Human beings are amazing at information gathering and analysis. You do it every day. You look at something in your house and you categorize the shapes and colors into types of furniture, decorations, useful tools, things to enjoy, things to use, things to do, what affects you and what you effect in the now and in the future plus you instantly recognize their relevance to your past. That’s a lot to do with one glance but we do it effortlessly with the help of one specific technique: assumption.
We assume that a chair shaped object is a chair, the floor is solid because it’s a floor, a plate will hold food, etc, etc. We’ve been taught that and have experienced it ourselves. Which is why horror movies and gag shows are so effective. They play with those assumptions, proving them false, and we get to watch the results while not being a part of them.
In this same way we make assumptions about people. They have always been this way so they always will be or they are this type of person and I know that they will be like this because they are that type. And people make assumptions about us as well. They see our shape, our color, or actions, assess us in their environment and make assumptions about who we are and what we will do. From that they set their expectations accordingly. But as we are mysterious creatures even to ourselves and our mystery is unfolding in every minute with our use of Free Will, we are at any given moment going to fail to meet their expectations. Sometimes we are unaware of this and something we are very conscious of it. In fact being conscious of other’s expectations can inform and influence our choices on who we are and what we do.
This is neither good nor bad, simply a fact of being human. Part of having free will and this amazing ability to analyze is to look at those expectations and see them: shape, color, usefulness, past/present/future. See where they fit into your life. Are they supportive of who you are? Are they something that holds you back. Are they neutral and not a factor in your life? Are they something you are willing to accept because the person is amazing and worth it? Use that amazing faculty you have for analysis and look at yourself with the knowing in your soul that you have the ability to choose. There are always expectations. Will you meet your own?