Quotes1 min read
Standards Before Mood
A short maxim on keeping a promise when enthusiasm is absent.
By Imperium editorial Original writing
“Let your standard decide what gets done; let your mood decide the music.”
Enthusiasm is welcome, but it is an unreliable scheduler. If every useful action requires the right feeling first, important work becomes dependent on conditions you cannot consistently arrange.
A standard reduces that dependency. Decide in advance what a reasonable working day requires, while allowing for illness, genuine limits, and changing circumstances. The aim is a promise you can keep with care. Begin with that promise, and let motivation join you if it arrives.
Put it into practice
Write down one reasonable nonnegotiable for tomorrow. Choose the time and place now, so you do not have to remake the decision in the morning.