The Weight of Expectation: Lessons from the World Series
The World Series always exposes more than talent… it reveals mindset.
And right now, the Dodgers are showing us how even the most skilled teams can get trapped by their own expectations.
On paper, they’re built for dominance: a roster full of marquee names and high-priced acquisitions, each with a highlight reel longer than most players’ careers. But in reality, that star-studded lineup looks tight. Every swing seems loaded with pressure, every at-bat an attempt to justify the hype. They’re not playing baseball; they’re trying to prove something.
That’s the danger of expectations. They turn what is ideally a game of flow and instinct into a test of validation. When you’re swinging to hit the ball out of the park every time, you stop trusting your training and start forcing outcomes.
Contrast that with the Blue Jays. They’re not trying to crush every pitch. They’re collecting hits. Advancing runners. Stringing together small moments that lead to big results. It’s the same way they built their team – not through splashy free agents, but through steady player development and trust in their process.
The difference between these two approaches is the difference between trying to live up to expectations and simply meeting your own standards.
Goals give you direction. Standards provide you with discipline. But expectations? They add weight you don’t need. They turn freedom into fear and effort into tension.
The Dodgers aren’t struggling because they forgot how to play baseball. They’re struggling because they’re trying to live up to a story that was written before the game even started. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are writing their own, one base hit at a time.
And that’s a lesson for all of us: whether in sports, business, or life – stop swinging for the fences to prove you’re worth it. Trust your development, stick to your standards, and the runs will come.
You can follow Sam on Twitter: @SuperTaoInc
