--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life has its ups and downs, so to expect…" description: "\"Life has its ups and downs, so to expect otherwise is setting yourself up for disappointment.\" — Tim Matheson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/tim-matheson-8397_disappointment_life-has-its-ups-and-downs-so-to-expect_2102263.jpg" --- # Life has its ups and downs, so to expect otherwise is… ![“Life has its ups and downs, so to expect otherwise is setting yourself up for disappointment.” quote by Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/tim-matheson-8397_disappointment_life-has-its-ups-and-downs-so-to-expect_2102263.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/tim-matheson-8397_disappointment_life-has-its-ups-and-downs-so-to-expect_2102263.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67b/tim-matheson-8397_disappointment_life-has-its-ups-and-downs-so-to-expect_2102263.jpg) > “Life has its ups and downs, so to expect otherwise is setting yourself up for disappointment.” [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life naturally fluctuates; expecting constant positivity sets you up for disappointment. **In simple terms:** Accept ups and downs. Key Takeaway Embrace variability, avoid unrealistic expectations. Themes resilience expectations life cycles Mood reflective realistic Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal development - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts psychology stoicism Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond to setbacks? - What realistic expectations help you stay balanced? A Different Perspective Denial of challenges can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Downs Expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downs-expect-4205620/) [Expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect/) [Expect Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect-setting-4205621/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Setting Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting-disappointment-2636867/) [Settings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settings/) [Ups & downs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ups-downs/) [Ups and downs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ups-and-downs/) ## Related quotes > [I allow myself to have my feelings of disappointment and discouragement, but never to sit and wallow in them. 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Performance is a roller coaster; to think otherwise is irrational and will cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lynch/remember-that-failure-is-part-of-the-process-of-successful-running/) [Jerry Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lynch/) > [Because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think our lives are supposed to be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/because-we-grew-up-surrounded-by-big-dramatic-story-arcs-in-books-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [If you expect your life to be full of ups and downs, then your mind will be much more peaceful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thubten-yeshe/if-you-expect-your-life-to-be-full-of-ups-and-downs-then-your-mind/) [Thubten Yeshe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thubten-yeshe/) > [Life is a roller coaster, you have your ups and downs unless you fall off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/life-is-a-roller-coaster-you-have-your-ups-and-downs-unless-you-fall/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) ## More by Tim Matheson > [My life honestly didn't start until I got married and had kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/my-life-honestly-didn-t-start-until-i-got-married-and-had-kids/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [We wanted to make Tucker's Witch just more human and playful, because I don't think we see enough playfulness between characters on TV. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/we-wanted-to-make-tucker-s-witch-just-more-human-and-playful-because/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [I've played historical characters before, and I think the trap of all of them is if you try to do an impression. If that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/i-ve-played-historical-characters-before-and-i-think-the-trap-of-all/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [I always wanted to be an actor. I was one of those lucky kids - or cursed kids - who always knew what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-i-was-one-of-those-lucky-kids-or/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [Ronald Reagan was the Governor of California. He had earned the right to be considered for President of the United States. 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It was about a group of people who were together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/the-core-of-animal-house-was-about-prejudice-about-equality-and-about/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [I think it's that if you don't have the visual, you have to infuse the full personality into the voice. Think of Daffy Duck.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/i-think-it-s-that-if-you-don-t-have-the-visual-you-have-to-infuse-the/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [It's the kind of sage wisdom coming from a guy who was 25 at the time, but already had 20 years of experience. Kurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/it-s-the-kind-of-sage-wisdom-coming-from-a-guy-who-was-25-at-the-time/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [I went to the prom with a girlfriend of my sister's, a platonic date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/i-went-to-the-prom-with-a-girlfriend-of-my-sister-s-a-platonic-date/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [Sam Kinison was one of the most compulsive people I'd ever seen. James Belushi was that way, and Chris Farley was that way. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/sam-kinison-was-one-of-the-most-compulsive-people-i-d-ever-seen-james/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) [Explore all 81 Tim Matheson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) ## 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. 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