Standards are a funny thing...

Standards are funny.

They’re arbitrary.

There are infinite ways to do the same thing. You can stop at “good enough” anywhere along the spectrum. Which means: you decide where you stop.

You are the judge, jury, and executioner.

So in theory… you should be able to drive them as high as possible.

But in reality, that doesn’t happen.

Why? Because you don’t exist in a vacuum. You exist in a system.

And that system pulls you toward average.

Which means exceptional standards aren’t the default. They’re the exception. And if you want to keep them, you have to defend them.

Here’s the real kicker:
Most people don’t set their own standards. They adopt the standards of the people around them.

Because we’re human. We want to fit in.

So if the people around you have low standards… guess what? Yours will drop too.

I’ve seen this play out in my work.

You can tell when someone’s personal standards exceed what the organization expects.

The difference is obvious:

• Some do just enough to meet the company’s bar.

• Others do what they believe is acceptable.

If you’re someone with high standards, you already know this. You can see when someone else’s bar is lower than yours.

It’s like walking into a room full of extroverts. Instantly, you know who’s louder, bolder, more outgoing. And by contrast, who’s quieter.

The same thing happens with standards. You know where you fall in the hierarchy.

So what do you do if you find yourself in a room where your standards are the highest?

You have two choices:

1. Raise the room. Fight to elevate everyone else. This serves the organization.

2. Find a new room. Put yourself where your standards aren’t the highest. This serves your growth.

Both are valuable.

Option 1 gives you practice resisting mediocrity.
Option 2 gives you aspiration and people to chase.

Either way, remember this: standards don’t rise on their own. They fall unless you fight for them.

If you keep your standards high long enough, you’ll realize something: they’re not arbitrary after all. They’re your identity.

What’s New?

This is where I’m at now - my main focus now is working on trial to subscription conversions. It’s WAY too low.

Back to work.

Have a good week all. And see you next week.

Ben.