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Raise Your Standards

by
Rachael Lewis, Coach

One of the clear paths to raising the quality of your life is by raising your standards. Standards are the behaviors/excellence that you naturally hold yourself to. To live without standards is to place yourself at the whims of chance and others.

Standards are a Yes! "Yes, I treat others well." "Yes, I am honest." "Yes, I am someone who learns quickly." "Yes, I don't tolerate much." Don't lump your shoulds or coulds in with your standards. Shoulds and coulds are behaviors/actions that either you aren't ready for yet or are not right for you. Life's too short for shoulds and coulds. Don't make yourself raise your standards; just sense which standards are ready to be naturally raised.

As you raise your standards, you will notice that you:

• upgrade the quality of your relationships
• are more at peace with yourself
• model behavior you desire from your staff at work
• attract others with high personal standards
• attract opportunities that you might not otherwise have noticed

10 Ways To Raise Your Standards

I challenge you to choose at least 2 and raise your standards this week.

1. Tame your ego at least once a day. Before speaking ask yourself if what you're about to say is to make someone wrong and prove yourself special. Or ask yourself will it bring more turmoil or more serenity?
2. Tell the truth. Being honest with yourself and others is a source of power. Separate your judgement about something from the truth about the situation. Ask yourself: "Where am I not being honest with myself or others?"
3. Stop tolerating. We are what we tolerate. Send for Just-In-Time Coaching Issue #6 for an excellent article on eliminating what you tolerate.
4. Be present with people. Show up to meetings on time and participate. Return phone calls and email more quickly. You'll find you'll be more at peace with yourself without having a long to do list.
5. Honor your promises. Another way of saying this is underpromise and overdeliver.
6. Stop gossiping or being in the middle of conversations that others should be having directly. Send for Just-In-Time Coaching Issue #20 for an article on this standard.
7. Be accepting of others and yourself. Acceptance and approval are different. To approve (or disapprove) is to judge. To accept is to recognize and acknowledge what IS. Ask yourself: "Am I willing to accept (not approve) others, situations, life, etc. as they are or it is? What am I not willing to accept?" Accepting a situation "as is" does not forfeit your right to change it.
8. Build your reserves. Reserve is a margin, the full gas tank or the cushion in the account. To have reserve is to be freed from the demands of circumstance or crisis. There are ten areas of reserve. Ask yourself: "What are my reserves of time, space, money, energy, opportunity, love, information, wisdom, self, and integrity?"
9. Raise your fitness level. Fitness is physical, mental, and spiritual. To be "fit" is to be more than prepared to deal with what comes at you. Fitness is a process whereby we create reserves of energy. Ask yourself: "What is the minimum level of performance in each of these areas that I am willing to accept?" This puts you in mind, body, and soul alignment.
10. Evaluate your relationships. What's the basis for the communication and the relationship you have with others? Is it to be interesting to them, or to be interested in them? Is it to see what you can get, or is it to be of service? Are your relationships healthy or are they out of balance? This standard is critical in determining the success with which we negotiate this journey called life.

Be great!

Rachael Lewis, CPC
The Fast-Track Coach

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Copyright (c) 1998, 1999 Rachael Lewis. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute this newsletter so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached.