While tiago forte argues that an life area’s standard is difficult to articulate and assess, I find that an area’s standard can be articulated, with benefits.

It can be articulated as a description of a seemingly recurring End state, which is different from a Goal, a description of a non-recurring end state. I say “seemingly recurring” because, to be philosophically precise, all end states are non-recurring, much as events cannot be repeated per se. New states are simply “similar” from previous states (see To pursue a mental state as a purpose requires reconstruction).

To say it in another way, we can write standards much like how James Clear writes his goals: He defines what he is doing consistently, not what he has achieved.