Subtitle: The Expectation Gap
Introduction
Posted on October 9th, 2025
By Olivia Baker
In psychology, the expectation gap is simply the space between one's expectation of a given outcome and the reality of that outcome. In rare instances, this gap can be a positive space where we are pleasantly surprised by an outcome that was better than what we expected from ourselves. However, most of the time what lies in that gap is disappointment, stress, and unrealized goals. Set expectations too high, and you may feel like a failure when you fall short of them. Set them too low, and you may be protected from the disappointment of failure but experience the different yet equally dissatisfying feeling of unrealized potential.
Ultimately, we are at our happiest and best when our expectations for life match our reality, though making this happen amid a constantly changing outside world and circumstances beyond our control is easier said than done. Nonetheless, we give ourselves the best opportunity to do so when we are able to modulate the one piece that we can control—our internal environments.
This is why I chose Win the Inside Game by Steve Magness for the 25th installment of Runners Who Read! In this book, Magness offers readers an evidence-backed framework to master this mental game and perform best when it matters most in sports and in life. Using a Do-Be-Belong method, Magness encourages us to develop clarity on who we are, what our goals are for our pursuits, and where/how we fit into the bigger picture of life to unlock our greatest performances. As a favorite author of this book club when we read Do Hard Things back in 2022, we will be familiar with his matter-of-fact writing style. It only felt right to bring him back when this book came out just a few months ago. In this age of distraction, anxiety, and perpetual pressure to seek external validation, learning to look inwards and take control of our internal environments will reap immeasurable benefits in performance and in life.
Discussion Questions:
In what areas of life have you experienced an expectation gap? How have you gone about closing that gap?
What are you most looking forward to learning about from this book?