--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are still guided by your expectations." description: "\"You are still guided by your expectations.\" — Zhuangzi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg" --- # You are still guided by your expectations. ![“You are still guided by your expectations.” quote by Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg) > “You are still guided by your expectations.” [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expectations shape perception, limiting true understanding of reality **In simple terms:** Expectations cloud perception and limit insight Key Takeaway Release expectations to see things as they are Themes mindfulness perception philosophy expectations wisdom Mood reflective calm Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - journaling - practicing non-attachment Key Concepts Taoist thought cognitive bias self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are limiting your view? - How can you practice non‑attachment daily? A Different Perspective May be difficult to apply in goal‑driven societies ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Guided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guided/) [Guided Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guided-expectations-4253651/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Tao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tao/) ## Related quotes > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Only the intelligent knows how to identify all things as one. . . . When one is at ease with himself, one is near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/only-the-intelligent-knows-how-to-identify-all-things-as-one-when-one/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [To regard the fundamental as the essence, to regard things as coarse, to regard accumulation as deficiency, and to dwell quietly alone with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/to-regard-the-fundamental-as-the-essence-to-regard-things-as-coarse/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Your mind must become one, do not try to understand with your ears but with your heart. Indeed, not with your heart but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/your-mind-must-become-one-do-not-try-to-understand-with-your-ears-but/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The tao is made because we walk it,things become what they are called.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-tao-is-made-because-we-walk-it-things-become-what-they-are-called/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [There is danger for the eye in seeing too clearly, danger for the ear in hearing too sharply and danger to the heart from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/there-is-danger-for-the-eye-in-seeing-too-clearly-danger-for-the-ear/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Tao is beyond words and beyond things. It is not expressed either in word or in silence. Where there is no longer word or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/tao-is-beyond-words-and-beyond-things-it-is-not-expressed-either-in/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The true man of the past waited upon Heaven when dealing with people and did not wait upon people when dealing with Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-true-man-of-the-past-waited-upon-heaven-when-dealing-with-people/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [So if loss of what gives happiness causes you distress when it fades, you can now understand that such happiness is worthless. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/so-if-loss-of-what-gives-happiness-causes-you-distress-when-it-fades/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [To exercise no-thought and rest in nothing is the first step toward resting in Tao. To start from nowhere and follow no road is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/to-exercise-no-thought-and-rest-in-nothing-is-the-first-step-toward/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [When there is no more separation between 'this' and 'that,' it is called the still-point of the Tao. At the still point in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/when-there-is-no-more-separation-between-this-and-that-it-is-called/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The Tao has no place for pettiness, and nor has Virtue. Pettiness is dangerous to Virtue; pettiness is dangerous to the Tao. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-tao-has-no-place-for-pettiness-and-nor-has-virtue-pettiness-is/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Either in conflict with others or in harmony with them, we go through life like a runaway horse, unable to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/either-in-conflict-with-others-or-in-harmony-with-them-we-go-through/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Heaven cannot but be high. Earth cannot but be broad. The sun and moon cannot but revolve. All creation cannot but flourish. To do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-cannot-but-be-high-earth-cannot-but-be-broad-the-sun-and-moon/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Heaven is in everything: follow the light, hide in the cloudiness and begin in what is. Do this and your understanding will be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-is-in-everything-follow-the-light-hide-in-the-cloudiness-and/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## More by Zhuangzi > [Sorrow and happiness are the heresies of virtue; joy and anger lead astray from TAO; love and hate cause loss of virtue. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/sorrow-and-happiness-are-the-heresies-of-virtue-joy-and-anger-lead/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [The enlightened attention rejects nothing nor welcomes anything-like a mirror it responds equally to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/the-enlightened-attention-rejects-nothing-nor-welcomes-anything-like/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If a man is crossing the river and an empty boat collides with his skiff, even though he is a bad tempered man he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-a-man-is-crossing-the-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Calculate what man knows and it cannot compare to what he doesn't know. Calculate the time he is alive and it cannot compare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/calculate-what-man-knows-and-it-cannot-compare-to-what-he-doesn-t/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Heaven cannot but be high. Earth cannot but be broad. The sun and moon cannot but revolve. All creation cannot but flourish. To do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/heaven-cannot-but-be-high-earth-cannot-but-be-broad-the-sun-and-moon/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [If you wish to care for your body, first of all take care of material things, though even when you have all the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-you-wish-to-care-for-your-body-first-of-all-take-care-of-material/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [As regards the quietude of the sage, he is not quiet because quietness is said to be good. He is quiet because the multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/as-regards-the-quietude-of-the-sage-he-is-not-quiet-because-quietness/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [All existing things are really one. We regard those that are beautiful and rare as valuable, and those that are ugly as foul and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/all-existing-things-are-really-one-we-regard-those-that-are-beautiful/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Now, when ordinary people attempt to find happiness, I am not sure whether the happiness is really happiness or not. I study what ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/now-when-ordinary-people-attempt-to-find-happiness-i-am-not-sure/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Words exist because of meaning; once you’ve gotten the meaning, you can forget the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/words-exist-because-of-meaning-once-you-ve-gotten-the-meaning-you-can/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Easy is right. Begin right and you are easy. Continue easy and you are right. The right way to go easy is to forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/easy-is-right-begin-right-and-you-are-easy-continue-easy-and-you-are/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/hence-it-demands-the-emptiness-of-all-the-faculties-and-when-the/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Everything has what is innate,everything has what is necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/everything-has-what-is-innate-everything-has-what-is-necessary/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Where can I find a man who has forgotten words, so I can have a few words with him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/where-can-i-find-a-man-who-has-forgotten-words-so-i-can-have-a-few/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Standards are different for all things, so the standard set by man is by no means the only 'certain' standard. If you mistake what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/standards-are-different-for-all-things-so-the-standard-set-by-man-is/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) [Explore all 243 Zhuangzi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) ## 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 are still guided by your expectations.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhuangzi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectations/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expectations" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectations/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/zhuangzi-1341_expectations_you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectation_2109705.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You are still guided by your expectations.” — Zhuangzi", "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": "Zhuangzi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You are still guided by your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/you-are-still-guided-by-your-expectations/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/you-are-still-guided-by-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 } } ] } ```