This is designed as an affirmation to help you reinforce a balanced, flexible, yet firm position as the architect of your life.
I Stand my ground: There is no one else who is responsible for your life. As a result, you set goals and try to be a person of character and strength. Since you are responsible for your own life, you must stand your ground with boldness, confidence, and hope. No one else is going to do that for you.
Ego: Ego is built on a foundation of self-centered hubris and comparison. When was the last time you heard "He has a big ego" as a compliment? By avoiding the trap of ego, you maintain self-esteem, just not at the cost of relationships and essential feedback (ego tends to close your mind to feedback and discourages meaningful relationships).
Expectation: Have you or anyone you know had some big expectations at their birthday that were not met? Perhaps someone spied their spouse looking at jewelry online and developed an expectation for something that glitters. When they received something else, something still very nice – just not glittery, there was at least a moment of disappointment. Expectations can be tricky things.
Almost always expectations involve your hope of some type of external award, recognition, or praise. You feel like you have “earned” something or “deserve” something and when you don’t get it, are disappointed. Ego has a role in this as well.
My suggestion is that you consider eliminating or at least reducing your expectations that are built on external conditions that are out of your control. By focusing on your own thoughts, words, and actions, you focus your life and dreams on what is squarely within your control. Not saying this is easy, it is simply the only thing that you or I truly can control - its a lifelong journey to be sure.
No matter the focus of your goals the concept remains the same. For example, I do not control most of the factors that result in great wealth. My goals should be more focused on my own development, ability to contribute, and skill – all of which are largely within my control. No matter the external gains or losses the person that you become can never be taken away, fired, or disrespected.
It is enough: Life can be fickle and that most of your goals should be on becoming the person who would naturally matriculate towards whatever your external hopes may be. As an example, I want to get promoted. I might start by becoming more reliable and showing up on time every day. Your focus is on what is in your control, showing up on time. When you have achieved that goal you can focus on another, then another. After achieving, and becoming, the person who would most likely be promoted you have aligned our life with the external forces leading to accomplishing that external desire. You never really set that as a goal, it is not an expectation, since you still don’t have control over it. So, it is enough. You set aside your ego, and your expectations, and you stand your ground as you develop yourself and exert control over the only thing that you truly do control, your own development.
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