The Best-at-It Standard
Turn any assignment into proof of character through exceptional execution
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 94%
The Best-at-It Standard is a personal operating rule: whatever the assignment, decide to perform it as well as you can. The mechanism begins by separating the status of the task from the quality of your effort. You then define the overlooked details that distinguish acceptable work from excellent work, execute them consistently, and maintain that standard even when nobody appears to be watching. McCormick illustrates this with cleaning toilets and bussing tables: he cleaned not only the tabletop but also the shakers and chairs. Customers noticed the care and offered him a better job. The framework does not promise that every task earns a promotion. It makes character, reliability, and attention to detail observable often enough that opportunities can find you.
Origin
McCormick traces the standard to his father's instruction to be the best at whatever he did, then describes applying it while cleaning toilets and bussing tables at his first job.
Core principles
- 01The importance of a task does not depend on its status
- 02Private standards determine public performance
- 03Attention to detail makes effort visible
- 04Consistent excellence creates unexpected opportunities
How to run it
- 1
Accept the assignment
Stop ranking the task by prestige. Treat it as a current responsibility that deserves complete execution.
Pro tip Use the assignment as evidence of your standard, not as a verdict on your worth.
- 2
Define the best version
Identify what exceptional completion would look like, including details that are commonly ignored.
Pro tip Ask what a careful customer or colleague would notice after you leave.
Watch out Do not confuse excellence with polishing details that cannot affect the outcome.
- 3
Execute unseen
Maintain the same care whether or not a manager, customer, or peer is watching.
Watch out A standard that appears only under observation is performance, not character.
- 4
Inspect the details
Review the finished work for small omissions before declaring it complete.
Pro tip Create a short recurring inspection checklist for repeated tasks.
- 5
Repeat until visible
Apply the standard consistently so others can trust that the result was not a one-off effort.
Watch out Do not make recognition the condition for sustaining the standard.
In the wild
As a restaurant busboy, McCormick wiped the table, salt and pepper shakers, and the chair rather than leaving crumbs where the next customer would sit. A couple who ate there regularly noticed his pride and invited him to work at their candle shop for more money.
→ Detailed execution in an entry-level role created an unsolicited step up.
Common mistakes
Matching effort to job status
Treating an assignment as beneath you makes poor execution predictable and hides your readiness for greater responsibility.
Performing only when watched
Temporary effort under supervision does not build the consistency that earns trust.
Is it for you?
Best for
People in entry-level roles or unglamorous assignments who want their work to demonstrate readiness for more responsibility.
Not ideal for
Situations where perfectionism would delay a time-critical result or consume effort that has no practical value.
From the transcript
“whatever you do in life be the very best at it”
“who you are when no one is looking is who you are when everyone is looking”
“there are no low-level tasks there are only tasks duties and responsibilities”
From the episode
JT McCormick: Rise Against All Odds
JT McCormick