Expectations stem from desires and must remain disciplined so that the knowledge that we carry in mind can overcome the cravings that are all so common in human nature. Every minute we are involved in some action. Even thought itself is a mental action. .
There cannot be a moment when we are not involved in action of some sort and the thought that you should be inactive seems impossible. Action that is deemed a sacrifice is what Arjuna is told to perform to achieve a higher good. I understand that action can become a selfish act and that sacrificing something is what makes it selfless, but not every action that is done for personal gain seems evil to me. Plenty of achievement has been gained in a name of one, but has still reached many for better. I don't believe that all action is selfish unless it entails a sacrifice, but the message from Krishna is clear to Arjuna and because of that he acts in a way of detachment. .
In the society I was raised in, it was taught that it is natural to want more, and that you should follow your desires and work as hard as you can to get to where you want to end up in life. I believe that the trick is to remember the idea of delayed gratification and to apply it when you are weighing the options in front of you. You should not lose sight of your ultimate goal, but you should remember that your goal stemmed from a desire and passion that you yourself had. It seems to be that the difference in thought is where the passion and desire originally come from, as I feel it is more of your own choice and not the path that the gods set you on. As an individual, you have to decide when you should go in full throttle and when you need to stay back and let nature run its course. .
Krishna explained to Arjuna the difference between a man and a god, and told him that if you think like a god, you can become one, but if you act like a man, you will stay as one. Krishna told Arjuna to perform his work without becoming attached to it, to detach himself from all earthly sensations, and to react to each different sensation as if it were the same.