Aspiring to high standards

The discussion from yesterday about quality and quantity relates to an aspiration we all have. I hope. The aspiration to become a better human being. For better results, evaluate your progress every day. To evaluate your progress, you need to know your standards.

So, what do your standards look like? This may seem silly because something in me believes that even if we are not aware of it, we aspire for better in everything we are and do. 

It’s in our nature.

I am inviting you to have a look and ask yourself this question: When it comes to being a human being, how high are your standards?

‘An eminently dignified’ quote

“Meandering through life instead of becoming who we could be – instead of attaining our highest possible manifestation of being, we become…Whatever we become. 

We fall short.”

The Code. The Evaluation. The protocols: Striving to become an eminently qualified human

by Jocko Willink, Dave Berke, Sarah Armstrong

These guys have high standards, I can relate to that. But, at the same time, I wonder to what extent we can set our standards and make an effort to reach them. I’m having a hard time doing it myself. It is also true that in our nature, we aspire for the path of least resistance and homeostasis, not to rock the boat of our existence if we do not have to. 

Setting high standards for yourself may require assistance from another person that knows you, or a coach or a team, possibly aspiring with you together to the same standards or goals. 

The help you may need

I am an extremely disciplined person. I got that from 25 years of holding my life in my hands, swinging on the trapeze. Jocko Willink possibly got it in the Navy Seals (another life-risking endeavor) when he says: 

“You must impose unmitigated daily discipline in all things.”

I love that. That’s a reasonably high standard, but one I am willing to sign up for. Provided I know what my goals are, as my father well noted in his comment to yesterday’s post.

The thing is, I know, from experience, that I could reach much higher standards with help from other people. And so can you if you hold high standards for yourself and need help living up to them daily. Evaluate your progress daily and weekly for better results in anything you’re doing. 

Let me know in the comments below.