In the course of events that lead up to making us who we are, others create expectations of us.  These expectations often lead us to do things we would never do without further encouragement and sometimes lead us to do things we don't want to do.  Either way creating an expectation of someone and then making that expectation clear has a lot of power.

For example, in middle and in high school I had a very excellent friend named Jimmy.  Jimmy was probably the coolest dude ever I don't know why I stopped hanging out with him.  Jimmy and I hung out a lot together and I built up a reputation for being able to eat a ridiculous amount of food, and the reputation was well deserved.  One summer evening, I went with him and his family to fuddruckers where we were meeting a group of our peers. Unknown to me, Jimmy had really let the world know about my ability to chow down.  When we arrived at fuddruckers he informed me about their "famous" one pound hamburger.  It sounded like fun to try and shove that thing down my insatiable maw. Standing in line we were discussing the ridiculousness about to occur and a peer attending this adolescent eating bonanza challenged me to an eating contest were he would also get the one pound mammoth burger.

At this point expectations were set high, there was no way to back out, and I accepted his challenge. I had no idea if I could even come close to my opponents eating prowess, at the time he seemed to be about twice my size, in weight at the very least. We made our carnivorous selections and made our way to the table.  I ate, he ate, it took a while, but we both finished.  To avoid risking an abominal rupture of some sort I believe we called it a tie, or I may have even lost.  It didn't really matter that much, because we both ate an astonishing amount of food.  Everyone was a winner. I think we went to a baseball game or something after that.  All I can remember is feeling miserable for hours and hours on end.  I knew my food was not digesting.

We got to Jim's place and found a place to sleep.  I laid on the floor in misery for what felt like hours, probably just minutes.  When I was sure that Jimmy was completely asleep.  I went in the bathroom and heaved a whole freaking cow into the toilet. It was one of those pukes that feels like it will never end, a veritable clown car of regurgitation. Having thoroughly exorcised the demon within, I went to bed. I never told anyone that I did not truly dominate that hamburger.

This was one of the dumbest things I have ever done and if I have to gage it, I would say I was completely and utterly full about half way through that hamburger.  I'm surprised to this day that I didn't cause my body serious damage, but this story illustrates an excellent point.  People will do everything they can to meet the expectations of others.

If you treat someone like they have mystical super powers and can do anything they set their mind to, they often will.  There are limits to this principal so don't act like a moron with the concept, your 6 year old isn't going to beat Lebron at one on one.  But setting high expectations can create some really good results.

Note: I'm not sure how accurate my details are, but I did the best I could with what I remembered. Jimmy if you read this, I would love to hear your thoughts on that night.