Dr. Laurie Santos

If anything, if you're expecting to get it, now you feel terrible because you have this comparison point of getting it

If anything, if you're expecting to get it, now you feel terrible because you have this comparison point of getting it

And now you feel crappy because, oh, I didn't get there.

And now you feel crappy because, oh, I didn't get there.

And we see this so much in so many different studies that have looked at field cases where people don't get what they're expecting.

And we see this so much in so many different studies that have looked at field cases where people don't get what they're expecting.

One of my favorite ones happens not in the work context, but in sports.

One of my favorite ones happens not in the work context, but in sports.

Researchers look at Olympic athletes and what happens when they get different medals.

Researchers look at Olympic athletes and what happens when they get different medals.

So you get the gold medal, best in the world.

So you get the gold medal, best in the world.

You feel super happy.

You feel super happy.

What happens when you get the silver medal?

What happens when you get the silver medal?

It's not that you feel slightly less happy.

It's not that you feel slightly less happy.

In fact, you're showing visible signs of emotions like sadness, deep pain, contempt.

In fact, you're showing visible signs of emotions like sadness, deep pain, contempt.