The 5 Conditions an Unchanging Standard Must Meet — Before seeking a standard, you must first define the conditions.
The 5 Conditions an Unchanging Standard Must Meet — Before seeking a standard, you must first define the conditions.
We examined this in Advanced Level 1. Without a standard above the method, repetition eventually stops. We examined this in Advanced Level 2. When you become the standard, 5 failures occur. We examined this in Advanced Level 3. Humans instinctively become their own standard because they crave control, recognition, and stability. So the next question remains: If a standard is necessary, what conditions must that standard meet?
Why must conditions be established first?
Conditions must be established before seeking a standard. Without conditions, one mistakenly relies on emotions or philosophy as the standard again. Jae-hyun attempted to establish a new standard after his team disbanded. "This time, let's do it differently. I'll base it on my philosophy. I'll create unshakable values." Yet when a similar situation arose again, he wavered. Why? Because he changed his standard but didn't verify if it met the conditions. Think about building a house. What must you do first? You must choose the land. But not just any land will do. It must be level, solid, and have stable ground. If you build a house without verifying these conditions, it will collapse. The same applies to standards. If you set a standard without verifying its conditions, you'll collapse like Jihun when you become weak, having used “I am a strong person” as your standard. You'll waver like Su-jin when your environment changes, having used “My philosophy is my standard” as your benchmark. You'll crumble like Jae-hyun when you fail, having used “My values are my standard” as your foundation. Therefore, you must define the conditions before finding the standard.
The 5 Conditions for Standards.
Condition 1: It must remain unchanged.
If it changes, you return to anxiety. Jihoon's judgment changes when he's tired. Sujin's self-evaluation changes when she fails. Jaehyun's confidence changes when criticized. Why? Because the standard is tied to his condition. A standard that changes with your condition isn't a standard. It's a state. “I am a diligent person.” — If I make a mistake, it changes to “I guess I wasn't diligent.” “I am a positive person.” — If I feel bad, it changes to “I am a negative person.” Something that changes is not a standard. A true standard must remain unchanged even when circumstances change.
Condition 2: It must be above emotions.
Emotions are like the weather. You don't build a house based on the weather. Let's look at Su-jin's day. She woke up in the morning. She feels good. “I feel like I can do anything today!” It's evening. She's tired. "I don't feel like doing anything. I can't do it." What changed? Su-jin didn't change. Her emotions changed. Yet, her self-evaluation shifted based on her emotions. If emotions are the standard, the standard changes multiple times a day. The morning self and the evening self have different standards. The true standard must remain the same whether emotions are good or bad.
Condition 3: It must be above evaluation.
If others' evaluations are your standard, you'll live forever in fear of their judgment. Sujin posted on SNS. 100 likes. “People acknowledge me.” The next day, 10 likes. “People ignore me.” Did Sujin change? No. Others' reactions changed. Yet Sujin's perceived value shifted. When praised, she feels valuable; when ignored, worthless. In this structure, relationships become trials, not encounters. The true standard must remain unchanged regardless of others' reactions.
Condition 4: It must be above failure.
A standard that requires perfection to maintain is not a standard but pressure. Jihoon made a mistake during his presentation. He had the standard: “I am a competent person.”
The moment he made a mistake, it became: “I am not a capable person.” The standard collapsed. Let's think logically. Humans are not perfect. They make mistakes. They fail. If a standard requires “perfection to be maintained,” that standard will inevitably collapse someday. Can a standard destined to collapse truly be called a standard? A real standard must not collapse even when mistakes are made or failures occur.
Condition 5: It must be greater than myself.
This is the most crucial condition. Consider the standard “I am a strong person.” Who maintains this standard? Yourself. What happens to this standard if you become weak? It weakens along with you. Because the standard depends on you. A standard dependent on you collapses when you collapse. This is why Jaehyun couldn't get up from the sofa the day his team disbanded. The standard Jaehyun set depended on Jaehyun. When Jaehyun wavered, the standard wavered with him. A true standard must remain even if you waver. For that, the standard must be greater than yourself. It's not you maintaining the standard; the standard must maintain you.
Self-check.
Answer the following questions honestly.
First: Am I still using myself as the standard? “I am a sincere person.” “I am a strong person.” “I am a positive person.” If you think this way, you are still using yourself as your standard.
Second: Do I collapse when I fail? When I make a mistake, do I think, “This is just how I am”? When I fail, do I think, “I am a failure”? When criticized, do I think, “I am worthless”? If you think this way, you collapse when you fail.
Third: Does your self-worth fluctuate with your emotions? When you feel good, do you think, “I'm a decent person,” and when you feel bad, do you think, “I'm a failure”? Does your judgment deteriorate sharply when you're tired? If you think this way, your worth changes with your emotions.
If three or more apply, your standard is not yet above yourself. If your standard is not above yourself, when you waver, your standard wavers. When you collapse, your standard collapses. And the anxiety repeats.
Key Summary.
To be a standard, you must simultaneously satisfy five things. It must not change. — It must not change with situations, failure, or criticism. It must be above emotions. — It must not waver with mood. It must be above evaluation. — It must not be swayed by others' reactions. It must be above failure. — It must not collapse even with mistakes. It must be larger than yourself. — It must remain intact even if you collapse. If it fails to meet all five, it is not a standard. Otherwise, the standard falls back to yourself. And the anxiety repeats.
Next step.
Now the question is this: Does a standard that simultaneously satisfies these five conditions actually exist? Let's look at what Jihoon, Sujin, and Jaehyun have considered standards until now. Self. Philosophy. Values. Morality. Self. Do these satisfy all five conditions? Answer honestly. If they don't, you haven't found the standard yet. We explore that possibility in Advanced 5. If a standard satisfying these conditions exists, life's structure can change.
👉 [Advanced 5: “Does That Standard Exist?” View]
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