Recently, I’ve been pondering “doing one’s best”.  It seems to me that in our society, if a person believes that he has done his best, no matter the outcome, all is well and good. Congratulations, you get a Free Pass!  After all, if you do your best, you have accomplished all that is possible, so put on a happy face.  I’m all for happy faces, even in the midst of failure.  However, I am set against self delusion.

In my book, Cook Live Learn, I wrote about this at the end of Chapter 15.  I noted there, that whenever I want to console myself in a moment of failure with “I did my best”, I hear a small voice respond, “Really, you couldn’t have done more?”  The obvious answer is, of course I could have done more.  I might have started the preparation earlier or worked later before the event, as examples.

The question I ask you to consider is this:  If you do your best and it is not good enough … is it good enough?

We humans come equipped with a host of self-preservation instincts.  If we see a car heading straight for ours, we swerve automatically.  Put your hand on a hot stove and you’ll find an escape will need no thought.  We also have self-protection mechanisms for psychological damage control.  My favorite is Rationalization.  I can automatically find a half dozen really good reasons for any sort of failure; particularly those requiring that I own up to my responsibilities.  Yeah, I did my best!  When in reality, I have never done my best.  I have unlimited potential and abilities I’ve never used.  So have you.

Last evening the United States national college men’s basketball championship game was played between Duke University and the University of Wisconsin.  It was perhaps the best college basketball game I have ever watched.  It was more like an arm wrestling contest.  One side pushed against the other, then the other pushed back … for the entire game.  Neither did their best, I am sure, but in the final moment, Duke got the best of Wisconsin.

Consider taking a few more practice “free throws” in the off season.  Maybe refuse to fall for the rationalizations that flow too easily into your mind in tough situations.  Remember, you can always do better.

Credits:  Duke Logo courtesy of Duke University.  Congratulations on your National Championship!