I hear this all the time from fellow aspiring and even successful entrepreneurs.

"I will do my best!"

A BIG problem lies in that very statement. First, it is hard to determine what your "best" actually is. Second, you often times will define your best as what you feel like doing in that very moment, rather what is required of you to be your best.

So when someone comes to me and they indicate to me that they are going to do their best, I fear that this is a way for them to make themselves feel better for the same level of effort they have put forth in the past that has lead to failure.

So, today I want to open up the conversation about what your best actually looks like, and why your best over sustained period is a requirement for success.

Let's go!

What is Your Best?

First, what exactly is that? What is your best? Is it what you think you are capable of, or is it what you are actually capable of?

I know for myself, my best is yet to even be achieved, and perhaps that is how "best" should always be viewed. I don't even know what my best is. The idea of that is limiting, because if I am performing my best at something it means there is no room to improve. The reality is that there is ALWAYS room to improve, at anything.

I want you to take a long moment to think about the last time you did something that you were really proud of, that is likely the closest moment to "best" that you can remember in recent memory.

What did you do to accomplish that? Looking back do you feel that there was room for improvement, or a way that you could have done this with more efficiency? If so, was it really your best...or was it your "current" best. In other words, your best is temporary because it can always be improved upon.

In business, and life the best you is somewhere in the future if you are willing to work for it and focus on constantly improving. That leads me to.

How Long Do You Try Your Best For?

How long do you plan on trying your best, because there is a big difference between doing your best for a minute, and working to achieve your best for many years or even decades.

When someone comes to me and says they are going to try their best, that is a completely ambiguous statement. Does that mean the next week? If so, we all know how that is going to end (hint: failure).

You have to be willing to work towards your best, without an "end" date. If you do this, you will constantly improve, you will continue to learn and grow, and the level of success you can achieve will continue to go up as you hit new "best" milestones.

Not knowing your best, is realty. The exciting idea that you can always achieve a new best, is something that should really motivate us.

Be Your Best. But Give Your Best Time.

I think you see where I'm heading with this conversation.

We don't know what our best days, or when we are going to be at our best. Working towards the best self that we want to be or the best skill set that we want to obtain, will lead us to a better state and more success.

If your best is a fleeting idea and you are only willing to give your best for a particular time frame, it won't truly be your best. Not even close.

Work to be a better BEST. Your future success will thank you.

How do you "define" your best, and do you ever find yourself saying you are "doing your best"? I would love to hear your feedback on this topic.