5 Ways to Raise Your Standards to Improve Your Life

#5 is my favorite

The life you’re living is based on your standards.

Period.

Right now, your life, income, career, health, lifestyle, happiness, fulfillment—EVERYTHING— is based on your current standards.

So, if you don’t like something about your life, that means your current standard isn’t good enough.

Period.

Not many people know this, especially those wondering WTF about their life.

Our standards about ourselves and our lives are non-negotiable.

Therefore, we all live up to them.

If you want to make your life better, then you must raise your standards.

We only get what we believe we deserve. Raise the bar, raise your standards and you will receive a better outcome. — Joel Brown

This is more than goal-setting

We often just set goals.

That’s not good enough. We fail, fall short and abandon goals.

A goal is a step leading you to achieve your standards.

A standard is non-negotiable.

Determining your standards is the key to attaining the life you want.

Therefore, the ultimate question you must ask yourself is, are your standards high enough?

If you want to change your life you have to raise your standards. - Tony Robbins

If you are unhappy with ___(Fill in the blank)___, then this is where you must raise your standards.

By doing so, you turn your “shoulds” into “musts,” and you will not settle for less.

Without standards, there can be no improvement. — Taiichi Ohno

Your standards are based on your beliefs

Just as who you are and the life you have are based on your standards, those standards are based on your beliefs.

Sometimes that’s a great thing.

Often, it is not.

We all have self-limiting beliefs about ourselves, life, and the world around us. All too often, these beliefs are false or outdated.

“I’m not good enough.”

“I don’t deserve success, someone special in my life or happiness.”

“I’m not smart, talented, disciplined, ambitious enough.”

“I need to please others.”

“The world isn’t fair,” or “My situations are someone else’s fault.”

Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.

These beliefs often form in childhood and are typically the opinions or living examples of others (e.g., parents). We absorb them as truth when, in fact, they are the problems and shortcomings of others…not you.

You have set standards for how you want to be treated and what you expect from yourself and for yourself. — Iyanla Vanzant

This can really screw your life up or elevate your life (standards) if they’re positive.

It’s a formula that is as true as the equation for gravity.

Beliefs drive Emotions which drive Decisions which then drive Actions which leads to Habits that equal Results (your current life) that then Validate those original beliefs because you get an outcome based on those beliefs.

It is a perpetual cycle. The question for you is: Is it a good cycle or a self-limiting one?

These negative beliefs need to be identified and then overcome by realizing they are not true; they will not define you and they do not match the new standards that are right for you.

Every next level of your life will demand a different you. — Leonardo DiCaprio

Your standards are the ultimate success factor

Anyone, anywhere, at any time throughout history succeeded because they had raised their standards.

Goals just don’t carry the weight. They can be transitory. They need to be adaptable as you go through the process of achieving your standards (pivoting, resilience, adapting, etc.). In a way, they are about the details.

Benchmarks are the key achievements to attain along the way. If you want to be a nurse, you must get a degree, pass your boards, etc.

If you want to be healthier, you need to determine your benchmarks in terms of weight, physique, stamina and the like. Then, you set goals regarding what, how, when, and how often you work on it.

Your standard is to be in great health and have the habits that make you so as to have the physical ability to live the life you want and need.

If your standards are low, you’re going to stop pretty early on in the process. — Aimee Mann

Identifying your standards right from the start is, therefore the ultimate key to success.

The Five-Step Process

#1 Set your standard & and change your beliefs

Setting your standards is the easiest thing you can do. You know what you need and want. By understanding this is your new standard, you have taken a huge step.

But first, you must identify those untrue, outdated, self-limiting beliefs that have caused you to live down to a lower standard.

By definition, we believe a belief to be true.

But what if it’s not?

You may be able to identify them instantly or it may take some time and effort.

Begin to notice where there is conflict within you.

In what ways do you deeply feel you deserve better?

What parts of your life don’t seem to be aligned with who you truly know you are?

Think of the ways you perceive yourself in negative and limited ways.

Where did that belief come from? When did you first believe it, and why?

Ask yourself, “Is that really true about me? Or was it what so-and-so said about me?”

Once you identify them, you can honestly and forcefully ask yourself if that belief is true.

Does it apply to you, or has it been a self-fulfilling prophecy? Do you need to hold onto it, or can you change your belief to something truer and more positive?

Amazingly, for me and others I know, once the false belief has been identified and labeled as false, the pivot to a positive, enabling and true belief can sometimes be instantaneous.

If not, keep working on it. After all, your new standards demand that you do so.

We all have the right and the ability to define ourselves and our own lives.

I wrote down all the things I would no longer accept in my life, all the things I would no longer tolerate and all the things that I aspired to become. — Tony Robbins

#2 Know your why

Everything of meaning starts with your why. Why do you want these higher standards? Why do you need them? Why do you deserve them?

Understand everything about why you want this new standard, even down to the most basic desire (which often ends with “to be happy”), by asking why of each answer.

You may need to ask “why” multiple times to get down to the essence of your why.

#3 Know your what

What does your new standard look like, smell like, feel like, sound like…etc.?

What are the results of it? What is your life like?

What will it mean to you? What will it do for your life?

This will motivate you and get you going. It is also very important to know the results you are seeking as a benefit of your new standard.

#4 Map out how

Now you are ready for the critical tactical stage: How you will achieve your new standard.

What are the steps, actions, and mindsets you need to take to get there? What’s the process?

What are the goals associated with those steps, actions and your mindset?

What are your benchmarks along the way that need to be met and by when (deadlines are critical)?

Be prepared to be resilient and realistic.

Some steps will be more difficult than you expect. Some actions may not work, and you will need to modify and pivot. You may also need to add new benchmarks and goals or drop existing ones.

Embrace the fluidity of the process and expect the challenges. Since you’ve raised your standard, you will be naturally driven to overcome and persevere.

#5 Be the new standard

Circle back to #3. What does your new standard look like, smell like, feel like, sound like…etc.? What are the results of it? What is your life like?

Think it out in as much detail as you can. Fanaticize, dream, meditate and envision. Work hard on feeling the emotion of what it will be like when you reach your higher standard.

This is really important for two reasons. First, it is a way to fully think it through by starting with the end result and working your way backward.

Secondly, this is literally rewiring your brain with new neural pathways that your mind will believe this is the new reality for you.

Your reticular activating system is now reprogrammed to do everything it can to support you and help you achieve your new standard.

If you so believe, there is a spiritual result of aligning with the universe or praying to God.

Raise your standards and the universe will meet you there. — Anonymous

This can be had. It is there for all of us

A higher standard in whatever part of your life you want and need is there for all of us.

You elevate yourself beyond just goals to something bigger and better.

Raising your standards leads to lasting change.

You will turn a “want to” into a “have to” because you, me and all of us ultimately live up to our standards.

Raise your standards and you will rise along with them. ― Mastin Kipp

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