Advantage Quote by John Holt
““Incompetence has one other advantage. Not only does it reduce what others expect and demand of you, it reduces what you expect or even hope for yourself. When you set out to fail, one thing is certain-you can't be disappointed. As the old saying goes, you can't fall out of bed when you sleep on the door.””
About This Quote
Source Book: How Children Learn, 1967
Incompetence lowers expectations, making failure less disappointing.
In simple terms: Failure feels less painful when expectations are low.
Key Takeaway
Lower expectations to protect against disappointment.
Themes
expectations
failure
psychology
Mood
reflective
cautious
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- personal setbacks
- career challenges
- academic performance
Key Concepts
self‑fulfilling prophecy
motivation
resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- What balance between ambition and realistic expectations?
A Different Perspective
Can low expectations become self‑sabotage?
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
