Who Do You Want Your People To Become?

"Without an objective, the objective will not be reached.

Without a goal, the goal will not be achieved.

Without a standard, the standard will not be met.

Without a mission, the mission cannot be accomplished.

Without an ideal, the ideal will never be realized.

Without a clear path, The Path cannot be followed.

Yet, we, as human beings, often go through life without any of these.

And so, we wander.

We wander aimlessly, moving without making progress.

Days, months, and years pass us by.

Time is wasted, which means life is wasted.

And potential is wasted. Our own potential, squandered.

Meandering through life, instead of becoming who we could be — instead of attaining our highest possible manifestation of being, we simply become… whatever we become.

We fall short. In so many ways, we fall short.

But this need not be our fate. We can prevail over mediocracy. We do that by chasing the ideal.

Our ideal.

An ideal that we must define.

An ideal that we must codify in no uncertain terms so we know what we are striving for." -Jocko Willink

What’s the bar for an A-team?

How do you measure yourself and the people you lead?

Start with the United States Marine Corps Fitness Report (1610).

Yes, it’s military.

Yes, it’s brutal.

And yes, it’s one of the clearest frameworks for standards you’ll ever find.

This document embodies the essence of high standards.

Read it and you’ll see.

It’s not just how to be a Marine.

It’s how to be excellent.

Take the performance scale.

The “B” grade says:

Meets requirements of billet and additional duties. Aptitude, commitment, and competence meet expectations. Results maintain status quo.

Sounds fine.

But that’s the lowest passing grade.

That’s you just showing up.

The middle grade “D” raises the bar:

Consistently produces quality results while measurably improving unit performance. Habitually makes effective use of time and resources; improves billet procedures and products. Positive impact extends beyond billet expectations.

Think about that.

To be “average” you must consistently improve the unit.

Not once.

Not twice.

Always.

Now the top grade:

Results far surpass expectations. Recognizes and exploits new resources; creates opportunities. Emulated; sought after as an expert with influence beyond unit. Impact significant; innovative approaches to problems produce significant gains in quality and efficiency.

That’s the standard for excellence.

So here’s the gut-check.

Are you just “qualified”?

Or are you the one others seek out?

How far short of the bar are you right now?

Are you crystal clear about the standards you set for yourself?

Do the people you lead know what you expect of them?

Who do you want to become?

Who do you want your team to become?

And here’s the key question—do they actually understand the grading system you’re using?

At the end of the Fitness Report, section K gives the answer.

It’s a comparative assessment.

It asks you to stack one Marine against all others you know at that grade.

Jocko Willink calls this chart the “Christmas Tree.”

And yes, it really does look like one.

It's built from tiny Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblems, the official symbol of the Marine Corps.

At the bottom sits “Unsatisfactory.”

Just empty space.

A warning.

One step up—one single anchor.

“A Qualified Marine.”

The trunk of the tree.

One person.

Barely good enough.

Then comes the middle third.

“One Of The Many Highly Qualified Professionals.”

That’s the bulk.

The safe middle.

Most people live here.

Above that, the tree narrows.

“One Of The Few Exceptionally Qualified Marines.”

A rare group.

The standouts.

And at the very top—one emblem alone.

“The Eminently Qualified Marine.”

The pinnacle.

The unreachable human.

No one holds every strength, every skill, every win.

And yet—this is the climb.

You’ll never touch the summit.

But you don’t stop.

You don’t coast.

You keep moving up.

Because the chase is the point.

Define the ideal.

Raise the standard.

Strive for excellence.

Not to be perfect.

But to get further than the crowd who never tried.

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