Difference between what you owe and what others expect
This is one issue almost everyone will have to deal with which is why I've decided to share some thoughts on it.
Way too many times we confuse duty and expectations of those around us and especially those who have authority over us. Everyone has some kind of expectation of you, your parents have expectation of you, your uncle has expectation of you, and your friends have expectation of you, but what you have to offer to anyone is your duty to them because you owe it to them for helping you in some direct way.
A lot of people act as if their expectations of you hold the same weight on you and you are to carry their imaginations around. You don't have to carry their expectations of an imagined you, in your case.
And I can bet that the strongest opinions as to what you should accomplish are from the ones doing the least to accomplish their own dream goals and just an egoistic dream of what life holds for them. Not all, but some, have created an imaginary you with your life that fits into their view of how life works and, because you are not successful in meeting their expectations of that imagined person, then their glass is shattered. It's just an expression, although you will also likely see their glass half full and realize that they are or have been confused or even betrayed.
It is true that you can respect someone and still disappoint them, but it takes time for you to accept that statement.
Have you ever tried to over explain the reasons for what you were doing, not an easy task to all those with expectations, but those with expectations usually are not hearing you, they are waiting to tell you why you are wrong. When you're lashing at complaining about why you can't live up to their expectations, they'll nod to create the illusion of agreement, but in a month’s time, they will have forgotten in many cases what you said and will once again have an identical expectation of you as they had earlier.
This is the experience of most people and it's clear this usually starts with your parents. Dear parents, one good thing you can do for your kids is not to create a mental picture of who they should be but help them become good people and also good at what they have passion for.
And to everyone else, perhaps the true work involved is deciding what you actually owe to others and what you do not.
