The power of zero expectations

Early in 2021, my sister Frances Ku self-published a new book called”The Power of Zero Expectations: Seven Steps to Freedom from Disappointment.” The title made me curious. In my line of work, it’s all about expectations. How can no expectations be possible?

The paperback is small and light, just 50 pages, an easy fit into my backpack, handbag, or coat pocket. What looks like 14-point font size makes it easy to read without squinting. At $9.99, I would skip coffee and croissant and get this book instead. I immediately ordered copies from Amazon to send to my friends to thank and inspire them.

Today I’m offering a discount on my upcoming music classes in Zoom for the order of Frances Ku’s book. Get an equivalent reduction in tuition for the book(s) you order. Just show proof.

I read the INTRODUCTION out loud. It’s very easy to read. After all, Frances had authored two books in Taiwan and blogged extensively on personal development as a water color artist on Maui.

She once said to me, “If you’re a pessimist, you’ll never get disappointed.”

What about positive thinking? Being positive? I like to think I’m an optimist. Yet I don’t want to let disappointment get me down.

There’s a saying that the journey begins when you book your travels, whether airplane ticket, car rental, or accommodation, or all of the above. I say, that the journey begins because you have expectations.

As human beings we naturally have expectations. How can we not? If a decision is a commitment, then it’s an act of creating expectations for yourself and others.

If that’s the case, is her book about letting go of expectations?

One of the goals in my line of work is to get my students to overcome stage fright. Some of them decline the opportunity to perform in front of others because it’s too confronting. Why is performing in front of others so confronting? If we didn’t care what others think, we would have no expectations of the outcome. However, it is precisely because we care about what others think and more importantly, what we think of ourselves, that we have expectations. We don’t want to disappoint or embarrass ourselves. At the same time, these expectations can be unrealistic and stressful, putting pressure on ourselves.

It’s because we have expectations that we strive to meet them. Anyone who signs up to perform a song at 3 Chord Thursday @ 3, the thematic song session in Zoom, knows that the moment they sign up, they have to prepare and get ready. The earlier they sign up, the more time they have to practice.

Just like registering for a class, as soon as you have paid for the class, you start expecting. You want to get your money’s worth. You want to get value for the time you will spend on it.

Watch the trailer video and decide for yourself.

Interested in taking music classes in Zoom or giving the GIFT of MUSIC to someone who will benefit? Order a book, get an equivalent reduction in tuition.