To Build High, Go Deep

To build an Excelerated Life of self-actualizing, to develop and increase your potential, you must start with a deep, firm, rock-solid foundation. You can begin to strengthen your foundation by raising your standards

“I’ve upped my standards. Now, up yours.” ~ Pat Paulsen

A Wise Man And A Foolish Man

” . . . a wise man . . . built his house on rock. It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.

. . . a foolish man . . . built his house on sand. It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.” ~ Matthew 7:24 – 27 (ERV)

Why You Need A Solid Foundation

Perhaps you remember the Bible story of the wise man who built his house on rock and the foolish man who built his house on sand. The sand proved a poor foundation and the foolish man’s house tumbled down at the first big storm.

One of my friends is having a new house built – they poured the foundation this week. Like many of us, she is anxious for the exciting part of building – seeing the walls rise up and the house take shape. Pouring the foundation is pretty boring.

But nothing could be more important than getting a good, solid, level foundation. Everything to come goes on top of the foundation. If it is firm and solid, the rest of the building has a better chance of being solidly built.

The same can be said for building a strong, solid life. A strong personal foundation is the base upon which you can build a satisfying and fulfilling life. In order to create an Excelerated Life – a life of flourishing, of well-being, meaning, and purpose – you must begin on a solid foundation.

A Good Time To Do Foundation Work

The good news is that you can begin to shore up and strengthen your foundation at any point in the process. As you strengthen your foundation, other aspects of your life are improved and strengthened as well. It’s never too late to start and any time is a good time to do foundation work.

You can begin today to improve your foundation by raising your standards. Your standards are the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors you adhere to. As you raise your standards, you begin to expect more and receive more from yourself.

The Benefits Of High Personal Standards

If your standards are too low, you operate from a low-energy, low emotional level. Your self-esteem suffers and you question your self-worth. [CoachU]

When people honor high personal standards, they feel very, very good about themselves and about others. They become irresistibly attractive to others who hold themselves to high standards. They steer clear of people and situations that cause them problems. [CoachU]

Here, from Thomas Leonard, the “father” of coaching, and Coach U, are 10 things you can do to raise your personal standards.

Ten Ways To Raise Your Standards

  • Make a list of 10 people you admire. Identify their admirable qualities, natural behavior, and how they handle tough situations and people. What standards could you raise that would make you more like them, yet still be you, today?
  • Start being unconditionally constructive every single time you open your mouth, yet still say all you need to say.
  • Stop spreading gossip, good or bad, about anyone.
  • Let go of the standards you believe you should have. Instead make a list of the 10 standards you most want and are ready for today.
  • Understand that standards are a choice, not a requirement.
  • Fully respond to everything that occurs in your space. Assume you had something to do with it, but don’t take the blame. Just handle it and raise your standards so it doesn’t happen again.
  • Always put people and relationships ahead of results.
  • Always put your integrity first, needs second, and wants third.
  • Understand that others are right, and so are you.
  • Always maintain a reserve of time, money, love, and wellness.

[CoachU]

To Build High, First Go Deep

The higher you want to build a building, the deeper must be the foundation. To live a lofty life of grandeur, grace and excellence, you must build a strong personal foundation. Choose one of these items and start on it today. Any time is a good time to do foundation work. It’s a requirement for embracing the Excelerated Life™!


Excelerated Self-care™ — taking excellent care of yourself — is one step in creating your Excelerated Life™, a life of flourishing, of well-being, meaning, and purpose.

Read more about the Excelerated Life™.


Resources:

Coach U, Inc. Coach U’s Essential Coaching Tools. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005


raise your standards

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.