--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Expect the worst And that's what You'll…" description: "\"Expect the worst And that's what You'll get Only it will be Much worse.\" — J. P. Donleavy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5a/j-p-donleavy-2-29939_funny_expect-the-worst-and-that-s-what-you-ll_862399.jpg" --- # Expect the worst And that's what You'll get Only it will… ![“Expect the worst And that's what You'll get Only it will be Much worse.” quote by J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5a/j-p-donleavy-2-29939_funny_expect-the-worst-and-that-s-what-you-ll_862399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5a/j-p-donleavy-2-29939_funny_expect-the-worst-and-that-s-what-you-ll_862399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5a/j-p-donleavy-2-29939_funny_expect-the-worst-and-that-s-what-you-ll_862399.jpg) > “Expect the worst And that's what You'll get Only it will be Much worse.” [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anticipating the worst can lead to outcomes that exceed expectations, often amplifying negativity. **In simple terms:** Expecting bad things can make them even worse. Key Takeaway Beware of catastrophizing. Themes anxiety expectation outcome Mood cautious reflective Type advice warning When to use this quote - personal relationships - financial decisions - health concerns - project planning Key Concepts psychology cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you often imagine the worst? - How does this mindset affect your choices? A Different Perspective It may ignore realistic possibilities and foster paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [If you expect the worst, you'll never be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-you-expect-the-worst-you-ll-never-be-disappointed/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [If you expect the worst from a person you can never be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/if-you-expect-the-worst-from-a-person-you-can-never-be-disappointed/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [I always expect the worst so I wont ever be disappointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-expect-the-worst-so-i-wont-ever-be-disappointed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Expect the worst, and hope to be pleasantly surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-r-mcdowell/expect-the-worst-and-hope-to-be-pleasantly-surprised/) Mary R McDowell > [Hope for the best, expect the worst and you will be less shocked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hope-for-the-best-expect-the-worst-and-you-will-be-less-shocked/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe passionately in preemptive pessimism, especially before a book comes out. I expect the worst both from reviewers and sales, and then, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-believe-passionately-in-preemptive-pessimism-especially-before-a/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [“I guess when you expect the worst it’s always a pleasant surprise if everything ends up going smoothly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/i-guess-when-you-expect-the-worst-it-s-always-a-pleasant-surprise-if/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“It is high time that I learn to be more careful about hope, a reckless emotion for travellers. The sensible approach would be to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/it-is-high-time-that-i-learn-to-be-more-careful-about-hope-a-reckless/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [“It was his job to expect the worst of humanity, including myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/it-was-his-job-to-expect-the-worst-of-humanity-including-myself/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“We also know about the self-fulfilling prophecy, which tells us that if you expect the worst out of people, that’s what you will get.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-also-know-about-the-self-fulfilling-prophecy-which-tells-us-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With total strangers, it had always been my policy to expect the worst. Usually they-and those that you knew best, for that matter-did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/with-total-strangers-it-had-always-been-my-policy-to-expect-the-worst/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Don't expect the worst because, by expecting the worst, you're inviting it to come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-winters/don-t-expect-the-worst-because-by-expecting-the-worst-you-re-inviting/) [Pepper Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepper-winters/) > [“Hope for the best and expect the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-ross-symposium/hope-for-the-best-and-expect-the-worst/) Jerry Ross Symposium > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Hope for the best, expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/hope-for-the-best-expect-the-worst/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) ## More by J. P. Donleavy > [Food Throwers: Begun usually by estranged couples, once this victual flinging starts, everyone will do it...Should your dinner party have become an out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/food-throwers-begun-usually-by-estranged-couples-once-this-victual/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [I remember one letter from a girl in a midwestern town who read one of my books and thought she had discovered it- that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/i-remember-one-letter-from-a-girl-in-a-midwestern-town-who-read-one/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [Blessed are they who in this sea of frailty, climb aboard a piece of ass as it floats by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/blessed-are-they-who-in-this-sea-of-frailty-climb-aboard-a-piece-of/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [The best book of the year, Grobel's writing is quite marvelous. The Hustons reads vividly, just like one of John Huston's great films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/the-best-book-of-the-year-grobel-s-writing-is-quite-marvelous-the/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [When I die, I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin. I wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/when-i-die-i-want-to-decompose-in-a-barrel-of-porter-and-have-it/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [I'm all for Christianity, but insolence must be put down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/i-m-all-for-christianity-but-insolence-must-be-put-down/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [To marry the Irish is to look for poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/to-marry-the-irish-is-to-look-for-poverty/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [The inhabitants will always see both sides of an argument so long as it can result in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/the-inhabitants-will-always-see-both-sides-of-an-argument-so-long-as/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [When I die I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/when-i-die-i-want-to-decompose-in-a-barrel-of-porter-and-have-it-2/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [Sometimes you write and you find yourself almost wondering how it will turn out. I don't think every writer sort of almost admits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/sometimes-you-write-and-you-find-yourself-almost-wondering-how-it/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [And no. I must not go on thinking. For the pain will never go away. You just go on and live. In the dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/and-no-i-must-not-go-on-thinking-for-the-pain-will-never-go-away-you/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [On Being Old. It's not nice but take comfort that you won't stay that way for ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/on-being-old-it-s-not-nice-but-take-comfort-that-you-won-t-stay-that/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [Rid the mind of knowledge when looking for pleasure. Or start thinking and find a lot of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/rid-the-mind-of-knowledge-when-looking-for-pleasure-or-start-thinking/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [I got disappointed in human nature as well and gave it up because I found it too much like my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/i-got-disappointed-in-human-nature-as-well-and-gave-it-up-because-i/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [Writing is turning one's worst moments into money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/writing-is-turning-one-s-worst-moments-into-money/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) [Explore all 18 J. P. Donleavy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) ## More Expect quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you expect the worst from a person you can never be disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/if-you-expect-the-worst-from-a-person-you-can-never-be-disappointed/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [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 > [Beare with evill, and expect good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/beare-with-evill-and-expect-good/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/therefore-you-also-must-be-ready-for-the-son-of-man-is-coming-at-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People expect more and more every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-boosie/people-expect-more-and-more-every-time/) [Lil Boosie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-boosie/) > [“Love is promising to give someone everything and not expect anything in return.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hart/love-is-promising-to-give-someone-everything-and-not-expect-anything/) [Emma Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hart/) > [I wanted to make a place for filmmakers and artists to come and 'do their stuff,' but I didn't expect it to have had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-anderson/i-wanted-to-make-a-place-for-filmmakers-and-artists-to-come-and-do/) [Tom Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-anderson/) > [Parents should have perfect control over their own spirits, and with mildness and yet firmness bend the will of the child until it shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/parents-should-have-perfect-control-over-their-own-spirits-and-with/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [“When you have a relationship with Jesus, you learn to expect something different everyday of your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mlungisi-simelane/when-you-have-a-relationship-with-jesus-you-learn-to-expect-something/) [Mlungisi Simelane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mlungisi-simelane/) > [I didn't expect I will get the Arjuna at 18 years. I thought 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/i-didn-t-expect-i-will-get-the-arjuna-at-18-years-i-thought-19/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Sometimes when you least expect it, hope wiggles into your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-plourde/sometimes-when-you-least-expect-it-hope-wiggles-into-your-heart/) [Lynn Plourde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-plourde/) > [I laid my life on the line, so I expect nothing less from you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-day-to-remember/i-laid-my-life-on-the-line-so-i-expect-nothing-less-from-you/) [A Day To Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-day-to-remember/) Browse all 2,143 Expect quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Expect the worst And that's what You'll get Only it will be Much worse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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