3 Words that Change EVERYTHING

Monday Security Memo

Intellectual Firepower for Professionals

“The difference in people's lives is the difference in their standards.”

- Tony Robbins

Dear A,

My old high school football coach, John Sprague, gave me some of the best advice I ever received in the form of three simple words: Raise your standards.

That phrase changed everything for me. It’s a reminder that if you don’t like where you are in life — change it. If you don’t like your body, raise your standards. If you don’t like your job, raise your standards. If you don’t like the people you spend time with, raise your standards. You can have almost anything you want in life if you’re willing to work for it — but first, you must expect more from yourself.

Raising your standards isn’t about perfection. It’s about refusing to settle. It means looking at the results you’re getting and realizing that they are a direct reflection of what you’ve been willing to tolerate — from yourself and from others. Change starts when you decide that “good enough” is no longer good enough.

If you want a better life, it starts by understanding what “better” actually looks like. That means getting clear on your goals and your dreams — and then doing the homework. Study what it really takes to reach them. Research the people who’ve already walked that path. Learn their stories, not just their highlight reels. Because what you see externally rarely shows the grit, sacrifice, and setbacks that got them there. The truth? It’s usually harder than it looks. But that’s what makes it worthwhile.

Growth hurts. That’s why most people don’t do it. But if you want to be better — in your career, your relationships, your health, your mindset — you have to find the drive to constantly self-improve. And when you finally arrive at that next level, don’t stop. Raise your standards again. Life is a continual process of learning, evolving, and challenging yourself to stay sharp. The moment you stop growing is the moment you start declining.

Life isn't about "finding yourself"... It's about creating yourself.

Don Draper once said on Mad Men, “If you don’t like what’s being said about you, change the conversation.” The same applies to life: if you don’t like where you are, change it. No one’s coming to rescue you. It’s all within your power.

How you dress, how you’re perceived, how you understand the world — all of it is within your control. The only question is, what will you demand of yourself?

As Alec Baldwin’s character said in Glengarry Glen Ross, “The money is there for you, fellas. You pick it up, it’s yours. If not, I have no sympathy for you.”

The same is true in life. The opportunities are out there — waiting. But they belong to the person who’s willing to demand more of themselves than anyone else will.

Raise your standards. That’s where it all begins.

Stay safe and vigilant!

Luke Bencie