When Doing Your Best Isn't The Best You Can Do

The advice that my parents gave me, the words of my teachers, my mentors… my peers.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.

These words are both motivational but destructive at the same time. 

At school for example, I always believed that if I did my best then I would feel no regrets, I wouldn’t feel as if I was failing and if by some chance I hadn’t done as well as I expected, then I was somewhat covered by the fact that I had done my best and there was nothing else I could have done.

Simultaneously, this well coined phrase can have the opposite effect. What if you are doing your best and not getting to where you want to be or if other people are out doing you or even if simply your best is not good enough?

This leads to self criticism, paralysing beliefs of inadequacy, ideas that you are failing, and ultimately takes a boot to your confidence and self esteem.

Always do you best: Where does it stop? If you are constantly coasting at your ‘best’ you will always be pushing for more and more. Until something has to give.

Just like a car on a long straight road, the more you accelerate the faster and faster it will go until eventually it reaches a limit, a breaking point and something gives and leaves you stationary in the sobering silence.

This is like life. Doing your best translates as a constant strive for achievement and development. This leads to burnout and stress and general unhappiness.

Therefore, I propose something new…

  DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU.

Do what is best for you at a given time, in a specific situation or lifetime event. Sometimes, doing the best for you is not pushing to jump over the next career hurdle or getting married or buying the latest car…

It might be taking a step back. Taking a breather. Deciding it’s time to change direction. Or even staying in and giving yourself some ME time.

Make sure you do what is best for you, not what is viewed as best by society.

Much love,