If you best is not good enough do better

By Michael Fletcher On January 29, 2010 · 24 Comments

It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.
Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

How great is that quote? It’s something I touched on in my post Try is nothing, do or do not as well. I often wonder what our community fascination is with celebrating giving up. Failure is not the end of the world, it’s not even the end of the road. Until we stop trying, we’re still in the race.

Work on working.

I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.
Jerome K. Jerome (1859 – 1927), “Three Men in a Boat”, 1889

The Churchill quote is a gentle reminder that our world was created by people who went to the edge of where humankind had already been and took another step. One more step and then another putting the “limit” in their pocket and stretching it a bit further then further still, normally after many failures. Doing what is required is about doing the work, instead of thinking about it.

I challenge you to make your best, better.

I challenge you to look at the things you want. The things you desire. Your goals and dreams. Now are you’re doing everything in your power to achieve those goals. Are you doing your best or are you doing what is required? If your best is not good enough right now, are you making your best better?

Tools tips and jet fuel

I think in order to make the most of your situation and push the envelope in terms of what you can achieve you need to stop working in the system and work on the system. Not organized? Work smarter not harder.

Try a tool like evernote to organize your life.

Change your schedule

sleep later

Wake up earlier

watch less tv

Go back to school

Ask an expert a question

Start a blog

The key to changing your results is to change your methods. If your best isn’t what’s required, try something else. If the goal means enough you’ll do enough!

Image Credit

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bartoccetti/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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24 Responses to If you best is not good enough do better

Michael Fletcher says:
January 29, 2010 at 5:37 pm
If you best is not good enough do better http://goo.gl/fb/0zGH #uncategorized #failure #motivation
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Michael Fletcher says:
January 30, 2010 at 12:30 am
New Blog Post If you best is not good enough do better – It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to … http://ow.ly/16si4x
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Gordie says:
January 30, 2010 at 6:46 am
Hey Michael,
You’re right that most great people in history went just one step further than where anyone had gone before. We have to turn fear of failure into fear of giving up.
.-= Gordie´s last blog ..How Passionate Speaking Can Be Deceiving. =-.
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Ordinary2Outstanding says:
January 31, 2010 at 7:47 am
RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x
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Tweets that mention If you best is not good enough do better | Monetize Your Life -- Topsy.com says:
January 31, 2010 at 7:02 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Fletcher and Michael Fletcher, Ordinary2Outstanding. Ordinary2Outstanding said: RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x [...]
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Michael Fletcher says:
January 31, 2010 at 10:11 pm
If you best is not good enough do better – It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to … http://ow.ly/12mB1
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Arafat Hossain says:
February 3, 2010 at 10:14 am
RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x
Reply
Arafat Hossain says:
February 3, 2010 at 10:14 am
RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x
Reply
Arafat Hossain says:
February 3, 2010 at 10:14 am
RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x
Reply
Arafat Hossain Piyada says:
February 3, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Hi Michael,
You just share a nice quote. I personally trying to do better than my best to achieve 3000+ visitor/day while I currently gaining something around 1600. I have an aim to get it before June and I think I’m on my way and I believe I have the ability to achieve that target.
Arafat
.-= Arafat Hossain Piyada´s last blog ..Speed Up iPhone and iPod Touch syncing on iTunes with BackOff =-.
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uberVU - social comments says:
February 3, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://goo.gl/fb/0zGH #uncategorized #failure #motivation…
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Arafat Hossain says:
February 3, 2010 at 10:14 am
RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x
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Jim Hardin says:
February 4, 2010 at 1:58 am
RT @mikezilla14: If you best is not good enough do better http://ow.ly/16si4x
Reply
Jim Hardin says:
February 4, 2010 at 3:57 am
You are right Michael you do need to push yourself to do better. Sometimes I feel like I get stuck in the routine of life. Get up shower, go to work, come home, eat, work on blog and go to sleep. Then get up and do it all over again. Weeks were going by and I was doing the same thing. Its like I was stuck. I felt like life was just passing me by and I didn’t take time to enjoy it. So just the other day I switched it up a bit and started working out again. Sure things shifted a bit but honestly I felt better. I feel happier. I don’t know just a simple thing like changing the routine adding in something I like helped me get out of the slump that I was in.
.-= Jim Hardin´s last blog ..Hot ‘N Spicy Buffalo Posts =-.
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winnie says:
February 9, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Great post and yes changing the method. good advice.
Reply
- Michael Fletcher says:
  February 9, 2010 at 9:30 pm
  Thanks a lot for that Winnie glad to see you round my parts again
  Reply
Ryan says:
February 14, 2010 at 11:09 pm
Hi Michael,
I like your motivational tips. Doing better is usually not predicated on doing, but listening. Finding a quiet spot, being quiet and tuning in to your intuition. You may get a nudge to sleep later, get up earlier, or stay in bed all day.
I took off for a 3 day period recently. No internet and I spent the middle day in bed. I felt great after my rest and came back recharged. All because I listened.
.-= Ryan´s last blog ..Super Quick Lesson in SEO =-.
Reply
- Michael Fletcher says:
  February 16, 2010 at 11:03 pm
  I agree , and welcome back Ryan, the important thing for me is to always keep working on the system. When it’s not working you’ll know if you’re listening for it and that’s when it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
  Reply
Michael Fletcher says:
June 25, 2010 at 12:35 pm
If you best is not good enough do better http://nxy.in/apvoc
Reply
Michael Fletcher says:
June 30, 2010 at 1:25 pm
If you best is not good enough do better http://nxy.in/d3iy2
Reply
Michael Fletcher says:
July 6, 2010 at 5:50 pm
If you best is not good enough do better http://nxy.in/d3iy2 #productivity
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Michael Fletcher says:
July 7, 2010 at 3:49 pm
If you best is not good enough do better http://nxy.in/d3iy2 #gtd
Reply
Cati says:
August 31, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Hi there,
Thanks a lot for this post. It’s just what I need to try to stand up again and try hard to do better!

Reply
- Michael Fletcher says:
  September 1, 2011 at 11:05 am
  Thanks Cati, glad you liked the post it’s always been one of my favourites
  Reply