--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My father told me once not to expect…" description: "\"My father told me once not to expect anything from anybody so I wouldn't be disappointed. If somebody was nice and did nice things for me, I should be ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/iris-apfel-2319_advice_my-father-told-me-once-not-to-expect-any_1331697.jpg" --- # My father told me once not to expect anything from anybody… ![“My father told me once not to expect anything from anybody so I wouldn't be disappointed. If somebody was nice and did nice things for me, I should be overjoyed, but I shouldn't go through life expecting it, which is very good advice.” quote by Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/iris-apfel-2319_advice_my-father-told-me-once-not-to-expect-any_1331697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/iris-apfel-2319_advice_my-father-told-me-once-not-to-expect-any_1331697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/439/iris-apfel-2319_advice_my-father-told-me-once-not-to-expect-any_1331697.jpg) > “My father told me once not to expect anything from anybody so I wouldn't be disappointed. If somebody was nice and did nice things for me, I should be overjoyed, but I shouldn't go through life expecting it, which is very good advice.” [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advice to avoid expectations to prevent disappointment, yet cherish kindness. **In simple terms:** Do not expect, but appreciate good deeds. Key Takeaway Balance low expectations with gratitude. Themes expectations gratitude resilience Mood thoughtful practical Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - customer service - personal relationships - mental health counseling Key Concepts Psychology social interaction emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay open while protecting yourself? - What practices foster gratitude without expectation? A Different Perspective Over‑cautiousness can limit joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Expect Anybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect-anybody-961310/) [Expecting Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expecting-good-2288158/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-advice/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Expecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-expecting-1025094/) [Nice things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-things/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Told Expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-expect-863563/) ## Related quotes > [I go to the theatre expecting to have a good time. I want each play and performance to take me somewhere. Naturally, this doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lahr/i-go-to-the-theatre-expecting-to-have-a-good-time-i-want-each-play/) [John Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lahr/) > [Look at what's in front of you, not what you've been told or what you expect or what you want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/look-at-what-s-in-front-of-you-not-what-you-ve-been-told-or-what-you/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [If they tell u in life to expect the unexpected. This makes the unexpected expected, which means they told u to expect nothing. Which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-they-tell-u-in-life-to-expect-the-unexpected-this-makes-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Always expecting Good WORDS from people is just like standing with both legs on a football and expecting it to remain still wheather you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-thaman/always-expecting-good-words-from-people-is-just-like-standing-with/) [Arjun Thaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-thaman/) > [“You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that you should expect to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/you-might-be-looking-forward-to-working-falling-in-love-marrying/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [You begin by always expecting good things to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hopkins/you-begin-by-always-expecting-good-things-to-happen/) [Tom Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hopkins/) > [“You have to see the good in yourself before expecting someone else to see the good in you. Be aware of who you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaque-diamond/you-have-to-see-the-good-in-yourself-before-expecting-someone-else-to/) [Blaque Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaque-diamond/) > [You can wait for the best times but expecting the good times will not wait for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-wait-for-the-best-times-but-expecting-the-good-times-will-not/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Growing up, I was told to expect the bare minimum - that I wasn't going to make anything of myself. I listened to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-allin/growing-up-i-was-told-to-expect-the-bare-minimum-that-i-wasn-t-going/) [Darby Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-allin/) > [“should go out each day expecting good things, anticipating God’s blessings and favor. God has planned all of your days for good, not evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/should-go-out-each-day-expecting-good-things-anticipating-god-s/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [If you want to see God restore whats been stolen from you, get up each morning expecting good things to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-see-god-restore-whats-been-stolen-from-you-get-up-each/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My coach told me I had to expect, you know, some long rallies and stuff. So, you know, I was ready for this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelie-mauresmo/my-coach-told-me-i-had-to-expect-you-know-some-long-rallies-and-stuff/) [Amelie Mauresmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelie-mauresmo/) > [Eventually, I told myself not to expect anything from him, and as a result it has gotten easier for me to take what comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/eventually-i-told-myself-not-to-expect-anything-from-him-and-as-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [You told me not to expect and then you became my world...you loved being that and now you are asking me to leave..to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushbu/you-told-me-not-to-expect-and-then-you-became-my-world-you-loved/) [Khushbu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushbu/) > [“Since I will never know what the future holds, I choose to live my life expecting great things”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meena-sarine/since-i-will-never-know-what-the-future-holds-i-choose-to-live-my/) [Meena Sarine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meena-sarine/) ## More by Iris Apfel > [I think dressing up or down should be a creative experience. Exciting. Fun. For me the key to personal style lies in accessories. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-think-dressing-up-or-down-should-be-a-creative-experience-exciting/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I don't spend my life getting dressed! I have to put clothes on during the day; I don't get dressed up at all when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-don-t-spend-my-life-getting-dressed-i-have-to-put-clothes-on-during/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I think some people like me because I'm different. I don't think like everybody else. People are so tied up in the worst parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-think-some-people-like-me-because-i-m-different-i-don-t-think-like/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [Throughout history, clothes represented who you were; they are a great vehicle for explaining who you are. 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After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-m-happy-i-give-thanks-every-morning-that-i-can-get-up-that-i-still/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [It's not easy to know who you are and it's very painful and takes a lot of time and that is why a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/it-s-not-easy-to-know-who-you-are-and-it-s-very-painful-and-takes-a/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [If you put something together and it doesn't look so good, the fashion police are not going to come and take you away. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/if-you-put-something-together-and-it-doesn-t-look-so-good-the-fashion/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [The world is always full of promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/the-world-is-always-full-of-promise/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [First you have to know who you are. That is the most important thing, as if you don't know who you are you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/first-you-have-to-know-who-you-are-that-is-the-most-important-thing/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [The fun of getting dressed is it's a creative experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/the-fun-of-getting-dressed-is-it-s-a-creative-experience/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [In America, it has been proven that the bulk of spending money is in the hands of women between 60 and 80, so it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/in-america-it-has-been-proven-that-the-bulk-of-spending-money-is-in/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I don't believe in rules. It's different for everybody. 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I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. 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