The Case for High Standards

I’ve often heard the argument that we should have low expectations; that it’s best not to have expectations because otherwise we’re just setting ourselves up for disappointment.

I don’t want that attitude, however — because adopting that attitude would entail staying complacent instead of advocating for change for the better.

Having high standards is like having ambitious goals. If you set high goals for yourself, you’re likely to achieve more than if you don’t set any goals at all. Moreover, having high standards for others means that you believe that others can do more than they think they’re capable of, that you have faith in them.

It’s okay to have high standards, expectations. goals, etc. and to not have them met. The point of these standards, expectations, and goals is to have something to strive for and (sometimes) a way to overcome a fear of failure.

These thoughts on standards and expectations come back to the article I seem to refer to again and again: “Scared of Failing? Ask Yourselves These 6 Fear-killing Questions”.

The questions are these:

1. What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
 2. What if I fail — how will I recover?
 3. What if I do nothing?
 4. What if I succeed?
 5. What’s truly worth doing, whether you fail or succeed?
 6. In this failure, what went right?

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When we have low expectations, we must ask ourselves — what are we afraid of? What has happened in our past that makes us afraid of failure? What is the failure that we are afraid of, and how can we overcome this fear of failure?

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Thought provoking questions and a reminder to stay true to ourselves despite external pressures; to main high standards and expectations; and to never settle for anything less than we deserve.