Episode #69 – How to Release the Pressure of External Expectations

I am more empowered by my internal expectations than external expectations. We all get it. With the pressures of the world and the things we must do to excel within it, it can be hard. Therefore, acknowledging and finding ways to overcome it all should be a priority.

The best way to deal with pressure is by focusing on the source. Where’s it originating from and how do we go about handling it? If the pressure you’re experiencing causes you to miss out on the things before you, take action. Why wait another minute, another second? When under pressure, we are not ourselves. We are only a shell of what we really are. And for the sake of ourselves and the world around us, it’s important we go deeper.

What causes us to give so much power to these external expectations? Where’s it coming from? Do they really matter to us as much as we allow them to? If they do, there is something inside of us that we need to tap into.

Inside of us is where it all lies. Therefore, if we are to deal with pressure, we are to learn how to better deal with ourselves. Not the surface-level version of ourselves, the inner. How could we ever allow anything outside of us to guide what’s inside? The source is where it all lies, so dig into it.

How to Manage External Expectations

Beware so that we don’t mistake our internal expectations for external negativity. Dealing with close deadlines at work can be a little stressful. Because, most of the time, these deadlines require an immense amount of work in such a short period of time. And most of the time, we find ourselves scrambling to the wire to get things well executed.

Along with the scramble comes the pressure of external expectations. If we are to release the pressure we must be able to address them so that we always remain in control. The pressure applied from someone outside of ourselves should not always be our problem. For this reason, it is important that we speak about our intention and how their external forces affect the outcome.

Outside of what we take on, we need to schedule the time we need to take on. After working long periods of hours, it is necessary that we take the time we need for ourselves. Before you take on anything, make sure that you’re coming from a place of relaxation. Such a state not only contributes to what you’ve dealt with but also the potential things to come.

When you are relaxed, you feel light. And the lighter you are, the better you feel. Therefore, be a constant reminder of what the Marathon mindset means. As Nipsey Hussle best put it, “It’s not a race.” In other words, things will happen in ways we’d rather not. But isn’t that part of our journey of living? Your ability to deal with pressure will be essential to the outcome.

The Power vested in You

No one outside of you knows your limitations. No one knows what you are truly capable of, except you. These external expectations should not be dominating your life for the power is vested in you. Your goals and your path are for you and only you to dictate.

Going to college was a challenge for me. As time went by, bombarded with exams, anxiety was born. With me working multiple jobs to put myself through school, the thought of failing built pressure. The truth is, it had nothing to do with me or my ability to succeed. It was all outward.

The hardest thing of it all is when no support is given, but so much is required. To deal with pressure such as this, I learned to remind myself constantly of the powers I possessed. I learned to fill my mind with so much that the external expectations would disappear. After all, the only one affected by the thoughts you keep is you, no one else.

That means you can either wheel yourself through or allow yourself to drown. The power and the choice are yours. The best way to manage external expectations is by making sure that all internal components are in place. That motor of yours runs more smoothly when we are able to release the pressure and live within the confidence we have.

Join me for Episode #70 – Getting the Strength and Power From Your Own Vulnerability. We’re told to conserve our vulnerability for the sake of self-preservation. To escape pain, we in turn risk giving away all the good that goes along with it. Does giving up the good for the sake of a potential bad make sense to you? Something definitely worth talking about.