Raise Your Standards: How to Expect More From Yourself (and Follow Through)

The gap between who we are and who we could be is often a matter of expectations. Not from others—from ourselves. If we expect very little, we tend to settle for very little. But when we raise the bar, when we ask more of ourselves, we often find we had more to give all along. This isn’t about perfection or hustle culture. It’s about personal growth. And that starts with deciding that your current standard is no longer enough. Let’s explore what it actually looks like to raise your expectations—and how to do it in a way that sticks.

1. Start with Discipline, Not Motivation                                                                                

‍The Stoic philosopher Epictetus said, “How long are you going to wait before you demand the best of yourself?” He wasn’t asking for heroics. He was calling for daily discipline. Instead of waiting for motivation to strike, set a higher standard for your habits—and follow through whether you feel like it or not.

Tactical Application:

Pick one area of your life—nutrition, fitness, sleep, reading—and raise the floor.                      For example:                                                                                                                                    “I don’t skip workouts.”

“I prep lunch every Sunday night, non-negotiable.”

“I turn my phone off by 9 PM.”

Don’t try to be perfect. Just expect more from yourself today than you did yesterday.

2. Choose Discomfort Over Convenience

Angela Duckworth, author of Grit, studied high performers across disciplines. What did they have in common?

They consistently chose discomfort in pursuit of growth. Whether it was Navy SEALs, Olympic athletes, or top CEOs—they expected struggle, and leaned into it.

Tactical Application:

Do one hard thing every day. 

That might be:

• Having an uncomfortable conversation
• Waking up 30 minutes earlier
• Finishing a task without distraction

The more you get used to doing hard things, the more you start to see yourself as someone who does what others avoid. That identity shift is a complete game changer. 

3. Set a Higher Standard for Your Inputs

The mind is a garden, and your daily habits are the seeds. The Stoics believed in guarding their minds carefully—because what you consume shapes what you produce. Marcus Aurelius wrote, “The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.”

Tactical Application:

Audit your daily inputs.

• Replace mindless scrolling with intentional reading
• Swap gossip for quality conversation
• Trade sugar-fueled energy spikes for balanced meals

What you expect of your body, mind, and time is entirely up to you. Choose inputs that match the person you want to become.

4. Stop Giving Yourself a Way Out 

Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady famously said, “You push your body to the limits, but you can’t ever push it if you’re not mentally there. You’ve got to wake up every day and say, ‘I’m going to do this.’” The principle? Don’t leave yourself a Plan B when you’ve committed to Plan A.

Tactical Application:

Write down one non-negotiable goal each week.

Not a dream. A demand. 

Example:

“I will train three times this week, even if the time window is short.”

“I will say no to anything that takes away from sleep and stress recovery.”

Follow through. No excuses. Show yourself you can be trusted with your own standards.

Final Thought

When you raise your expectations, the world doesn’t always change overnight—but you do. And over time, that shift in identity leads to a life with less regret, more clarity, and higher performance.

Start small. Stay consistent. And remember:

You don’t rise to the level of your goals—you fall to the level of your standards.

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