The Importance Of Standards

The Holistic Journey | July 15, 2023

​Read the full version & other letters here​

Throughout my life, I've always held myself to the highest standard.

I've only been on this planet for 16 years, but for as long as I can remember - I always wanted to be the best.

It did not matter where I was, I constantly strove for greatness. Whether it was in competition against others in my class, getting the best grades possible, and simply outperforming my peers in every facet of my life...

The standards that I held (and still hold) myself to were peak.

I've always known myself to be a competitive person, but it was only a few years ago when I realized the actuality of the standards I held myself to.

It was at that same moment where I also realized why I held myself to such high standards.

My parents.

To be more specific - my immigrant parents.

These people who I owe my life to are the majority of the reason why I've always held myself so high and tried to be the best.

I realized that I wanted to make them proud.

Funnily enough, it was at that same moment where I came to the realization that's ignited fire within me to this day.

I don't want to live a life of mediocrity.

Society's Standards

Your standards are reflected through your quality of life.

Yet, the quality of life that most people lead nowadays are poor to say the least.

This could even be you.

How could this be, you ask?

It's because you're following the standards set by society.

The societal standards that everyone grows up with are a prison that not everyone breaks out of - and even those that do aren't guaranteed to live the good life.

But what are these modernized standards?

Here are some, just to name a few:

• Going to college
  • Spending 4 years of your life chasing a degree
  • Leaving college with $35,000 of student debt
  • Searching for a job that isn't guaranteed
  • Working the 9-5
  • Going home and stuffing yourself with fast food
  • Getting angry at a TV
  • Going to bed knowing that you have work tomorrow
  • Repeating that cycle for 40 years
  • ONLY 2 weeks of vacation/year
• Body ‘positivity’
• Degeneracy

Now these standards set to you by society are not the devil.

Not at all.

If the traditional path of education is even required for the profession that you desire, so don't vilify it when you need to go through it in pursuit of your passion.

But for many us, we don't want to live that life.

The life of mediocrity.

The life of modernity.

All it takes is one trip to Walmart to observe, without judgement - the life led by most people after following society's standards.

It's clear that something is trying to weaken us.

What is that something?

Who knows?

Who even cares?

But from the second we're born into this world, society projects its standards upon us all.

They lead you to live a life fueled by extrinsic motivation fueled by society and not fueled by your own passions.

Standards Are Everything

That's a saying from James Clear, the author of the best-selling book, Atomic Habits.

It's a fantastic quote, but the version below is much more appropriate.

There are moments in life where you just want to stop everything...

The moments where you just want to slip back into comfort.

The moments where you just want to give up.

But there are different versions of this circumstance among the people of society.

Some see their version of "giving up" by having 1 cheat meal.

While others see their version of "giving up" by drowning themselves in drugs, alcohol, and degeneracy.

What's the difference between these people?

You guessed it.

STANDARDS!

When you've set high standards for yourself, and you start crumbling a bit...

You don't fall that far off the mountain.

You fall to your standards.

High standards are the KEY to succeeding in a world where external forces project the lowest standards upon you.

When you've set high standards for:

1. Yourself
2. Your family
3. Your friends

Everyone benefits as a result.

Your quality of life goes up.

Your self-awareness goes up.

You have more drive stemming from intrinsic motivation.

The amazing thing about your standards is that it's unlimited accountability, since they're the principles that you set for yourself.

They are the guide to living your life.

So it's of the utmost importance that you set the bar high for yourself.

It's time that I show you how to do that.

Evaluate Your Standards - 3 Methods

1). Life Evaluation

Take a pen and paper and evaluate the state of your life right now.

You're going to do something called brain dumping.

It's when you jot down every thought in your mind in general, or following a specific prompt.

If you're interested in learning more about brain dumping and journaling, check out my free journaling guide.​

In this practice of life evaluation...

You're going to brain dump every thought about:

1. The current quality of your life
2. The qualities about the life that you desire
3. The qualities about the life that you would NEVER want to live.

This follows directly with method 2.

2). Create A Vision & Anti-Vision

This practice taps into the power of having a negative vision.

The human brain is affected by negative stimuli much more than positive stimuli.

Chances are, you remember more negative things that's happened to you - or others in your life far more than positive things.

That's because negative thoughts have a greater impact on us than positive thoughts.

So when you create an Anti-Vision for your future once you've created a vision for your future...

You're going to be fueled much more after realizing the worst possible reality that you could live in, versus the ideal reality that you desire.

Read my previous letter on why you need to create a vision for your future right here.​

I go over exactly the how (and why) you need to create a vision for your future using the vision tree framework.

After creating both your vision and anti-vision for your future...

You realize the standards that you must hold yourself to to:

• Achieve your vision
• Never come close to your anti-vision

3). Quick Visualization Practice

Similar to creating method 2, but this time - you won't need a pen and paper.

This is a simple visualization exercise that taps into the power of your mind.

All you need to do is:

• Sit down in a comfortable position
• Close your eyes
• Take a deep breath
• Visualize every aspect of your ideal future
• Visualize the daily lifestyle
• Visualize your friends & family
• Visualize all the fun experiences

That's the vision of your deal future

Now it's time to do the same, but for your worst future:

• Sit down in a comfortable position
• Close your eyes
• Take a deep breath
• Visualize every aspect of your worst future.
• Visualize waking up stressed & tired
• Visualize sitting in traffic for hours a day going to work at your boring & monotonous 9-5 job
• Visualize being overweight and eating pizza & burgers every night

Those were just simple examples of what my worst future would look like.

(Obviously not visualizing a doomsday scenario)

After visualizing both futures, you're going to come up with the same realization that you did with method 2.

"I need to raise my standards."

That's it.

If you've made it this far, thank you so much.

I appreciate you.

Check out my free products below.

Guide To Mental Mastery

Guide To Journaling

Remember that I can only guide you to live a better life.

The rest is in your hands.

- Ethan

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