In marketing, features (more absorbent!) and benefits (less mess!) are widely used to describe things you can purchase. But in life, features should always come with the disclaimer – your benefits may vary.
The “stuff” we accumulate in real life doesn’t always give us the benefit we are looking for, does it? A new house, for instance, makes you happy, but does it bring happiness? Children can bring joy and wonder, but raising children can be challenging too. Finding a partner to share your time with can be magical, but communicating and working out issues can be difficult. Even a “perfect job” may end up being filled with people and expectations that aren’t quite so perfect.
It turns out the important things in life are more nuanced than what might be advertised.
There is hope, though – expectations can be adjusted. Replacing “buyer beware” with buyer BE AWARE is a good start. Don’t run from your goals and dreams, but consider that if something looks to good to be true, it probably is.
Real life takes real effort.
Sometimes setting the right expectation on what you’re getting can mean the difference between disappointment and delight. Make a good assessment, set expectations (often lower than you might want) and work towards exceeding those expectations and maximizing the benefits for yourself and those around you.
This approach may not make for a snappy advertising jingle, but getting real in our estimations for life may make what we get (and what we give) more feature-rich and beneficial for everyone.