Expectations

Have you noticed that people modify their behavior to meet your expectations?

• If I smile first the other person, whether I know them or not, almost always smiles back.
• If I'm friendly with a clerk, they are almost always friendly back.
• If I wave to another driver, they almost always wave back.
• If I treat someone with kindness and respect, they almost always reciprocate.
• The converse is also true.

What if we always expected the people we know and meet to be good, honest and exceptional? What if we not only expected it but treated them as if they were always good, honest and exceptional?

I think the world would be a pretty good and happy place.