--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You live up - or down - to your…" description: "\"You live up - or down - to your expectations.\" — Lou Holtz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png" --- # You live up - or down - to your expectations. ![“You live up - or down - to your expectations.” quote by Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png) > “You live up - or down - to your expectations.” [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Your performance aligns with the expectations you set; meeting or failing them shapes outcomes. **In simple terms:** Expectations determine results. Key Takeaway Set realistic, high expectations. Themes motivation expectations performance mindset Mood determined reflective Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - sports coaching - career planning - personal development Key Concepts goal setting self‑discipline leadership Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are you holding yourself to? - How can you adjust expectations for better outcomes? A Different Perspective Overly high expectations can cause stress and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [You cannot live with expectations because life has no obligation to fulfill your desires. You can live with an open heart, but you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/you-cannot-live-with-expectations-because-life-has-no-obligation-to/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Fans always have an opinion of their own. We only try to live up to their expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akhil-akkineni/fans-always-have-an-opinion-of-their-own-we-only-try-to-live-up-to/) [Akhil Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akhil-akkineni/) > [You don't have to live up to anyone's expectations, just be the best you can be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-don-t-have-to-live-up-to-anyone-s-expectations-just-be-the-best/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“I don't like to do what people expect. Why should I live up to their expectations instead of my own?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-don-t-like-to-do-what-people-expect-why-should-i-live-up-to-their/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I will try to live up to expectations of people; will present report card to people in 2019.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-will-try-to-live-up-to-expectations-of-people-will-present-report/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [“I do my thing, and you do your thing. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-perls/i-do-my-thing-and-you-do-your-thing-i-am-not-in-this-world-to-live-up/) Fritz Perls > [Living up to people's expectations is one thing but it was even harder to live up to my own expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/living-up-to-people-s-expectations-is-one-thing-but-it-was-even/) [Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-crown-princess-of-sweden/) ## More by Lou Holtz > [You will never be indecisive if you know your purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-will-never-be-indecisive-if-you-know-your-purpose/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The answers to these questions will determine your success or failure. 1) Can people trust me to do what's right? 2) Am I committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-answers-to-these-questions-will-determine-your-success-or-failure/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/if-what-you-did-yesterday-seems-big-you-haven-t-done-anything-today/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [You always have to prepare for the obstacles that are going to come. Consequently, when they do come, it doesn't affect you mentally near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-always-have-to-prepare-for-the-obstacles-that-are-going-to-come/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Remember this. Bear Bryant retired at age 69, and he died 28 days after he stopped coaching. If you don't have something, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/remember-this-bear-bryant-retired-at-age-69-and-he-died-28-days-after/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [The freedom to do your own thing ends when you have obligations and responsibilities. If you want to fail yourself - you can -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/the-freedom-to-do-your-own-thing-ends-when-you-have-obligations-and/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [People eyeing you as a potential leader tend to ask three questions: Are you committed? Do you care about me? Can I trust you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/people-eyeing-you-as-a-potential-leader-tend-to-ask-three-questions/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [“never tell your problems to any1...20% donot care and 80% are glad to have them...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/never-tell-your-problems-to-any1-20-donot-care-and-80-are-glad-to/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Our cellar home had a kitchen and a combination bedroom and half bath, which meant we had a sink next to the bed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/our-cellar-home-had-a-kitchen-and-a-combination-bedroom-and-half-bath/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [I was raised a Catholic on both sides of the family. I went to a Catholic grade school and thought everybody in the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/i-was-raised-a-catholic-on-both-sides-of-the-family-i-went-to-a/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [Everyone wants to win on Saturday afternoon when the game is played. It’s what you do the other six days that decides the outcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/everyone-wants-to-win-on-saturday-afternoon-when-the-game-is-played/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [At age nine, I got a paper route. Sixty-six papers had to be delivered to sixty-six families every day. I also had to collect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/at-age-nine-i-got-a-paper-route-sixty-six-papers-had-to-be-delivered/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/what-you-are-capable-of-achieving-is-determined-by-your-talent-and/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [God answers prayers, but he doesn't always answer it your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/god-answers-prayers-but-he-doesn-t-always-answer-it-your-way/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [If you burn your neighbors house down, it doesn't make your house look any better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/if-you-burn-your-neighbors-house-down-it-doesn-t-make-your-house-look/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) [Explore all 226 Lou Holtz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) ## More Expectations quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I say this all the time: I've always been really good at managing my expectations so that I'm not let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-say-this-all-the-time-i-ve-always-been-really-good-at-managing-my/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Keeping up with everybody's expectation is soooo hard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi/keeping-up-with-everybody-s-expectation-is-soooo-hard/) [Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We're wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is. And when we realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/we-re-wired-to-expect-the-world-to-be-brighter-and-more-meaningful/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“Does your reality match your expectations? If not it's time to change either your expectations or your reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/does-your-reality-match-your-expectations-if-not-it-s-time-to-change/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Jesus' kingdom was not like the popular expectation. He used the phrase 'kingdom of God' with a different meaning. His kingdom was not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harpur/jesus-kingdom-was-not-like-the-popular-expectation-he-used-the-phrase/) [Tom Harpur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harpur/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [It's a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/it-s-a-good-place-when-all-you-have-is-hope-and-not-expectations/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [When we give from a place of love, rather than from a place of expectation, more usually comes back to us than we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/when-we-give-from-a-place-of-love-rather-than-from-a-place-of/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Everybody out there watches the show and has expectations of wanting to be an 'Idol', but we're going to teach them how much hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-bice/everybody-out-there-watches-the-show-and-has-expectations-of-wanting/) [Bo Bice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-bice/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) [Browse all 4,210 Expectations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You live up - or down - to your expectations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lou Holtz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expectations" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/lou-holtz-1584_expectations_you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations_3195697.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You live up - or down - to your expectations.” — Lou Holtz", "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": "Lou Holtz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You live up - or down...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/you-live-up-or-down-to-your-expectations/#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 } } ] } ```