Defining and Developing Your Standards

One of the things that has changed the way I live on a day to day basis is orienting my life around the standards I set for myself. Goals are nice, but they’re often aspirational and require that you stretch yourself to achieve them. Standards are more grounded in who you want to be on a daily basis, the level of expectation you have for yourself, and they serve as the bass drum to your daily performance.

Many people talk about wanting to hold themselves to a higher standard but fail to do so, and I have two hypotheses as to why. The first is that people haven’t clearly defined them. How can you know if you reached the level of performance you expect for yourself if you haven’t outlined what that even means? 

Beyond that, you need to objectively reflect on a daily basis as to whether you did what you intended to do. Your mind can make up some convenient perspective about your performance, but when you state the facts and compare them to the target, you can see them for what they are.

Let’s use the example of holding yourself to a higher standard in your diet. What does that even mean? First you need to define it. Perhaps it means hitting your macros, fulfilling a gluten-free or vegan diet. Or maybe it means not eating processed foods, oversnacking, having more than one serving of dessert, or eating within an intermittent fasting window. The more detailed you get about those daily standards, the more you can objectively compare what you chose to do with what you intended to do.

A standard is not meant to be completely unattainable or overly ambitious. If you’re looking for improvement, you can make adjustments one criteria at a time. Start with a gluten-free lunch before converting your whole diet. Change one serving of dessert to one bite to taste it. Like a dial, your standards evolve one intention at a time.

Your standards also change in different seasons of life. If you have a child, start a new job, move to a new city or have a new condition, that calls for new expectations of yourself that are more compatible with the opportunities, commitments, and limitations you’re currently facing. When you choose to orient your life around your standards, you create the foundational health and productivity you need to strive for bigger goals!

I’ve got a brand new process to share with you. If you’ve been wanting to raise your standard and tap into your greater potential, knowing that you can be more consistent and international on a daily basis, then click here to book a time to chat - I’d love to find a way to support you.

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