Most men obsess over goals - the outcomes, the achievements, the shiny targets. But goals don't build men. Standards do.
In today's Field Notes, Ryan breaks down why standards define your identity, how they outperform goals in every way, and why your life only changes when you elevate the rules you live by. He shares powerful examples, including recovering from a major injury, why men fail when they rely on motivation, and how to build standards that make you unshakable.

Ryan also outlines a four-step framework to reset your identity, eliminate weak standards, and cement the behaviors that transform your life. If you want 2026 to be different, this episode explains exactly where to start.

Key Takeaways
Goals are emotionally dependent, standards are identity-based.
Standards keep you anchored in the present - goals keep you trapped in the future.
Goals collapse under adversity; standards strengthen you because they're non-negotiable.
A man becomes powerful when he lives by a code with zero negotiation.
Your life changes when your identity upgrades, not when your goals get bigger.

Four-step framework to build standards that stick:
-Identify the man you refuse to be.
-Build non-negotiables in all four quadrants (Calibration, Connection, Condition, Contribution).
-Build accountability.
-Enforce consequences when you violate your own standards.

00:00 - Introduction  
00:09 - Why Most Men Get Goals Backwards  
01:20 - Goals Don't Build Men — Standards Do  
02:33 - Examples of Weak vs. Strong Standards  
04:34 - Ryan's Pec Tear: Standards in Adversity  
06:24 - A Man Rises or Falls to His Standards  
07:50 - Why Goals Fail Men  
09:33 - How Goals Delay Action and Keep Men Stuck  
11:23 - Goals Collapse Under Stress  
12:57 - Standards Create Structure and Strength  
14:38 - How Standards Transform a Man  
16:10 - Standards Prevent Moral Drift  
17:32 - Building Trust Through Consistency  
18:57 - Standards Make Men Anti-Fragile  
21:03 - Stop Waiting for "All Green Lights"  
22:43 - Identity Before Action  
23:28 - Fast Progress Comes From Identity Shifts  
24:26 - The "Light Yourself on Fire" Lesson  
25:14 - Reverse Engineering Goals Into Standards  
25:57 - Step 1: Identify the Man You Refuse to Be  
27:38 - Making Weak Behaviors Repulsive  
29:31 - Step 2: Non-Negotiables in the Four Quadrants  
31:32 - Step 3: Accountability  
33:00 - Step 4: Enforce Consequences  
33:42 - Final Challenge: Raise Your Standards  
35:45 - Iron Council Promotion  
36:33 - Preview Call Details  

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