What is the theory behind the worksheet?
This worksheet is based on the Theory of expectations, which describes that a belief is natural human anticipation about the future based on individual perception, available information, and context (Castelfranchi, 2005).
How will the worksheet help?
The current worksheet is created to help practitioners assess their client’s expectations in the process of developing healthy expectations and goals.
How to use the worksheet?
Expectations are emotional prospects that an event will occur or will be the case. From a psychological point of view, expectations are a common part of cognitive processes. It is the outcomes of the expectations that matter, in the sense that if the expectation is not met, the individual will encounter a cascade of negative feelings. Sometimes our projections of the future are not anchored in reality, a fact that may lead to great disappointments.
Expectations Worksheet
The following exercises are meant to evaluate your expectations and your goals. Fill in the exercises.
What is your main goal in life?
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State 2 expectations regarding how you will achieve your goal:
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What expectations do you hold about yourself? Are they met?
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What expectations do you hold about the people around you (friends, family, etc)? Are these expectations met?
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What expectations do you have about your job? Are the expectations met?
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Now think about the unmet expectations and reflect on the cause. What can you do more?
What positive resources would you need to turn the expectations into reality?
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How do you picture an ideal life?
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How would you describe your life now?
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Name 5 things that are under your control and can be improved right away:
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References
Castelfranchi, C. (2005). Mind as an Anticipatory Device: For a Theory of Expectations. In: De Gregorio, M., Di Maio, V., Frucci, M., Musio, C. (eds) Brain, Vision, and Artificial Intelligence. BVAI 2005. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 3704. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11565123_26
You can download this worksheet here.