A standard is a description of an end state. However, unlike a goal, this end state is something that results from reconstructing a particular mental state again and again, which creates a sense that this end state is maintained over time (pursuing a mental state as a purpose requires reconstruction).

For example, my standard for my life life area zettelkasten is the following:

I maintain a daily note-taking practice that captures and develops my thinking into one-concept notes that are interconnected to each other.

The end state that is reconstructed in this area is the state of accomplishing one-concept notes in a day. Taken by itself, this end state is not yet the standard. But, once this end state is reconstructed several times to the point where the doer “feels” like it has been a habits, a new end state is produced: the feeling of this area is being maintained.

The time an end state becomes a standard differs from one person to the next, because habits form differently among people.

References

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Illustrated edition). Avery.

Forte, T. 2017. The PARA Method: A Universal System for Organizing Digital Information. https://fortelabs.co/blog/para/