"If you see a generation that loves Torah knowledge, go teach them. If you don't see such a generation, stay at home."[1] One idea from this teaching is that much depends on how we see our world.
To a large degree, people respond to us as we expect them to respond. Our excitement or lack of excitement, our happiness or lack of happiness, affects them.
At the same time -- and the other way round -- how we expect them to act or react affects us. Our anticipation or apprehension affects our excitement, our happiness, and therefore, the way we speak to them.
In other words, our attitude influences their reaction, while their reaction -- or how we think they will react -- decides our attitude.
Which comes first? -- Obviously, our expectations. All depends on how we "see" our world. So, we should try always to see happiness and success approaching us.
Now, to set our expectations too high is no good. Our skeptical side doesn't accept ridiculous hope and won't work with it. But, if we are too "realistic", this is twice as bad. It leads to folded arms, despair, and gloom. We must expect the best we plausibly can expect – and then go out and achieve it.
[1] Brochos 63a
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