Setting the Standards

Raising Your Expectations

Champions aren't born, they're made. But it's not enough to merely aspire to greatness. You need to surround yourself with the right standards and exemplars to raise your own.

The people you spend time with have a powerful influence on your mindset and behavior. If you're surrounded by average performers, it's only natural that you'll adopt average standards. But if you elevate the bar - if you curate your environment to include people who embody the excellence you want to cultivate in yourself - then you'll find that your own standards will gradually rise to match theirs.

This is a fundamental truth about human nature. As the famous quote goes, "you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." The people around you shape your defaults, your habits, your decision-making. If you want to break out of the "zone of average," you need to be deliberate about upgrading your social circle.

Identifying Your Exemplars

The first step is to identify the people in your life who already embody the qualities, skills, and mindsets you want to develop. These are your exemplars - the models of excellence that you can learn from and aspire to emulate.

Your exemplars could be colleagues, mentors, historical figures, or even fictional characters. The key is that they've achieved a level of mastery that you want to attain, whether it's in a specific domain or in their overall approach to life.

As you're choosing your exemplars, ask yourself:

• What specific traits, habits, or decision-making processes do I want to cultivate? Get clear on the concrete behaviors and mindsets you want to develop.
• Whose example best represents those qualities? Identify individuals who have consistently demonstrated the excellence you aspire to.
• How can I observe and learn from their approach? Consider ways to directly engage with your exemplars, whether through their writings, interviews, or even personal interaction.

By surrounding yourself with people who raise the bar, you'll find that your own standards start to rise as well. Their influence becomes a powerful force for self-improvement.

Building Your Personal Board of Directors

Once you've identified your exemplars, the next step is to actively curate them into your "personal board of directors." This is a collection of individuals whose wisdom, expertise, and character you can draw upon to guide your own development.

Imagine a group of trusted advisors who are always there to provide counsel, challenge your thinking, and hold you accountable. Your personal board of directors can include a diverse range of people - from subject matter experts to generalists, from historical figures to contemporary role models.

The key is to assemble a team that collectively embodies the standards and attributes you want to cultivate in yourself. As you engage with this virtual board, you'll find that their influence starts to shape your decision-making, your habits, and your overall approach to life.

Mastering the Art of Imitation

There's no shame in imitating excellence. In fact, it's one of the most powerful ways to develop your own capabilities and elevate your standards.

Think about it: the best way to learn a new skill is often to observe and mimic those who have already mastered it. Whether it's learning a musical instrument, perfecting a tennis swing, or honing your leadership abilities, the path to mastery usually involves carefully studying and practicing the techniques of those who have gone before you.

The same principle applies to cultivating clear thinking and good judgment. By closely observing the decision-making processes, habits, and mindsets of your exemplars, you can start to internalize and embody those same qualities in your own life.

So don't be afraid to shamelessly imitate the excellence you admire. Observe how your exemplars approach problems, make decisions, and carry themselves. Then, make a conscious effort to incorporate those behaviors into your own daily life.

Over time, you'll find that the standards and attributes of your personal board of directors become second nature. They'll become the new default, the new baseline from which you operate. And as that happens, you'll start to see a remarkable transformation in your own decision-making, your outcomes, and your overall trajectory in life.

The Power of Raising the Bar

Elevating your standards isn't easy. It requires a willingness to step outside your comfort zone, to risk looking foolish, and to constantly push yourself to new levels of excellence. But the payoff is immense.

When you surround yourself with people who embody the qualities you want to develop, you're tapping into a powerful biological force: social proof (opens in a new tab). We're wired to conform to the norms and behaviors of the groups we belong to. By immersing yourself in an environment of high-performing exemplars, you're harnessing that tendency to drive your own self-improvement.

Moreover, by consistently exposing yourself to models of excellence, you're conditioning your brain to view that level of performance as the new normal. Your aspirations and expectations gradually rise to match the standards of your personal board of directors. And as that happens, you'll find that you start to automatically make choices and take actions that align with those elevated standards.

The end result? You become unstoppable. As you continuously raise the bar for yourself, you'll unlock an unprecedented level of personal and professional growth. Your decision-making will become sharper, your resilience will deepen, and your ability to achieve your most ambitious goals will skyrocket.

So don't settle for average. Identify the exemplars who embody the qualities you want to cultivate, assemble your personal board of directors, and start imitating excellence. It's a surefire path to unleashing your full potential and achieving the success you desire.

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