A few people came up to me at the Influence Mastery course last weekend and said that we had really raised the standard in terms of the course compared to previous courses we had done. It got me thinking, what does raising standards really mean, why do we do it and how do we successfully do it?
To me, raising standards is about taking whatever you deliver and making it even better in every way possible than it has been before. It means understanding what your current standards or expectations of quality are and deciding what you want them to be instead.
Raising standards is so important in the current business world. Since competition is at an all time high, to stand out in the market place, it is crucial that you focus on being the best you can possibly be and use any and every learning that you have from previous iterations of your product or service to inform the new version. It is critical because it ensures your survival and keeps your brand consistent with the highest possible quality of service.
Even in your personal life, raising standards is extremely important. For example, what kind of body do you want? How healthy do you want to be? What kind of social life do you want to have? What kind of relationship is important to you? If you don’t raise your standards it is easy to get lazy or get into a rut or find your relationship becoming stale. Raising standards means you continuously get better.
In order to raise your standards, the first step would be to ask the fundamental question: ‘What are your standards right now?’ What do you accept in the work that you do or your body or relationships? Often we let ourselves off the hook because we have a goal that never becomes a need. A standard is something you hold yourself to which means it is not just something you aspire to, but something you need to achieve. You will not tolerate the possibility of failing to succeed.
Another key to raising your standards is reminding yourself of why you are doing it. The answer to ‘why?’ is often the key motivation that drives people to success. You need to consider the consequences if you don’t and the benefits if you do. Raising your standards makes you more effective at what you do. It helps you improve and it challenges you to be your best more of the time.
Lastly, it is important to ask yourself the question ‘What are all the ways I can raise the standards here?’ So, for example, with the Influence Mastery event, it was not just about the content. It was about every aspect of the experience that the participants went through. I kept asking what else we could do to make things more special, more valuable and more worthwhile. The aim is to keep asking this next time as well. Because the more value you bring to people, the better you do. The more you work on your relationship, the happier you will be together. The more you push yourself physically from a health perspective, the healthier and fitter you will be.
Raising standards is about deciding that you are going to be more, do more and impact more. It is one of the most fulfilling things you can ever do.
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