Change Your Life by Raising Your Standards
Have you ever heard that to change your life you need to raise your standards? And have you ever wondered what your standards are, how you created them and more importantly, how you can raise them?
My curiosity was piqued when I first heard the concept of standards discussed by Tony Robbins. I remember him saying, “You don’t always hit your goals, but you always hit your standards.” As a goal-driven person, I had to know more about this.
Through research, I began to understand that our standards are created by our daily rituals and habits. The practices we do when no one’s looking actually define our standards. Take a moment to reflect on your morning routine: do your practices support the healthiest version of you? Or do you wake up in a panic, already running late, rushing all day? Clearly, when we allow our daily habits and therefore our standards to drop by failing to begin each day in a focused, powerful way, it prevents us from achieving and presenting our best selves, the people we aspire to be. Experiment with changing your daily habits and routines that support the healthiest version of you, and notice what happens to your inner standards and how you’re perceived by others.
Our brains try to keep us safe by telling us stories and passing judgments, assessing the people and environments around us. One of the ways we judge others is by how we perceive their standards: how they look and present themselves, if they appear put together or disheveled, whether they seem confident and calm, and many other factors. Consider how you show up around people depending on what standards of theirs you pick up on. What story runs in your mind when you meet someone who’s self-assured and collected, or someone who appears to be all over the place, distracted and ungrounded? We all use clues and signals we perceive to form opinions about others and their standards, even before we speak.
Raising your standards creates greater strength and confidence, empowers you in your life and how you come across to others; people who show up with clear high standards are deemed more trustworthy and reliable, and that energy is magnetic! When you choose higher standards, you’ll also feel this reflected back to you through greater cooperation and support, encouraging you to be the person you aspire to be!
Moment of Introspection & Leadership:
I made a conscious commitment to be kind to myself when reflecting on my personal and professional standards. I knew it might feel overwhelming to shift some daily habits and create new rituals to raise my standards, and being hard on myself wasn’t productive or compassionate.
I recall having the desire to raise my standards regarding organization. When I looked at the practices that would best support this goal, I realized I had to be calmer in my mind and have greater awareness and focus in my everyday habits. The ritual I believed would support me in this was meditation. I committed to five minutes each day to get started. This was the start of a practice and ritual that has changed my life by raising more of my standards.
When you find new rituals and begin with patience and commitment, you will notice over time that life has greater, more consistent flow and growth the more you raise your standards!
“If you want to change your life, you have to change your standards.”
— Tony Robbins
REFLECTIVE & DISCOVERY QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHTS & JOURNALING
What is a ritual you have been wanting to begin?
What is one thing you could do so that your morning routine supports your goals?
FOR YOUR TEAM DAILY HUDDLE
What is an area of our work that we could focus on as a team to become stronger?