Without standards, repetition eventually stops.
Without standards, repetition eventually stops.
Training works. Records are effective. Routines help. But all these things share a common trait. They are all methods. Methods depend on conditions. Conditions depend on situations. Situations change. So the question is simple. What must come before the method?
Why is method alone insufficient?
Jihoon tried various methods to overcome his presentation anxiety. He practiced in front of the mirror every morning. He memorized his script the night before presentations. He opened his meditation app before bed. The first two weeks went well. But one day in week three, he had to work late. He was tired. Standing in front of the mirror became a hassle. In week four, he made mistakes again during an important presentation. His motivation vanished. He turned off the meditation app notifications. It wasn't because Jihoon was lazy. It wasn't because his willpower was weak. It was because there was no standard above the method.
Without a standard, repetition becomes energy-draining.
Let's look at the pattern of someone repeating without a standard. If they do well today, they feel good. If they don't, they feel bad. If results come, confidence grows. If results don't come, motivation drops. When the environment is good, things go well. When the environment is bad, they falter. When tired, they stop. This was Soo-jin's pattern. She resolved to quit social media. It went well. But then a friend's post popped into her mind. She told herself, “Just this once.” Eventually, she started again. This was Jae-hyun's pattern. He said he'd start fresh after the team disbanded. At first, it went well. But when a similar situation arose again, he sat on the couch and couldn't get up. Repetition drains energy. And energy eventually runs out.
When you have a standard, repetition becomes structure.
The pattern of someone who repeats with a standard is different. Even if you do well today, the standard doesn't change. Even if you do poorly, the standard remains. When results come, you move according to the standard. When results don't come, you move according to the standard. When the environment is good, you act according to the standard. When the environment is bad, you act according to the standard. Even when tired, if you have a standard, you change methods and continue. Do you see the difference? The former is driven by results. Without results, repetition stops. The latter is driven by the standard. Repetition is maintained regardless of results. This difference grows over time. On day 7, they seem similar. On day 30, a slight difference appears. On day 100, completely different results emerge.
Things we mistake for standards.
Here, we must look honestly. We think we already have standards. Jihoon thought this way: “I'm a diligent person. So I have to work hard.” But one day, he missed an important deadline. What happened inside Jihoon at that moment? “Was I not a diligent person?” The standard of “a diligent person” collapsed. So was it a standard? No. It was a self-image.
Soojin thought, “I'm a calm person.” But then someone pushed her on the subway. She instantly got angry. “Am I not a calm person?” The standard of “a calm person” collapsed. So was it a standard? No. It was her state that day.
Most things we consider standards aren't actually standards. They are states. Self-images. Goals. Expectations. They hold when conditions are favorable. They collapse when conditions worsen. What collapses isn't a standard.
So what is an unchanging standard?
Let's think logically. If something that changes cannot be a standard, then a standard must be something that doesn't change. Everything we know changes. Emotions change, thoughts change, bodies change, environments change, relationships change. That's why we find it hard to grasp the very concept of an “unchanging standard”. We've never experienced it. Yet the Advanced Series began with this question: Does an unchanging standard exist? If so, what is it? And can it connect with me? These questions were logically explored step by step from Advanced 2 to Advanced 10.
Today's Key Summary.
Methods depend on conditions. Conditions change. What changes cannot be a standard. Without a standard, repetition becomes energy-draining. With a standard, repetition becomes structure. Without a standard, self-esteem fluctuates based on performance. With a standard, existence is maintained separate from performance. Without a standard, judgment shifts with emotions. With a standard, direction remains steady even when emotions waver.
Ask yourself.
First question: What is my standard for judgment? “I'm diligent, so I must wake up early.” “I'm responsible, so I must do this work.” “I'm a good person, so I shouldn't get angry.” Honestly write down what you currently consider your standard.
Second question: Is that standard unchanging? Does it hold even when I fail? Does it function when I'm tired? Does it remain steady even when my emotions waver?
Third question: Does that standard endure when I waver? Is it there when my self-esteem is at rock bottom? Does it stand firm even when everything feels like it's crumbling?
Answering these three questions honestly will lead you to a realization: What you thought were your standards weren't standards at all.
Next step.
Now the question remains: Why do humans keep trying to be their own standards? Why repeat the same pattern, even knowing it will collapse? Advanced Level 2 analyzes this structure. Without understanding this, you'll repeat the same pattern your whole life. Collapse, rebuild, collapse again, rebuild again. But understanding this structure allows you to break free from the pattern.
👉 [Advanced 2: “Why Do Humans Strive to Be Their Own Standard?” View]
https://youtu.be/0B0fCoeCsDA
Do you have other questions? Then take a moment to resolve them here.
👉 Advanced 1-1. Reframing. The standard isn't complicated
👉 Advanced 1-2. Reframing. Why would it be easier if you were the standard? https://youtu.be/njQpSxMKLqw
👉 Advanced 1-3. Reframing. Let's try it today — It's comparison, not explanation https://youtu.be/Qo-wgtE9z50
Comments
Post a Comment