Today’s Mandala Message: Establish Your Highest Standards
This week I’m working through Principle #55 “Be a Class Act”. I set my intention today to ponder what would be some of my highest standards. Canfield references Dan Sullivan’s (The Strategic Coach Program) list of characteristics of a class act with the first one being “Live by your own highest standards. Class acts liberate themselves by establishing personal standards of thinking and behavior that are more demanding and exacting than those of conventional society. They are consciously _chosen_, established, and applied.”
I would equate standards to be similar to values. For me such things as integrity, compassion, empathy, joy, and creativity are values that I choose to live by knowing that some days I’m better at it than others. I believe that striving to be better than what’s expected of me is probably my leading standard to live by. I have my parents to thank for that because I grew up with them modeling for us a strong work ethic.
For instance, high standards for my mom were 1) creating impeccable meals for us and our guests, 2) always dressing with style, and 3) providing an environment in our home that was always nice and clean. High standards for my dad, a carpenter, were 1) doing work that was above and beyond what was required, 2) helping people in nursing homes by visiting them and buying them gifts and necessities, and 3) making sure everyone had a good time whether it was heading up a bbq or pool party, making people laugh with his myriad of jokes, or writing and performing comedic skits in our local talent show every year.
Both of them have inspired me to always find ways to do better both for myself and for others.
A good mindfulness practice would be to consider what would be your highest standards of being.
So how about you? What does living by your own highest standards mean to you? Is it something you already do now? Is it something you could improve upon?
“You have competition every day
— Michael Jordan
because you set
such high standards for yourself
that you have to go out
every day and live up to that.”
Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
All Things Mandalas
An Invitation
I invite you to color along with me this year as part of what I’m calling “The Year of Self-Exploration and Expansion” with all of my “Mandalas of the ___” (day, week, month, year). If you’re interested in more of a self-exploration approach to coloring, check out my “Coloring Mandalas as Meditation”. You can download this mandala at MandalaoftheWeek.com.
Mandala of the Day 