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sharkboy1006 t1_iy7885v wrote

If only my best was good enough for anyone 😅 edit: I’m gonna cry you all are too kind, thank you all ;)

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MrBanana421 t1_iy7dpad wrote

My eyes may be soggy but my bottom is crisp.

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CheckMateFluff t1_iy7eiqs wrote

Sometimes, it takes the best of ourselves to save us from the worst of ourselves. And in that case, being kind is doing your best.

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ThunderGunFour t1_iy7j689 wrote

Her hairstylist didn’t do their best

−9

hungrydruid t1_iy7jfsb wrote

As a recovering perfectionist, I hate this quote. My brain assumes that if one time I did 100% perfect worthy work, that well 'that is my best' and so literally any effort that's not 100% is bullshit worthless.

It's been really hard to retrain my brain and my thought patterns that it's okay to not get 100% on things and that there are other factors that affect my life... stress, sleep, family and friends, etc. that mean that my best will vary from day to day. And that's it's also okay to reserve my effort and my energy for the things that really matter, and that it's also okay to not give my best for those things that don't. Done is better than perfect.

(excuse the rant it's 4:30am yay Dragonflight)

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AiMacD t1_iy7mpo9 wrote

That’s not what she’s saying at all. Essentially meaning you’re not alway going to be the best at everything but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. The opposite of sad.

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Personal_Cicada6583 t1_iy7mxl7 wrote

If my opinion of myself is that I'm doing my best, then it's my best and everyone else is wrong!!

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k-tax t1_iy7p3dr wrote

Absolute bullshit.

If it needs doing, it can be done bad. This is a better quote.

You need a lunch. Does it have to be perfect, from scratch, super tasty etc.? It just needs to be. You can order it somewhere, or cut corners and make it fast. You need to tidy the house - do it perfectly or not do it at all. Sad, because doing t half-assed still gives you pretty clean house. Of course, it could have been better, but maybe next week? You need to prepare to an exam. You can half-ass it and pass, or you can study hard and get 100%. With granny, you either go for 100% or do nothing at all.

Sometimes things require your 100% focus, attention, commitment. But you cannot always do that, you have to allow sometimes NOT TO be your best. When you know that you could have done it better, but right now you don't have the time, energy, money or whatever. Can't go to the gym for 2 hours? Go for 45 minutes. Can't finish the project at uni? Half-ass it, take it off of your list. Can't make yourself nice full breakfast? Eat oatmeal, a sandwich or some nuts. Don't be hungry. Can't iron your shirt? Just do barely nothing. Barely ironed shirt looks so, so much better than just grabbed from wardrobe.

It's not a perfect advice. Nothing is. But there are many, many, many situations where you are better with some result than no result, so very often it's better to half-ass something than to keep yourself from doing it until you can devote enough time/attention/resources.

−4

hampussey t1_iy7qjho wrote

Just remember that if you did something good, there is always someone who can do it better

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sparklesandflies t1_iy7qubg wrote

Panel 2 “Everybody’s best is different” also applies to that fact that some days, your best is different. If on Tuesday, all you can muster is 60% of what you gave on Monday, that was Tuesday’s best. And that’s just fine! Like you said, done is better than perfect.

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grafknives t1_iy7qz6y wrote

Of course you cannot ALWAYS do your best. Stating such thing is utter nonsense and bullshit.

0

k-tax t1_iy7sogo wrote

Do you need to do YOUR best with everything? Is YOUR half-ass not enough to iron a shirt, prepare a meal, exercise, call your close ones?

I know that YOUR best is different from others best, but you don't need YOUR best all the time. Moreover, sometimes YOUR half-ass is more than others best.

−1

Fluffigt t1_iy7t6oe wrote

I hate the term ”always do your best”. Don’t! You will burn yourself out. Do your best when it matters, in all other situations do just enough.

0

ivy_bound t1_iy7tg1r wrote

This is a recipe for getting taken advantage of. Doing your best for someone else when they haven't earned it means they will always expect that for a low return. Have a job? Do what you were hired and paid for, and maybe a little extra, no more, no less. You rarely get "good boy points" for doing better than that. Save your best for what and who is important to you; actions you are passionate about, people you care about, things you want or need.

Do your best when it counts, save what energy you have for that.

0

hectorgrey123 t1_iy7ti96 wrote

Also, recognise that your best will vary day by day.

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TheOnlyKnight t1_iy7usvi wrote

I'm already the best - at being me, damnit! Everything else is mostly for fun.

1

Sharp_Value2020 t1_iy7vwck wrote

This definitely aint true. I can't do my best when I'm hungover, I don't even seem to do my best sober and fresh, I seem to do my best at a very specific dose of acid, and it's just impossible to maintain before turning into a fractal.

0

Ubersheep1 t1_iy7vzmp wrote

I'm a cub scout leader and we teach this to our young people. Such a good way to approach things, aim to do well and also be kind to yourself.

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ScholarlyExiscrim t1_iy7wn26 wrote

There is nothing healthier than the Great British Bake Off.

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5nurp5 t1_iy7xag6 wrote

And that's how the uk ended up with a bunch of incompetent, morally corrupt sex pests in power. They're just doing their best.

0

Pf_Plays t1_iy7ztna wrote

I wanna be the very best

1

HolyAndOblivious t1_iy80itx wrote

Don't do your best. Do enough but repeatedly . If you are talented do your best every once in a whike

1

hooplah t1_iy81bq8 wrote

i also am a perfectionist in recovery and i think the phrase “do your best” means you can decide what is best for you at a bird’s eye view. part of doing your best is protecting yourself, prioritizing, and making room for some level of “failure” into your life in a healthy way. overextending yourself to give your unattainable “best” at every effort is not good for you.

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Top-Chemistry5969 t1_iy827x1 wrote

At work I always act as if I were watched by hidden cameras looked at by my boss. Even if it's absurd, it helps me avoid doing stupid things.

1

Commercial_Ad332 t1_iy8321d wrote

Thanks for the encouragement, feeling like a failure pretty strongly this week.

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reddeaded1 t1_iy833nn wrote

"Do your best" doesn't mean you need to reach the absolute peak of your performance or don't bother doing it at all. Circumstances will dictate what "your best" looks like. If fact, this is the most common use of the phrase. When you know you're capable of better, but circumstances dictate you can't at the moment, you "do your best". For example:

> Can't go to the gym for 2 hours? Go for 45 minutes.

In my opinion, that IS doing your best. If you actually can't put in your full workout, but still manage to get one in, you did your best. You aren't failing to do your best because circumstances dictate you can't hit peak performance. If you had no excuse and just decided to half ass your workout anyway, that would be failing to do your best. That's what should be avoided.

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k-tax t1_iy83wmp wrote

But in this case your "best" is whatever you decide it is. I am saying, not everything needs "your best". And if you are not doing "your best", it's still bringing value. You have time and everything for a full workout, but don't feel like it? You don't need to give it your best. Don't go into: it's either your best or nothing. The space in-between is fine as well. And motivational posts like the above one make it clear: give it your best. Always do your best. Which can be daunting and is unadvised.

Have priorities. Think about thinking and doing. Not everything deserves your best.

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Skizepizz t1_iy84aro wrote

This is definitely something I didn't know I needed to hear. Thank you, op! And thank you, chill British baker lady!

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JKenny101 t1_iy86ucm wrote

"subject to managers approval"

😢😢

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reddeaded1 t1_iy877k3 wrote

> And if you are not doing "your best", it's still bringing value.

I don't think most people would disagree with this, at least I don't. But if you don't have an excuse then you're failing to meet your potential, which you shouldn't be happy with (or at least as happy as if you had). "Doing your best" or "achieving your potential" is a virtue. It's like when people tell you to practice kindness, or generosity, or forgiveness, or whatever. They are principals that we've decided are worth striving to meet (there is room for disagreement on that but I think it's outside the scope of this conversation).

This isn't to say you have to always live up to these principals, we are human and can't be expected to behave perfectly. I don't always react kindly when someone cuts me off in traffic, and I've been known to hold a grudge on occasion, but I still believe kindness and forgiveness are virtues worth striving for. You don't have to practice a virtue 100% of the time to still believe it is worthwhile, we don't need to throw it away completely because it's impossible to always live up to, we simply must do our best.

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Proud_Durian_8353 t1_iy89dj5 wrote

You: Doing your best The world: Why can't you be more like Tim?

1

mayflowers5 t1_iy8b2gr wrote

I totally get this, but what really hit me and helped me get over this was college. A zero on a test I hadn’t studied for and decided to just skip cause I was embarrassed was much worse for my overall grade than a 50% or whatever it was. It also pushed me to do better on the next one. My first year of college netted me like a 2.0 GPA and when I finally went back a few years later this strategy led to my 3.9 GPA. I wasn’t smarter or anything, but I changed my mindset.

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waterwings91 t1_iy8d8u2 wrote

This quote is more about effort over outcome. Every situation is different, and every person is different. If you gave it 100% effort, that's what matters. You might not get the 100% outcome that you wanted, but you did your best and you'll do a lot better than if you gave 50% effort.

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slvrscoobie t1_iy8hizd wrote

"Dont do your best, do MY best" - Adam Carolla

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ValyrianJedi t1_iy8n0og wrote

My job is as performance based as it gets. Like 2/3rds or more of the pay is performance based commission and bonus, and the bonus is based on how you perform relative to the other sales executives. Like if you're in the top 10% of revenue you get bonus A, top 20% get bonus B, bottom 50% no bonus, etc... It can be insanely rough because even if you've done your best someone else doing better can knock your pay down, which leads to you working a few more hours a week to get back on top that quarter, which leads to them working a few more hours a week to get back on top the next quarter, until eventually everybody is driving themselves in to the ground to crank out numbers like 20-30% higher than what anybody's best was a year ago.

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RidesForNaps t1_iy8nswd wrote

I don’t like the “do your best” approach. Most things get done more quickly and regularly if I take the “just half-ass it” approach. Most things, like laundry and exercise need consistency, not perfection seeking. Every once in a while I do my best, for special projects, but not every day!

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Tyrantboy t1_iy8ogmk wrote

But your best is equal to when I’m barely even trying

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HeretoDwale t1_iy8qqkx wrote

When you are old, everything you say, including the dumb ones sound wise. This was cool though.

1

Burden15 t1_iy8r3lq wrote

By definition tho, I think if you’re giving 100% effort all the time you’re going to be incredibly stressed and burnt out. Even applying that thinking to 100% effort at relaxing, when you need to relax, is gonna be counterproductive. As a habitual optimizer and tryhard, I understand why people here advocate that, sometimes, you just need to take er easy.

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Zmkw t1_iy8s3qr wrote

No I don't think I can

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waterwings91 t1_iy8sp60 wrote

There will be times when giving 100% is going to be stressful, you might burnout a bit, but if it's a consistent problem then you're giving over 100%. There are a lot of factors, as I said every situation is different and you want to do your best in that situation.

Let's take a runner for example. In two different races, they'll have two different approaches. In a sprint, it's all out for 10s and they are gassed at the end. If they were to run a marathon at that pace they'd never make it. They'd be too stressed and they'd burnout. Now, running a marathon in 4 hours is a good time, but definitely slower than a sprint. That doesn't mean that the runner didn't give it 100% though, they just changed their effort to meet their goal.

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EvilChicken25 t1_iy8t1p2 wrote

To quote CJ the X’s video about The Emperor’s New Groove: “BE KRONK!”

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tyco_brahe t1_iy8t8gv wrote

Do your best *when it really matters. Otherwise do enough.

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hungrydruid t1_iy8uc9u wrote

I'm really enjoying it! Already better than Dragonflight lol. I'm taking it slow and just having fun bc I have my last term of school finishing up rn too. Love me some dragons, this is my dream expansion lol.

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hungrydruid t1_iy8uhw8 wrote

But this is kind of my point, I cannot give 100% in different forms in all things. It's just way too much expectations and work, and my brain doesn't differentiate different forms very well anyway. It's been a learning process to reframe my thinking as such.

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Burden15 t1_iy8ui20 wrote

Yea, I understand what you’re saying. What I’m saying is that it isn’t necessarily healthy to always be in a race mindset, optimizing for whatever is your peak sustainable productivity theoretically is. Sometimes a person just needs to chill

1

Put_It_All_On_Blck t1_iy8xc2z wrote

Why is everyone so wholesome on this show? I've watched several seasons and I'm waiting for a villain to show up and just talk trash to the other bakers.

1

Armless_Dan t1_iy8z068 wrote

The only thing I like from the Star Wars prequels is the line: “There’s always a bigger fish.”

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jackfreeman t1_iy91vb4 wrote

That show is so damned wholesome

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Hellkids2 t1_iy963hq wrote

My motto in life is: Do your best, so that when your future self looks back at this moment, he/she will not feel regret.

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ETosser t1_iy97158 wrote

That's the most wholesome show ever. Everyone on it is so nice.

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Decmk3 t1_iy98c0p wrote

She was a good person.

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Hench21 t1_iy9g6fr wrote

Sounds like a dollhouse conversation…

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VermicelliSevere1812 t1_iy9hmql wrote

You can try the best you can

You can try the best you can

The best you can is good enough

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sparklesandflies t1_iy9i7sn wrote

In some very specific scenarios, yes. There is no one blanket statement to cover all possible situations. So if you are trying to design a system to prevent nuclear meltdown, sure. Do it perfectly or have someone else do it perfectly. But for the vast majority of life events? Done is better than perfect. Too tired after work to cook a balanced, healthy, delicious meal? Eat something rather than go without. Didn’t make it out for a 40-minute run? Walk for 15 instead of laying on the couch. A client wants a mock-up of a deliverable but your deadline is too short? Show them why you have and describe the rest. That might not work every time, but it’s better than delivering nothing because it wasn’t 100%.

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sparklesandflies t1_iy9j2ei wrote

I mean…point me to a motivational phrase that isn’t a little trite. If a sappy message help you to let go of the anxiety and exhaustion of always trying to deliver 100% perfection in all aspects of your life every day, then this post is for you. If it makes you roll your eyes because you already feel like you are balancing your work, social, household, etc., expectations on your own, then roll your eyes and move on.

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hungrydruid t1_iy9jpx7 wrote

Yeah, my parents used to say this when I was younger (while also teasing me if I got less than 100%) and it just really messed me up for a long time. Therapy's helped a lot but it's still something I struggle with.

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waterwings91 t1_iy9nak6 wrote

The original quote was always do you best, so maybe I was wrong to say 100% effort when I meant do you best. At this point we're arguing semantics. Do your best, your best will look different depending on your goals.

1

plaidverb t1_iy9u1oz wrote

There’s a companion program, “Bake-Off: An Extra Slice”, that I don’t necessarily recommend watching every week, but the one that airs after the finale is usually totally worth it because all the competitors come back to celebrate the winner.

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chromeVidrio t1_iyanl5g wrote

eh sometimes you just gotta say fuck it and call it a bad job imo

1

qiabm t1_iybhct0 wrote

This is how you can explain what is the meaning of best? But there are several best ways to explain what is best? 😂😂😂

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odigon t1_iybkkf4 wrote

I believe I have also seen somebody make the point that if you are always doing your best, then it becomes your norm, not your best. Your 'best' will always be rare occasions to be remembered and celebrated, where you have achieved some personal pinnacle of achievement, rarely repeated. I dont know if that makes things any better, but maybe it tempers expectations a little?

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sk8atl902 t1_iybmq0k wrote

My son says I’m the best. I say he is better. So even though I’m the best he’s still better.

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pseudoNeo t1_iybyo2m wrote

Thank you. I really needed this today. I’ve been struggling at work recently, and there has been an unhealthy amount of self-doubt.

While it’s somewhat disheartening to realise that my best may not meet some expectations, it takes some pressure off because I know I’m doing all I can.

1