281. How To Create Standards & Why Most People Don't Have Real Ones

Most men don’t fail because they lack motivation. They fail because they never set real standards. In this episode of The Impossible Life Podcast, Garrett Unclebach and Nick Surface break down exactly how to create standards that actually hold up under pressure—not hype-driven rules you break a week later, but identity-based minimums that shape your life.

Using examples from SEAL training, family leadership, physical health, and everyday life, Garrett explains why standards are the minimum you’re willing to accept, not your best day or your intentions. When standards are clear, binary, and tied to purpose, they eliminate negotiation and build discipline automatically.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why standards must be set from a sober mind
• How to anchor standards to identity, not emotions
• The role values play in making standards sustainable
• Why defining the minimum protects you from disaster
• How binary standards eliminate excuses
• What to do when you break a standard—and how to recover without quitting

Garrett also walks through a real-world example of setting a physical health standard and explains why protecting the floor of your life matters more than chasing peaks.

If you’ve ever said “this is my standard” and then watched yourself violate it, this episode will give you a framework to reset, rebuild, and move forward with clarity. Standards aren’t about being extreme.
They’re about becoming reliable.

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