Hey Moguls, Doug Van Buskirk here…
Today, I want to talk about standards, specifically, your standards - how to raise them and why you should.
Well, you raise your standards by exposing yourself to new ideas and new stories. The human brain is remarkable because simply knowing that another person has done a particular feat will make it seem attainable for you. It shows you how most limitations we feel are actually just restrictions we place on ourselves – limiting beliefs.
The story of running a 4-minute mile is the perfect display of what I’m talking about here. There’s a little discrepancy about all the details of the story, but here’s the meat and potatoes…
Make the Impossible Possible
For the first half of the 20th century, running a 4-minute mile was deemed impossible. Scientists and pundits alike said that the human body couldn’t withstand the stress, and that even the greatest human athlete simply didn’t have the capability to run a mile so quickly.
Of course, up to this point, no one had run a 4-minute mile. Everyone assumed this was a physical limitation, rather than mental.
And then in 1954, Roger Bannister (the dude in the old pic up there) did the impossible. He finished a mile in 3:59.4 and completely rearranged what the athletic and scientific world thought was possible.
But what happened next was even more amazing…
Within a year, someone else had run a sub 4-minute mile. Since then, well over 1,000 people have run a mile in under 4 minutes.
How could a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in the entirety of human history all of a sudden become within reach of so many runners?
As I see it, there’s only one answer… Roger Bannister created a new standard of excellence in running.
People saw what he did and said, “If THAT guy can do it, there’s no question that I can too.”
Achieving the Impossible Is Magical
Seeing someone else achieve the impossible creates 2 magic moments:
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It shows that, in fact, this IS possible. The brain believes what it sees. And belief and conviction are core ingredients in accomplishment. That right there opens up doors inside our minds.
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It gives people a reason to try. Not everyone is cut out to try the impossible. That takes a special kind of pioneer – resilient against failure and uncertainty. My guess is that many more people dedicated themselves to running a 4-minute mile once Roger Bannister broke the record. Now they were shooting for something achievable. Now it was just a matter of effort and training.
The new standard that Roger Bannister created was not a result of looking at what HAD been done, but rather by envisioning what COULD be done in a way that compelled him emotionally to follow through on the training and preparation necessary to accomplish such a feat.
Bannister’s accomplishment made everyone else raise the standards they set for themselves. That’s the beauty and scope of his accomplishment.
Raise Your Standards Like This Guy
So let’s bring this full circle, back to your business…
Who are you reading, listening to or masterminding with that consistently raises YOUR standards of excellence? Who can you count on for “a-ha” moments that consistently raise the bar of what you expect out of yourself?
If you can’t think of anyone, my hope is that today’s lesson will inspire you to find just one person who makes you demand more for yourself.
For me, that list of people seems to grow every day: Dan Kennedy, Jay Abraham, Stephen Covey, Tim Ferris, Alan Watts and on and on it goes. In fact, I want to tell you a story of how this showed up in my life and created incredible change...
First, we need to rewind a little bit… a little while back, I was in a rut. Business was going well, but I was getting that “Groundhog Day” type of feeling. I lacked a bigger purpose and had lost momentum. Even worse, I had stopped reading because I was too focused on tactical things inside my business.
Never a good place to be in.
But, I listen to podcasts when I work out and that day, I was listening to a guy named Ryan Fletcher – a brilliant marketer and copywriter. Anyhow, during his podcast, he cut to a clip of Gary Vaynerchuk.
If you haven’t listened to Gary V, I highly recommend it. The dude’s a genius. And he’s got a no-BS style that will light a fire under just about anyone.
Well, among other things, in this clip, Gary talked about how so many people called him after he “made it” to say that he was so lucky. His response? “Forget” you (Gary’s not PG-rated, haha!)! He went on to talk about working 13-hour days, 7 days a week while all his friends were hanging out relaxing.
It made me realize how much I had been slacking and didn’t even know it. Getting up whenever I felt like it… doing just enough to get by… void of any type of fire and passion.
And in that instant, things changed.
Since then, I set new standards for what I expect, unconditionally, out of myself. Now I’m getting up at 5:30 am. I have a focused routine of reading, writing, meditating, journaling and working out that I complete before most people have gotten out of bed in the morning.
You won’t be surprised to know that the impact has been felt my friends, family, my wife, clients and business partner. And did I mention that these changes – my new standards – have gotten me completely out of that rut I told you about earlier?
Expect Excellence from Yourself
But this isn’t really about me…
I tell you this story so that you know: What you expect out of yourself is one of the most important drivers of your success.
Standards of excellence attract money, fulfillment and happiness.
Standards of mediocrity attract frustration, disappointment and confusion.
And…
My standards would have never been raised if I wasn’t consuming information from someone who already had much higher standards than me.
That’s what I’d like you to take away from this lesson…
It’s crucial to place yourself downstream from great thinkers and great doers. Your standards will rise along with theirs.
Find some business, marketing or mindset podcasts and dig in. Keep a notebook with you so you can capture “a-ha” moments. Look at the material you consume through the lens of “creating standards of excellence.” Examine your own standards and habits, and ask yourself where you’re settling for “good enough” rather than great.
Remember, standards are contagious. The people and ideas you surround yourself with will show up in your standards of excellence. So choose wisely!
Tell Me about Your Standards
I’d love to hear how your raised your own standards. Share in the comments section below.
Snap out of a rut or lack of motivation and get your head in the game.
Surround yourself with great thinkers and great doers.
Expect greatness from yourself to drive your own success.
Examine and reassess your own standards and habits, and then raise them to ensure you’re reaching for greatness.