Is my dog Cocoa always getting into mischief because it's really his nature or is it because it's what I expect of him?  Do we form an idea of what a pet is like within a few weeks of getting him and then he is stuck living up to that expectation?
    And what about kids?  Do they get stuck living up to the expectations of parents, teachers and friends?  Do those expectations limit them and prevent them from becoming what they are fully capable of being?  Some experts believe they do while others disagree.  There is no doubt though that expectations can limit how we see others.  
    Many children do get stuck living up to expectations, good and bad, but other manage to overcome those limitations and expectations.  
    Some years ago, I worked on a project with a young man who's name was Tarzan.  That was not a nickname but the actual name his parents gave him.  I never met his parents but one or both obviously had some expectations of him to give him that name.  The name brings up images from the various Tarzan movies of muscular, active men very connected with nature.  Unfortunately, this Tarzan seemed to have rebelled against that expectation of his parents.  He was very overweight, lazy, and seemed to be very much an indoor person.
    So even if you have high expectations of your kids, pets, friends or students, it can backfire as they may choose to avoid the path someone else has chosen for them.  So the best thing is to try to avoid such specific expectations and instead let them be what they dream of being with only the expectation that they can succeed.