Why Standards Are the Answer for Individual and Team Success

By Bob Snyder

Every January people everywhere write down goals. The classic New Year’s resolution list captures what we want to achieve by year’s end:

Lose weight. Get promoted. Read more books. Save more money.

But year after year the same pattern plays out: most of these goals are left behind.

The data is clear. Only about 9% of people who set New Year’s resolutions actually achieve them by year’s end. Many give up before the first month is over.

Roughly 23% quit by the end of the first week and 43% by the end of January.

Research across multiple studies confirms that most resolutions fail quickly and completely even when intentions are high. 

If goals fail so often, how do we explain that? A big reason lies in where motivation comes from and how human behavior is sustained over time. Goals are outcomes we want to reach. They are externally focused and future-oriented. Standards are internally guided expectations that shape everyday behavior. In other words, goals answer what we want to achieve, while standards define how we act every single day.

The Problem With Goals

Goals are powerful in theory but weak in practice for at least three reasons.

1. They depend on motivation that fades.
   

   Goals are usually tied to a future date or a finish line. Imagine someone saying “I want to lose 25 pounds by December.” On January 1 motivation is high. On January 15 life gets busy. Motivation drops and nothing structural was put in place to sustain behavior. Research shows that resolutions or goals high failure rate is because the initial energy simply can’t carry the ongoing effort. 

2. They focus on outcomes, not behavior.
   

   The goal is an outcome. It does not specify the system or routine that must be followed. If your goal is to write a book, the real work isn’t the book itself. The real work is writing every day. But goals don’t make people act. They make people wish. Systems make people do.

3. They are often too vague or unrealistic.
   

   Goals without clear actions are wishful thinking. “Be a better leader” or “grow sales” sound good, but they leave out the daily behaviors that make them real. Unclear goals lead to confusion, avoidance, and eventually abandonment.

Goals are not inherently bad. They can help clarify direction. But they are not the driver of lasting change because they focus on results outside the individual’s moment-to-moment control.

Why Standards Work

Standards are different. A standard is an expectation for daily behavior that becomes identity.

Instead of “I want to publish a book,” a standard is “I write 500 words every day.” Standards bring motivation inside. They do not depend on external outcomes or deadlines. They connect behavior to identity and capability.

Standards are internally motivated. They grow from values, self-expectations, and discipline. When standards become routines, they transform into habits. And habits drive actual performance.

Here is how standards change performance:

1. Standards create consistent behavior.
   When you set a standard for a daily ritual, you attack the cause of failure not just the symptom. Daily behaviors compound over time.
2. Standards shape identity.
   People act in alignment with who they believe they are. Setting standards that reflect the person you want to be makes performance less slippery than abstract goals.
3. Standards reduce psychological friction.
   Deciding daily actions ahead of time reduces decision fatigue and reliance on willpower. Instead of wrestling with whether to act, you follow a standard because that is what you do.

A Framework for Developing Standards

Here is a simple framework to build powerful standards that deliver real outcomes.

1. Define the identity you want to embody.
   Ask yourself: Who do I want to be? What qualities matter?
   Example: “I am a leader who shows up every day.”
2. Convert identity into daily standards.
   Standards must be actionable, measurable, consistent, and repeatable.
   Example standard: “I spend the first 30 minutes of every workday coaching a team member.”
3. Track the standards, not the goals.
   Record adherence daily or weekly. Make the standard visible. Self-tracking increases accountability and awareness.
4. Reflect and adjust.
   Standards are living. If a standard feels too easy or too hard after 30 days, refine it. Standards evolve as performance grows.
5. Anchor standards to systems, not results.
   Systems create contexts where standards flourish. A weekly planning review, habit triggers, reminders, and supportive environments make standards stick.

Standards vs Goals in Organizations

Organizations that treat performance as a standard rather than a goal create cultures of consistency.

Imagine a sales team told, “We want $10 million in revenue.” 

Compare that to a team told, “We make 50 quality prospecting calls every day and follow up within 24 hours.” The second standard creates a behavior system that naturally drives results.

Research on goal setting in organizational psychology shows that misused goals can have negative side effects such as unethical behavior, misleading reporting, and misalignment among team members. Goals can be too singular, promote unhealthy competition, or encourage outcome-driven shortcuts. 

Standards reduce these risks because they focus the organization on expectations that shape daily collaboration, quality, and integrity.

The Role of Consequences

Consequences matter. But not in the punitive sense that makes people afraid to fail. Rather, consequences for not maintaining standards are about feedback loops. When standards are tracked openly, people see the impact of missed behaviors and correct course early. They learn fast. They adapt. They improve.

In high-performance cultures, consequences for standards are tied to learning, not punishment. Missing a standard becomes a data point, not proof of failure. This type of consequence fosters accountability, growth, and confidence.

Conclusion

Goals are not the problem. Relying on them as the mechanism for change is the problem. They are externally motivated targets that depend on motivation and luck. Standards are internally motivated systems that shape identity, behavior, and consistency.

When you shift focus from what you want to achieve to who you want to become and what you do daily, performance improves and results naturally follow.

Standards win where goals fail. So, this year, instead of making New Years Resolutions, create standards that promote the resulted outcome you’re looking for.

Remember, it’s the simple daily disciplines repeated over time that make the biggest and greatest lasting impact.

About Bob Snyder

Bob Snyder is a globally respected business leader and sales strategist with 38 years of success in the Direct Selling industry. Bob has founded multiple high-performing Direct Sales companies, trained over 100,000 salespeople, is an acclaimed speaker, and trusted consultant. He’s delivered transformative insights on sales, influence, and leadership across five continents, equipping teams and entrepreneurs with the tools to drive sustainable growth. A #1 best-selling author, Bob’s latest book, Drive Sales System, co-authored with Woody Woodward, is reshaping how professionals sell and lead. It’s available on Amazon and in over 40,000 bookstores worldwide.

To learn more about Bob and DRIVE go to Drivebysuladio.com