There's a golden rule to being a respected leader of men: Don’t set standards for others that you’re not prepared to meet yourself.
Ange Postecoglou wouldn’t have it any other way. If they can’t stop, then he can’t stop.
Which is why, even though he is within touching distance of celebrating an outstanding title triumph and has the manager of the year awards to prove it, the big Aussie hasn’t paused for a second to reflect on this monumentally successful first season as Celtic boss.
The time for quiet consideration will come. But first and foremost Postecoglou has business to attend to at Tannadice on Wednesday as he closes in on the result which will carry his team over the finishing line and into the club’s folklore.
One more point against Dundee United is all that’s required to make it official.
And even though Celtic effectively set off on one long victory march some weeks ago, Postecoglou hasn’t allowed himself to take his eyes off the prize.
They never stop. He never stops. No one stops until the job is done.
Yesterday morning was spent drilling the message home to his players once again, in between being dragged from pillar to post around his Lennoxtown HQ to conduct the usual flurry of media activities. There are some parts of this dream job Postecoglou could probably do without.
Then again, he probably wouldn’t have it any other way.
When asked if he has taken so much as a moment to quantify the enormity of what he is about to achieve he shrugged his shoulders and said: “No mate, because you guys keep hounding me! A million people want a piece of me, so I haven’t had a chance to do anything.
“That’s part of my job though, so it’s fine. There will be a time for reflection and enjoyment once it’s done.
“The reality is I enjoy every day of this job, I enjoy coming in here every day and working with the players and being manager of this football club. It’s not like I feel as if it’s a grind at any stage.
“In terms of the success, I’m very proud of the individual honours that I’ve won for this football club so far, but the real sort of joy I guess - and satisfaction - comes after it’s all done and dusted.”
And yet, in truth, Postecoglou’s first season story almost defies belief.
When the call came from former chief executive Peter Lawwell, he didn’t need asking twice even though it meant upping sticks from the home he had built for himself in Japan and heading to the other end of the world.
A relative unknown, willingly stepping into a car crash and taking on a challenge which scared Eddie Howe into running in the other direction.
Postecoglou was perhaps the only man outside of Lawwell’s office who didn’t believe he was on a hiding to nothing.
No backroom staff? No problem.
A dressing room in open revolt and a mutinous support already running riot outside the stadium? Bring it on.
Postecoglou barged into the middle of this mayhem like a bull entering a china shop and immediately began piecing together the seemingly impossible.
That he had built a track record for doing precisely this seemed lost on many. Rebuilding the Australian national team and leading them to two World Cups before winning a top flight title in Japan? Aye, but can he do it on a wet Wednesday night at Dingwall or Tannadice?
Well, apparently, yes.
Asked where this imminent achievement ranks on his list of previous managerial successes, Postecoglou stuck to the mantra.
He said: “I haven’t thought about it, again it’s probably a question I can best answer after it’s done, because the way I think about things is that my role at the moment is to prepare the team and make sure we play well tomorrow night.
“How will I feel after? Well I know it’s been an enormous challenge this year, it’s one I’ve enjoyed.
“It’s probably only when it’s done and you reflect that I’ll be able to give a more honest answer on what it means for me.
“The game at Tannadice is an opportunity to create a special moment at this club. We’re looking forward to it.
“I guess the key thing for us is to make sure we go there tomorrow night, play our football and continue on the form we’ve had over the past few months, and make sure we deliver.”
He’d be forgiven for thinking it’s always like this, of course.
One trophy in the bag already - another in the post - while on the other side of his new home city, a Rangers manager being cheered off towards the sunset in Seville, completing Glasgow’s summer of love.
This time next year, it’ll almost certainly be a very different story for one of these men.
But, typically, Postecoglou doesn’t seem overly concerned at the thought of what may lie ahead. The pressure of the job, he says, is just another one of those things that never stops.
He said: “Both us are still under pressure. If we don’t win tomorrow night, and even if we draw - well this time that might be good enough - but we’re constantly under pressure.
“I don’t think that changes just because you’re sort of steering it in a certain direction.
“I had no doubt that should we have success this year, then this group would have to be back there again next year to produce.
“I’ve never seen that as pressure, but what you do want is hopefully to be creating a team and an environment where you are constantly improving and constantly raising the bar. If you do that then I guess people will assess that differently.
“The pressure comes if anyone feels you are standing still or not progressing at any stage.
“So, from my perspective, people have recognised that we have made massive ground this year, we’re constantly improving, and even at this late stage of the season we are still producing football that is making people sit up and take notice.”
He never stops.
