1+1: High hopes, low expectations + AI restores a lost voice

Here's one leadership idea and one resource I’ve found beneficial in the past two weeks:

1 idea: High hopes, low expectations

Last fall, I took my first trip to Los Angeles, and I had a lot of reasons to be excited. It was my first time on-site with a new client. I was eager to catch a few old friends I hadn’t seen in a decade. And as a movie buff, I was looking forward to touring one of the major film studios there.

Thankfully, the trip was successful on all counts. My workshop was a hit, time with friends was energizing, and driving Batman’s motorcycle on a movie lot was certainly memorable. But to my surprise, the greatest joy was a totally unexpected moment on a morning walk.

On my stroll to breakfast one day, I was admiring the Ficus and palm trees when I heard an unfamiliar bird beckoning from above. Searching the branches of the tree, I found what looked to be three green parrots nibbling on the bright red flower buds adorning the branches. The sight stopped me in my tracks. I paused and watched them chatter with each other and hop between the branches, enjoying their early morning brunch. I’d never seen parakeets in the wild and never considered that I would. I was simply on my way to Del Taco when I was surprised by joy.

What made this moment so delightful for me was not just the beauty, but the surprise. My work, friend connections, and Warner Bros. tour all went exactly according to plan. For that reason, the experiences were satisfying but not remarkable. On my walk that morning though, those surprising parakeets violated my expectations in a small but meaningful way.

The implications here are simple but significant. If we want to be surprised and delighted on a daily basis, we also could benefit from holding high hopes but low expectations. And if we want to delight others, we need to exceed their expectations as well.

If I want to experience more delight, I need to cultivate high hopes with low expectations. When my expectations are high, the best-case scenario is that I’m satisfied. The more likely scenario is that I’m disappointed when a good experience doesn’t live up to the greatness I anticipated. By hoping for the best but expecting mediocrity, I balance the optimism I need to take action with the openhandedness I need to be pleasantly surprised. This could look like lowering your expectations for how much appreciation you’ll receive, how enjoyable an experience will be, or how things might turn out in your favor. 

If I want to bring more joy to others, I can also do that by finding small ways to exceed their expectations. Like those parakeets, the joy doesn’t come from the size of the event but the unexpectedness of the surprise. A dozen roses on a birthday is nice. A surprise bouquet of wildflowers on a Tuesday is delightful. Consider taking a moment this week to send a handwritten note, pick up someone’s favorite coffee, send a text of gratitude, or let someone know how you’re praying for them. As an added bonus, you'll enjoy it too, because the fastest way to find joy is to give it to others.

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• Where are your expectations so high that there’s no room for you to be surprised?

• Who would you love to bring some joy to this week?

• How could you exceed their expectations in a small but thoughtful way?

1 resource: AI restores a lost voice

For all of the justifiable caution and fear around artificial intelligence, there are some moments of unexpected joy that it creates—such as this one where it allowed fans of Randy Travis to hear their disabled singer croon once again.

PS: New fear: toad-eating slugs!