At the start of something, expecting it to go well is exactly what gets you moving. The same expectation at the end, when the evidence is in and nothing has arrived, becomes a way of avoiding a decision you already know is due. Timing is the whole of the distinction. Early on it is fuel, and late on it is anaesthetic.

Look at what you are still hoping about and ask how long it has been sitting there. If it has been years with no change in the facts, and the choice is actually yours to make, the honest move is to decide rather than keep waiting. Deciding is usually a relief, even when the answer is no.