My standards rise in accordance to what I bring to the table.
-The more education I acquire,
-The more income I accumulate
-The more possessions I obtain (car, house, etc)
-The more security I can provide
-etc
If my standards are not going up as I get older, that means 1 of 2 things.
1. I haven't increased my value as a man
2. I'm settling
Its just that simple