great expectations

my dance partner asked me rhetorically yesterday, "why do you think our coaches pick on us all the time? there are far worst dancers, why do they pick on us?" then he said, "because they like us, and they believe we can make it." he said this with a satisfied smile on his face, convinced that he is right. what he said got me thinking about the situation i am in now. even as a child, i feel the expectations people have of me. parents, teachers, coaches...they all seem to think i will be a somebody. expectations can be good. they usually give one positive pressure to move forward and to improve oneself. but what if these expectations are too great to bear? they can be subtle and insidious, but the pressure is still there. my parents for instance, think that i can be one of the successful 'second generation' in expanding the family business. i'm flattered. but because of that, i feel the constant need to prove myself. and it's quite stressful really, as it means compromising other aspects of my life that's equally important to me...like dance for instance. it's not that i can't devote my time into dancing. but i do feel a little guilty when i spend my time on it, as if this time could instead be put into my work. i guess a lot of the pressure is self-imposed. but i can't help it, as i can see the envy in my parents' faces when they talk about the successful second generation of their business associates and all that. anyway, is it because they love me the most that they nag at me the most? is it because they truly think that i'm the best manifestation of their mix of good genes? can i live up to these great expectations? i guess i can only do my best and que sera sera.