“Oft expectation fails, and most oft, there where
most it promises; and oft it hits where hope is coldest, and despair most
fits.”
These memorable words recorded in 1600 by the great English
poet and playwright William Shakespeare
in his literary masterpiece, “All is well
that ends well,” speak directly and most accurately to the competing
effects of anticipation on the individual. In the scene he was drawing
attention to one of the fundamental facts of life that may affect any one at
any time. He was referring to the fact that there are times when results hoped
for may fall short of expectations, and yet at other times they may succeed far
more than expected.
There is no doubt whatsoever that Anticipation, the expectation a
particular event happening in the future, can be a very powerful force for good
or for bad, depending upon our expectation at that time. From any point of
view, anticipation plays a vital and constant role in the life of everyone, and
in the choices they make or do not make. Samuel
Smiles, one of Scotland’s
most famous and celebrated authors, a reformer and a strong advocate for
self-help, who died in 1904, expressed this in the following observation:
“An intense anticipation itself transforms
possibility into reality. Our desires are often but precursors of the things
which we are capable of performing.”
He quite correctly explained that the effort we
make in anticipating can in the right context, lead to positive results, but
this effort in the wrong direction, can be the source of great concern. On
every single occasion when we begin to anticipate an action which we consider
most likely to take place, we are in fact setting in motion certain changes in
our emotional make-up in preparation for good or for bad results. It is this Dilemma of Anticipation that is the
driving force in our lives and the one that
is directly responsible for success or failure in every thing we do or plan to
do.
The
emotional responses to anticipation have been extensively studied by
psychologists and neuroscientists with substantial agreement. The focus of
activity seems to be mainly centered in the frontal lobes of the brain and dependent upon the release of the powerful chemical neurotransmitter, Dopamine. The act
of expecting a future event triggers the production of increased amounts of
dopamine from the frontal lobes which then stimulate the other brain centers to
initiate the various responses. When positive events are anticipated feelings
of excitement and confidence are engendered and the individual experiences a
sense of satisfaction and happiness. But when the expectation is associated
with negative feelings, there develops a sadness, disappointment and anxiety,
which continue grow with time. This emotional rehearsal for future events is
in continuous play in the individual’s brain with the outcome, positive or
negative, modified by the underlying personality make-up as well as to current
and past experiences. Dr. Deepak Chopra,
the well known Indian born American physician, author and inspirational
speaker, very wisely summarized this relationship in a simple, precise
statement:
“Our
thinking and our behavior are always in anticipation of a response.”
In fact, the human brain is often
described as a natural anticipation machine
whose role in protecting the person is by predicting the future. Its
capability to use past experiences and current events to project the future serves to increase the odds of obtaining the desired results, while at the
same time avoid or minimize any adversity encountered. Real problems arise from
the person’s psychological baggage brought along, which can alter the
prediction and the reactions that result. This is the fundamental dilemma that
has determined human behavior from the beginning of time. It is never the
actual event occurring that creates the impact, but it is how we expected them
to unfold and affect us that determine our ultimate behavior. A prediction that
reflected favorable outcomes automatically increases positivity and confidence
in behavior, while one that points to uncertainty or threat can induce concern
and anxiety for this, and any subsequent actions.
This fact has been recognized as a fundamental
component in anxiety for as long as man has been alive. Centuries ago, the
great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, drew
attention to its occurrence when he noted:
“Fear is the pain arising from
anticipation of evil”
He was referring to the very common occurrence in
people, of overt symptoms of anxiety and heightened emotional reactions in
response to a perceived threat or a potentially unpredictable situation. These anticipatory anxieties, which can at
times become extremely debilitating and life changing are the underlying
causes of a large number problems and suffering in the individual. They affect
a significant percentage of the population and can present with a wide range of
symptoms that include fear, apathy, social withdrawal and a variety of
affective and behavioral disorders. Symptoms may range from mild expressions of
fear and inadequacy to extremely severe debilitating conditions requiring
special care.
In
all these instances, the underlying causes can be traced to an inability by the
individual, because of any number of pre-morbid and personality factors, to
anticipate or cope with the uncertainty of potential threats or adversity in
the future, irrespective of whether these are real or imagined. Eckhart Tolle, a popular German-born
Canadian author and spiritual leader, in one of his public lectures observed:
“These people tend to dwell more on negative things
than good things. So the mind becomes obsessed with negative things, with
judgments, guilt, and anxiety produced by thoughts about the future.”
This statement very neatly encapsulates the
negative effects on the behavior caused by a mind weighed down by the burdens
of anticipation. Every one can readily identify, either personally or in
others, examples of this behavior and the resulting damage that may follow. The
fact that in almost 95% of the time, the anticipatory anxiety is far greater
than subsequent activity is of little consequence to the victim, but the
resulting pain and suffering can be great.
But
when anticipation is based on positive hope for better things and is
accompanied by an expectation of success, there is underlying optimism which is
reflected in the enthusiasm and confidence exhibited and the urge to continue
without fear or antagonism. Unlike the feelings of anxiety and uncertainty that
is the constant companion of negative expectation; the complete opposite takes
place as the individual is encouraged to do much more by the promise of
success. This indeed, is the underlying strategy that has been used by all the
successful people who have achieved in their endeavors. The underlying strength and
the real reasons for substantially improving their opportunity to succeed is
directly related their ability to rise above their feelings of uncertainty and
to positively anticipate future trends and take the appropriate action. Paul Allen, the highly respected
American entrepreneur, investor, business magnate and philanthropist,
co-founder of Microsoft and
considered to be one of the true leaders of the computer revolution, has never
hesitated to attribute his success to his uncanny ability to anticipate future
trends and then act on them. He freely admitted this when he declared:
“In my own work, I've tried to
anticipate what's coming over the horizon, to hasten its arrival, and to apply
it to people's lives in a meaningful way.”
It
is this ability to anticipate the future before it has arrived and to prepare
for it as best as you can, rather than be overcome with the fear of failure or
inadequacy which serves only to increase the person’s vulnerability, that
determines the final outcome. The successful people differ mainly by their
ability to visualize the future, identify their options and in so doing
increase confidence and reduce risks. Instead of the paralysis of fear and
trepidation that swallows the negative thinker, they are able to use their confidence
to think forward, determine the obstacles and find solutions. It is not the
failure that matters as much as what happens after. The anticipation of failure
can either lead to disaster, or be a source of learning for the future. The
winners have learnt to anticipate and adapt, the losers choose to withdraw and
hide.
This is the dilemma of living to which every
person is expected to spend his life choosing; either to anticipate the
possibility of not succeeding and live in fear and anxiety, or to anticipate
the possibility of success and enjoy a life of challenges and opportunities.
“Fear is the pain arising from
anticipation of evil”
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