--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you have expectations, you are…" description: "\"When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.\" — Ryan Reynolds" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg" --- # When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up… ![“When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.” quote by Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg) > “When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.” [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expectations set the stage for potential disappointment. **In simple terms:** High expectations often lead to letdown. Key Takeaway Manage expectations wisely. Themes expectations disappointment mindset Mood cautious optimistic Type practical motivational When to use this quote - project planning - relationships - customer service Key Concepts psychology communication Questions to Reflect On - How can you set realistic yet motivating expectations? - What strategies prevent disappointment? A Different Perspective Lowering expectations may reduce ambition or drive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Expectations Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations-setting-3666994/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Setting Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting-disappointment-2636867/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [When you depend on another's perceptions to match your expectations, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/when-you-depend-on-another-s-perceptions-to-match-your-expectations/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [So to compare your real life, or your partner or lover or whoever to a character in a movie, you're setting yourself up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/so-to-compare-your-real-life-or-your-partner-or-lover-or-whoever-to-a/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [“I do not allow anybody to hurt me without my permission, because, I believe in no expectations, no disappointments, no hurting myself, just being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-usman-aman/i-do-not-allow-anybody-to-hurt-me-without-my-permission-because-i/) [Muhammad Usman Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-usman-aman/) > [Depending on others is like setting yourself up for disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/depending-on-others-is-like-setting-yourself-up-for-disappointment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life has its ups and downs, so to expect otherwise is setting yourself up for disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/life-has-its-ups-and-downs-so-to-expect-otherwise-is-setting-yourself/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [We are setting ourselves up for disappointment if our hope is built on anything less than Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-are-setting-ourselves-up-for-disappointment-if-our-hope-is-built/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [I have to be happy in the here and now because every time you start focusing on your legacy you're really setting yourself up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/i-have-to-be-happy-in-the-here-and-now-because-every-time-you-start/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [“It's always just a matter of what someone is willing to see and what someone is willing to ignore. I think we are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mollen/it-s-always-just-a-matter-of-what-someone-is-willing-to-see-and-what/) [Jenny Mollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mollen/) > [The recipe to an unhappy life in Japan is to want to be Japanese if you are not. Anyone who wants to penetrate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-recipe-to-an-unhappy-life-in-japan-is-to-want-to-be-japanese-if/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [If you don't simply communicate with your spouse what household tasks you would like them to do, you are setting yourself up to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-v-gordon/if-you-don-t-simply-communicate-with-your-spouse-what-household-tasks/) [Emily V. Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-v-gordon/) > [Less expectations, less disappointments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/less-expectations-less-disappointments/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Keep your expectations to a minimum and you'll be less disappointed that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rona-nunez/keep-your-expectations-to-a-minimum-and-you-ll-be-less-disappointed/) [Rona Nunez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rona-nunez/) > [“You'll have less heartaches and disappointments if you stop seeking from others the things ONLY God and you can give yourself!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-pierre/you-ll-have-less-heartaches-and-disappointments-if-you-stop-seeking/) [Yvonne Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-pierre/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. "Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/what-kind-of-a-place-is-expectations-inquired-milo-unable-to-see-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [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/) ## More by Ryan Reynolds > [I've had an alarming amount of concussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-ve-had-an-alarming-amount-of-concussions/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Every time I've gotten myself into trouble, it's because I'm choosing a project based on a long-term career goal as opposed to something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/every-time-i-ve-gotten-myself-into-trouble-it-s-because-i-m-choosing/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I'm not one of those actors who romanticizes his trials working out and brags that he can bench press a panda now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-romanticizes-his-trials-working-out/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I won't ask a woman if she's pregnant unless the baby is crowning. We've all seen that happen, where you say, 'So, when are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-won-t-ask-a-woman-if-she-s-pregnant-unless-the-baby-is-crowning-we/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I'm terrified that I'm genetically predisposed to only having boys. That's frightening. By the time I was 10 years old, and I'm not exaggerating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-terrified-that-i-m-genetically-predisposed-to-only-having-boys/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [All of the physical injuries are like souvenirs. But the emotional stuff is harder. When youre spending 17 straight days in a heightened state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/all-of-the-physical-injuries-are-like-souvenirs-but-the-emotional/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Honestly, I think it's dumb luck that I'm able to kind of get away doing different types of films in different genres. There's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/honestly-i-think-it-s-dumb-luck-that-i-m-able-to-kind-of-get-away/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [A producer is someone who actually calls the shots. An executive producer is just a guy that eats more food at craft service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/a-producer-is-someone-who-actually-calls-the-shots-an-executive/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [We learned early on that we had chemistry and I was so grateful for that. It's like one of the few magical things about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/we-learned-early-on-that-we-had-chemistry-and-i-was-so-grateful-for/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I find that I get a little depressed if I don't move my body each day, so sometimes it's just as simple as walking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-find-that-i-get-a-little-depressed-if-i-don-t-move-my-body-each-day/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I run in a pair of New Balances with a thinner sole, but they're nothing like those barefoot shoes that show all five toes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-run-in-a-pair-of-new-balances-with-a-thinner-sole-but-they-re/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [I'm not one to mythologize other actors too much, but obviously Sandy Bullock is a gorgeous woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-not-one-to-mythologize-other-actors-too-much-but-obviously-sandy/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [My family is as far from a stage family as you could ever possibly find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/my-family-is-as-far-from-a-stage-family-as-you-could-ever-possibly/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [Each time I take a role, I'm always nervous about it at the beginning and I'm always afraid what if that, what if this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/each-time-i-take-a-role-i-m-always-nervous-about-it-at-the-beginning/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [The fact that you're friends doesn't necessarily equate to great chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/the-fact-that-you-re-friends-doesn-t-necessarily-equate-to-great/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) [Explore all 198 Ryan Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) ## More Disappointment quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [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/) > [“My earthly body has been a terrible disappointment to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/my-earthly-body-has-been-a-terrible-disappointment-to-me/) [Frédéric Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [In trying not to disappoint others; we disappoint ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/in-trying-not-to-disappoint-others-we-disappoint-ourselves/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [There are still many more days of failure ahead, whole seasons of failure, things will go terribly wrong, you will have huge disappointments ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/there-are-still-many-more-days-of-failure-ahead-whole-seasons-of/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [When disappointments knock you down, get back up and go again because out of our greatest rejection comes our greatest direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-disappointments-knock-you-down-get-back-up-and-go-again-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,467 Disappointment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Reynolds" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setting-yourself-up-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappointment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setting-yourself-up-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/ryan-reynolds-1923_disappointment_when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setti_3154010.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.” — Ryan Reynolds", "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": "Ryan Reynolds", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you have expectations, you are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setting-yourself-up-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/when-you-have-expectations-you-are-setting-yourself-up-for/#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 } } ] } ```