Why You Won’t Hit Your Goals

Nearly every person I meet with has goals.

I want to earn six figures.
I want to sell $10M.
I want to close 25 deals.

Goals are common.

Standards are not.

Here’s the difference…

Goals are what you want.
Standards are what you commit to doing to get what you want.

You do not (and will not) rise to the level of your goals.
You will fall to the level of your standards.

That’s why raising your goals without raising your standards rarely works. You can want more all day long, but your daily commitments decide the outcome.

And if your first thought is, “I don’t really have standards,” that’s actually good news. Awareness always comes before change.

If you want to grow in 2026, the simplest path forward is not setting bigger goals. It’s raising your standards.

Here’s a simple exercise to help you do that.

#1 – Identify your goal for Q1.
What do you want to accomplish in the next 90 days?

#2 – Write down your current standards.
Be honest. What are you actually committed to do each day or each week? Then ask the hard question: will these standards realistically lead to that goal?

#3 – Define the standards required to win.
What would you need to commit to consistently to make that goal inevitable? If you’re unsure, ask. I’m happy to help you think it through.

Then do one more thing most people skip.

Commit. It’s not a standard if you don’t commit. 

Put those standards somewhere you’ll see them.
Share them with someone who will hold you accountable.

Track them like your goal depends on it (it does!).

Let your actions catch up to your ambitions, because if your standards do not support your goals, you only have two options…

Either lower the goal or raise the standard. Which one will you choose?

In your corner,

Chris