High Standards
The standards we set for ourselves significantly affect the quality of our lives. If we settle for low standards, we won’t always bring the best out of ourselves.
When we don’t push or challenge ourselves consistently, it’s doubtful we will create the results or the lifestyle we want.
High standards can be beneficial and detrimental if there isn’t a healthy balance between what’s essential and what’s not required.
You compare your progress or success to other people
Comparing ourselves with others can bring up unhealthy emotions such as disappointment, regret, envy, jealousy, frustration, or sadness.
While desiring more success can be positive, knowing the reasons for wanting more success is essential.
You are very disciplined
Those with high standards do not let anything get in the way of what they want.
They can give themselves a directive and then take the necessary steps to get what they want.
You don’t like to fail
While we all have different definitions of failure, we don’t like to miss our objectives.
Those with high standards find it hard to accept that something has not worked out how they wanted it to.
Sometimes, this results in persevering with something longer than necessary.
You tend to be hard on yourself when you make a mistake
Similar to not wanting to fail, making a mistake can bring up different emotions in people with high standards.
They tend to be harder on themselves when they make a mistake than others.
This can result in a loss of motivation, slowing progress toward their desired goals.
You downplay your successes
People with high standards find it hard to receive compliments. Therefore they downplay what they have accomplished.
They don’t want to come across as bragging about their successes, so they prefer to minimize their achievements.
You over-think things alot
High achievers constantly think about what they should do more.
Whenever they receive feedback, especially negative feedback, they tend to dwell on why they received that feedback, and once again, that can lead to being hard on themselves.
You always want to do better
This has to be one of the most significant benefits of having high standards — never settle for what has been accomplished until now.
High achievers know they can always do better, so they are constantly focused on improving themselves and what they do.
You do more for others than you do for yourself
People with high standards readily help others, sometimes to their detriment, because they don’t give themselves the care and support they need.
There has to be a balance between how much we do for others and ourselves.
You push yourself to work as hard as you can
Constantly working is not an intelligent long-term strategy because we all need to rest, recover and rejuvenate.
Those with high standards often have big goals and put additional pressure on themselves to achieve them in their set timeframe.
This results in them working longer hours, eventually catching up with them.