Standard Over Feelings
Standard Over Feelings
Your feelings are real. They’re valid. But they are not always reliable guides for your actions.
If you show up only on the days you feel like it, your results will reflect that inconsistency. If you push hard only when you’re “motivated,” you’ll be waiting a long time between big wins. Feelings can be like weather — shifting, unpredictable, and often outside your control. Standards are the compass — steady, dependable, and always pointing you where you need to go.
Your standards should be your guideposts and your guardrails.
They are the non-negotiables you commit to, no matter how you feel. They define:
How you act – even when you’re tired, annoyed, or discouraged.
What you do – the daily habits, disciplines, and commitments you keep.
What you don’t do – the distractions, shortcuts, or compromises you avoid.
When you’re driven by standards instead of feelings, you take your emotional state out of the driver’s seat. It doesn’t mean you ignore your feelings. It means you don’t let them make your decisions for you.
Think of a professional athlete on game day. It doesn’t matter if they woke up sore, had a bad night’s sleep, or just don’t “feel like it.” The standard is to show up and perform. Why? Because performance at a high level is built on consistency, not convenience.
Practical ways to put standard over feelings:
Define your non-negotiables. What are the 2–3 actions you commit to daily no matter what?
Write them down. Seeing them in black and white makes them harder to rationalize away.
Measure against your standards, not your mood. End the day asking: “Did I hit my standard?” — not “Did I feel like it?”
Remind yourself of the bigger ‘why.’ Standards are easier to keep when they’re tied to a purpose that matters to you.
The Bottom Line
Your feelings may try to bargain with you: Skip the workout. Put off the call. Take it easy today. But your standards don’t negotiate.
If how up for your standards, they will show up for your success.
Helping you Thrive,
Judy
Founder, Selby Strategies
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