live-up-to/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [“we don’t have to live up to the expectations of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-foster/we-don-t-have-to-live-up-to-the-expectations-of-others/) [Melissa Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-foster/) > [Well, I'm not here to live up to anyone else's expectations-I'm here to live up to mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/well-i-m-not-here-to-live-up-to-anyone-else-s-expectations-i-m-here/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-my-thing-and-you-do-yours-i-am-not-in-this-world-to-live-up-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you give a bipolar man a mic, I don't know what you expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-dash/if-you-give-a-bipolar-man-a-mic-i-don-t-know-what-you-expect/) [Damon Dash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-dash/) > [I hope people don't know what to expect from us, except for something better than before. We want to be unpredictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa/i-hope-people-don-t-know-what-to-expect-from-us-except-for-something/) [Lisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa/) > [When you don't know what to expect, prepare for the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-omidyar/when-you-don-t-know-what-to-expect-prepare-for-the-unexpected/) [Pierre Omidyar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-omidyar/) > [Every time I go out onto a tennis court, I know what to expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-wozniacki/every-time-i-go-out-onto-a-tennis-court-i-know-what-to-expect/) [Caroline Wozniacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-wozniacki/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [Joining 'Dancing With the Stars,' you really don't know what you are in for or what to expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/joining-dancing-with-the-stars-you-really-don-t-know-what-you-are-in/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) ## More by Alan Loy McGinnis > [Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them. “Focus on your potential instead of your limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/review-your-goals-twice-every-day-in-order-to-be-focused-on-achieving/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [Tears are often a gift from God, and sadness is a healthy emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/tears-are-often-a-gift-from-god-and-sadness-is-a-healthy-emotion/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [When someone comes along who genuinely thanks us, we will follow that person a very long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/when-someone-comes-along-who-genuinely-thanks-us-we-will-follow-that/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [One reason I can be more tolerant than most is that as a therapist I have the advantage of information about my patients that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/one-reason-i-can-be-more-tolerant-than-most-is-that-as-a-therapist-i/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [The Hasidic rabbi, Zuscha, was asked on his deathbed what he thought the kingdom of God would be like. He replied, "I don't know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/the-hasidic-rabbi-zuscha-was-asked-on-his-deathbed-what-he-thought/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [Focus on your potential instead of your limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/focus-on-your-potential-instead-of-your-limitations/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [Learn, earn, return - these are the 3 phases of life. Jack Balousek There is no more noble occupation in the world than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/learn-earn-return-these-are-the-3-phases-of-life-jack-balousek-there/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [Love, honor, and negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/love-honor-and-negotiate/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [Those with a high level of confidence may have as many or more weaknesses than those with low self-esteem. The difference is this; instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/those-with-a-high-level-of-confidence-may-have-as-many-or-more/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [Our success at friendship, business, sports, love--indeed, at nearly every enterprise we attempt--is largely determined by our self-image. People who have a confidence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/our-success-at-friendship-business-sports-love-indeed-at-nearly-every/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [“Fears are educated into us," Dr. Karl Menninger once wrote, "and they can, if we wish, be educated out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/fears-are-educated-into-us-dr-karl-menninger-once-wrote-and-they-can/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [But leisure has little to do with one's happiness. To the contrary, I've found that the happiest people have found some cause and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/but-leisure-has-little-to-do-with-one-s-happiness-to-the-contrary-i/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [If we build more windows and fewer walls, we will have more friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/if-we-build-more-windows-and-fewer-walls-we-will-have-more-friends/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [A true leader helps people focus on their potential, not on their limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/a-true-leader-helps-people-focus-on-their-potential-not-on-their/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) > [There is no more noble occupation in the world than to assist another human being - to help someone succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/there-is-no-more-noble-occupation-in-the-world-than-to-assist-another/) [Alan Loy McGinnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) [Explore all 18 Alan Loy McGinnis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 6,420 Cases quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If people know we expect good things from them, they will in most cases go to great lengths to live up to our expectations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Loy McGinnis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-from-them-they-will-in-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-from-them-they-will-in-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/alan-loy-mcginnis-29550_cases_if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-fro_1560162.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If people know we expect good things from them, they will in most cases go to great lengths to live up to…” — Alan Loy McGinnis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Loy McGinnis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-loy-mcginnis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If people know we expect good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-from-them-they-will-in-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-loy-mcginnis/if-people-know-we-expect-good-things-from-them-they-will-in-most/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```