⚙️ Operations
"Wearing" High Standards
I've noticed two types of people getting excited about high standards at work:
- Young professionals just starting their careers, eyes bright with ambition and possibility
- Business owners and entrepreneurs, who crave seeing their organizations run like well-oiled machines
There's something almost poetic about these two groups standing at opposite ends of the experience spectrum, yet sharing this common fascination.
Both recognize that high standards aren't just a metric—they're a way of being.
But how do we learn about high standards?
This week, I heard an anecdote from a founder, who suggested that 20-somethings should aim to work at places that answer the question: "Where are the highest standards embodied?"
I paused at that word: embodied
I thought to myself - yeah, it's kind of like that.
When you put your BODY into this new state of high standards, it's similar to wearing an outfit that others might label as ridiculous, unreasonable, or unnecessary.
Some examples of these types of outfits you can wear (maybe not in a restaurant):
- A clunky astronaut suit
- A heavy ō-yoroi set
- A pressurized underwater diving suit
Wearing each of these shares a few characteristics that feel eerily similar to high standards:
- They take significant time and practice to master, making movements deliberate and considered
- They might feel restrictive or "uncomfortable" compared to moving freely
- They're intentionally designed for excellence in serious contexts (and you'd look a bit weird wearing them outside of that context)
- They require constant maintenance and attention
- Everyone else needs to be on board with you wearing it, otherwise problems arise (it's challenging to be the ONLY one with high standards in the room)
I think that's why young people crave high standards.
Getting to put on the astronaut suit is cool.
Until you do, there's always that lingering question of, "I wonder what it feels like..."
Which is why that founder's advice resonates so deeply - if you're looking at different jobs, notice what's being worn.
Find the people who spend day in and day out wearing their high standards like armor.
Being around them goes beyond getting you some time in the suit - the seriousness, responsibility, skills, and confidence will become part of your own professional DNA.
Yes, it might feel awkward at first.
Yes, it takes extra effort.
If I can be a case study of one, the short-term discomfort was worth it for me.
And no, you don't have to wear it forever.
But don't let the voice of mediocrity convince you it's "too hard" or "cringe" to pursue excellence.
Cringe turns into pride if you give it enough time.
The experience of wearing high standards, even for a while, will transform how you see what's possible in your work—and in yourself.
