Minimum Standards
- Mr Smyth
- Jul 2
- 2 min read
Your life is often shaped less by:
your goals
and more by:
your minimum standards.
Because goals are things you hope for.
Minimum standards are:
what you refuse to fall below.
Top performers still:
get tired
have off days
lose motivation
feel stressed
But even on bad days,their standards remain higher than average.
That is why they continue progressing while others constantly restart.
Main Problems
1. Most people let emotions lower their standards
A lot of people think:
“I’m tired.”
“I can’t be bothered.”
“Today doesn’t matter.”
So their standards collapse completely.
One bad day becomes:
no revision
bad habits
avoidance
lost momentum
2. Students think standards mean perfection
Minimum standards are NOT about:
being perfect
going 100% every day
never struggling
Top performers understand:some days will naturally be lower energy.
The goal is:
staying above the minimum standard.
3. Most students have standards that are too low
If your standard becomes:
“I’ll revise when motivated”
“I’ll try if I feel like it”
“I’ll only work on good days”
then progress becomes inconsistent.
Your standards quietly shape your future.
Action 1: Identify Your Current Minimum Standards
Ask yourself honestly:
“What do I currently allow?”
For example:
skipping revision easily?
quitting when stressed?
procrastinating constantly?
giving minimal effort?
Your current standards explain a lot about your current results.
Action 2: Raise The Floor, Not Just The Ceiling
A lot of people focus only on:
huge goals
peak performance
perfect days
Top performers focus on:
raising the minimum.
Example:
Old standard:
“I’m tired, I’ll eat whatever.”
Higher standard:
“I’m tired today, so I won’t cook the perfect healthy meal… but I’ll still get vegetables and protein in.”
Notice:
still human
still realistic
still flexible
But the standard stayed higher.
This applies to revision too.
Instead of:
“I missed the day completely.”
Maybe the higher minimum standard becomes:
10 minutes
5 questions
reviewing notes briefly
Not perfect.But still progress.
Action 3: Decide What “Non-Negotiable” Looks Like
Top performers often create:
non-negotiables.
Things that happen:
regardless of mood
regardless of motivation
regardless of excuses
Examples:
attend lessons
complete minimum revision
sleep properly before exams
no phone during focused work
These standards create stability.
Action 4: Build Standards Around Identity
Ask:
“What would someone serious about improvement allow?”
Would they:
constantly quit?
endlessly procrastinate?
give up after one difficult day?
Probably not.
Your standards shape your identity over time.
Action 5: Understand That Consistency Beats Intensity
Most people try:
extreme effort
unsustainable routines
unrealistic perfection
Then collapse.
Top performers build:
sustainable standards.
Standards they can maintain:
on good days
average days
and difficult days
That consistency compounds massively over time.
Top performers are not perfect.
They simply refuse to let their standards fall too low 😊
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