Uncle Hasan the Elder – Part 11: “The As Expected Approach.”

Every family has that one member who doesn’t just live life, they tactically maneuver through it like a general at war. In ours, that title belongs to Uncle Hasan. Whether it’s avoiding chores at a party or steering a shopping trip like a financial strategist, the man has a move for every scenario.

This particular lesson, though, came from the most unexpected place: a broken eyeglass frame.

One afternoon, I was at his place when Auntie called out from the other room, holding up her cracked glasses.

“Hasan-jan, can you fix this for me? The frame just snapped a little—maybe you can glue it?”

It seemed simple enough. A little adhesive, a bit of patience, done. But instead of agreeing immediately, Uncle Hasan rubbed his chin and said,

“Hmm… I don’t think it’ll work. But I’ll try.”

I blinked. That didn’t sound like him. Normally, he’d be halfway through a repair job before you finished asking.

So I asked, “Uncle, it’s not that hard. Why are you saying it won’t work?”

He leaned in, lowered his voice like he was about to reveal a life secret, and said,

“Son, never start by saying something will work. Always say it probably won’t. If it works, you’re a hero. If it doesn’t, you shrug and say: ‘Just as expected.’”

At the time, it sounded clever—but maybe a bit too cynical. Until a few weeks later at my office.

My boss came to me looking mildly stressed.

“We’ve got this tricky project. Bit of a mess, honestly. Can you take a look and try to get it done?”

Something in my brain triggered—a faint memory of a man holding a glue stick and lowering expectations.

So I said, “Honestly, I don’t think it’s doable... but I’ll give it a shot.”

The boss looked a little disappointed at first but nodded. “Fair enough. Give it your best.”

Well, I did give it my best. I tried. I researched. I poked and prodded. I even brought snacks to my desk for energy. But in the end? The project flopped harder than a summer blockbuster sequel.

Instead of panicking, though, I walked calmly into my boss’s office and said with a shrug,

“Yeah, it didn’t work out... just as expected.”

To my surprise, he didn’t look upset. In fact, he almost seemed... relieved.

“Well, at least we tried. Appreciate the effort,” he said.

And just like that, no guilt, no stress, no panicked backpedaling. Just one cool exit.

That night, I couldn’t help but laugh thinking about Uncle Hasan.

That glue trick wasn’t about glue. It was about framing—no pun intended.

I now call this strategy: “The As-Expected Approach.”

And trust me, it works wonders when used correctly:

Step 1: Undersell the outcome. Say you’re unsure or doubtful, but willing to try.

Step 2: Win either way. If it works, you’re a magician. If it doesn’t, hey, you warned them.

This rule works beautifully across life:

- Someone asks you to cook something complicated? “Might not turn out right, but I’ll give it a go.”

- Asked to fix a friend’s tech issue? “Honestly, no promises, but I’ll take a look.”

- Invited to a group trip you’re not excited about? “I’ll try to make it... can’t guarantee, though.”

If you show up? Hero.

If you don’t? You said it might not happen.

And don’t get me wrong—Uncle Hasan isn’t about pessimism. He’s about strategic optimism, where satisfaction is maximized by managing expectations.

That day with the glasses, by the way? He did fix them. Auntie was thrilled.

He sipped his tea and whispered to me,

“See? It’s not about what you do, it’s about what they expected you to do.”

And from that moment on, I’ve always kept that tactic in my back pocket.

Because sometimes, the best way to impress... is to predict a mess, and then surprise them with success.