The work of living your best life is to set higher standards and then not compromise them.
Higher standards than who? Compared to what?
Compared to the standards you might hold yourself to when living your worst or mediocre life.
When you commit to a higher standard, you’re committing to a harder path.
And why would you want to do that?
Not because taking hard paths is fun, but because taking hard paths is meaningful.
And meaning is, ultimately, what most of us are after.
You don’t hear people asking: “What’s the fun of life?”
People ask: “What’s the meaning of life?”
And while I don’t think there’s a universal explicit answer to this question, what I do know is that always doing what’s easy won’t lead you there.
Doing what’s hard (more likely) will.
So long as it’s hard work that’s meaningful to you. Work that’s aligned with your priorities, strengths, aptitudes, and interests. Work that’s reflective of your higher standards.
This isn’t to say you can’t update and revise your standards as you grow, change, and mature.
It’s merely to say if you give yourself an easier option, that’s the one you’ll ultimately take.
Don’t allow yourself to fall into that trap. Set your standards and hold yourself to them.
Compromise at your own risk.