In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery…
I found myself reflecting on the power of standards—not just the ones we set for ourselves, but the ones we pass down. It really hit me after dropping off my youngest daughter at her friend’s grandparents’ house and realizing the depth of generational success at play. I always thought I understood what it meant to build something for the next generation, but seeing that legacy up close, I saw the habits, the discipline, the mindset that get passed on, and how that compounds over time.
Setting the Standard—It Starts Now
Growing up, I didn’t know much about the right or wrong habits. I didn’t understand that you could just decide to raise your standard of living, or even that the standard you set today shapes the reality for your kids tomorrow. When I look around now, I see that the life we’re living is a model for what those around us will accept—from how we handle business and our bodies, to how we treat our spouses.
What really stuck out to me was realizing that so many successful people I know are first generation. Their parents worked hard and built a foundation—maybe as blue-collar workers or in mid-level careers. But their kids took it to another level. Still, what I saw this weekend was different. This wasn’t just first generation; it was generational. Grandparents, parents, and kids—each building on what came before, each reinforcing the right habits and standards.
It’s Not All Peaks and Valleys
For a long time, I lived in peaks and valleys. Great years, followed by tough ones. It was all patterns: nine months up, nine months down, repeat. I was reacting, not leading. My habits weren’t in alignment with long-term success. Only when I started surrounding myself with the right people and building consistent habits did things change.
Seeing those grandparents, I imagined the decades of discipline, the setbacks, the bounce backs. It’s not just about making money or looking successful—it’s about sustaining it, and making sure it lasts through generations. Sure, you’ll hear about trust fund kids who mess it all up, but that’s the exception. Most families with strong habits see their kids magnify the good—and sometimes the bad.
What We Pass On—Good or Bad
Here’s the real truth: everything we do gets magnified by the next generation. If you have good habits, your kids will take them further. If you have dysfunctions, they’ll get magnified too. If you eat like crap, your kids probably will too—only sooner and with bigger consequences. If you’re disciplined and consistent, they’ll take that even further. The same goes for your mindset, your finances, your relationships.
A conversation with my daughter’s friend made it clear—when you grow up in a household with high standards, those expectations become normal. Respect, discipline, and good habits aren’t accidental. They’re built and maintained, day after day.
Your Responsibility Right Now
Maybe you didn’t get the best example growing up. Maybe you’re first generation, just trying to figure this out. That doesn’t mean you can’t set a new standard. It just means you have to work harder to identify your own dysfunctions and put in the reps to build something better. Every choice—what you eat, who you listen to, how you bounce back from setbacks—is shaping your kids and grandkids, whether you realize it or not.
So if you’re tired of peaks and valleys, look at your habits. Look at your discipline. Because the only way to build something that lasts is to do the work, consistently, over time. You set the standard, for yourself and everyone who comes after you.
Five Questions to Reflect On
What standard are you setting in your life right now—and what might that mean for your family in the future?
How have your own habits been shaped by those you observed growing up?
Can you identify any peaks and valleys in your own success? What patterns or habits might be causing them?
In what areas of your life are you still operating out of old dysfunctions? How can you start changing that today?
If your kids or those close to you magnified your current habits, would you be proud of the outcome?
Notable Quotes
“Just imagine the amount of habits and discipline, the mindset reinforcement, the bounce back that they had to go through to not only sustain it long term, but to pass it on to their offspring.”
“Whatever life we’re living right now, we’re setting a standard not only for ourselves, but for our kids, for those around us, of what they will accept from us.”
“You can be reckless and still make a lot of money, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to sustain it long term. You’ll rise and you’ll crash. You’ll have the peaks and the valleys.”
“Everything we do gets magnified by the next generation. If you have good habits, your kids will take them further. If you have dysfunctions, they’ll get magnified too.”
“The only way to build something that lasts is to do the work, consistently, over time. You set the standard, for yourself and everyone who comes after you.”
If this episode got you thinking, I encourage you to ask yourself those questions and take a close look at the standards you’re building today. That’s what will shape tomorrow—for you, and for everyone who follows.
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