--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you expect the worst, you can only be…" description: "\"“If you expect the worst, you can only be suprised”\" — Peter Edwards" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg" --- # If you expect the worst, you can only be suprised ![“If you expect the worst, you can only be suprised” quote by Peter Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg) > ““If you expect the worst, you can only be suprised”” Peter Edwards ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expecting the worst limits surprise and may cause disappointment when reality exceeds expectations. **In simple terms:** Expect less, be surprised. Key Takeaway Adjust expectations. Themes expectation optimism surprise Mood reflective optimistic Type Expect:1 Worst:1 Expect The Worst:0 Expect Worst:0 Worst Suprised:0 When to use this quote - stress management - relationship counseling - personal development - goal setting Key Concepts psychology philosophy well‑being Questions to Reflect On - How does expectation shape your experience? - What strategies help you stay open to positive outcomes? A Different Perspective Over‑optimism can be unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [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 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 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/) > [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/) > [“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 > [Expect the worst And that's what You'll get Only it will be Much worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/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/) > [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/) > [“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/) ## 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": "“If you expect the worst, you can only be suprised”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Edwards" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-edwards/if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be-suprised/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expect" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-edwards/if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be-suprised/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7f/peter-edwards-269283_expect-the-worst_if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be_1592702.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you expect the worst, you can only be suprised” — Peter Edwards", "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": "Peter Edwards", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-edwards/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you expect the worst, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-edwards/if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be-suprised/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-edwards/if-you-expect-the-worst-you-can-only-be-suprised/#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 } } ] } ```