Anticipation Quote by Jerome Bruner
“In time, and as one comes to benefit from experience, one learns that things will turn out neither as well as one hoped nor as badly as one feared.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Process of Education, Jerome Bruner, 1960
Experience teaches that outcomes are rarely extreme; they fall between hope and fear.
In simple terms: Outcomes are usually moderate, not extreme.
Key Takeaway
Expect balanced results, not extremes.
Themes
psychology
expectation
learning
uncertainty
Mood
analytical
balanced
pragmatic
Type
educational
psychological
When to use this quote
- Education planning
- project management
- personal goal setting
Key Concepts
Cognitive development
realistic optimism
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you calibrate expectations?
- What strategies keep you realistic?
A Different Perspective
Over‑optimism or pessimism can distort planning.
![“[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only time will tell. For example...] The Talmud relates a story about two people who wanted to travel by boat. One broke his foot and was unable to make the trip, while his friend got on…” quote by Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/68d/zelig-pliskin-22951_anticipation_it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and_34545.jpg)
![“The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with [women] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table or twist them all around. All I want to do is one-two, one-two-three - a simple fox trot. But they're shaking with anticipation at the thought that I'm about to whip them around…” quote by Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/073/gene-kelly-11878_anticipation_the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i_44100.jpg)
