I see, hear and read this statement often in social media: “do your best“.
And its variations:
Always do your best
Be your best self
Do your best every day
blah blah blah…
What a fantastic way of limiting yourself! By giving yourself the option to shrug at the end of the day and resign saying “I’ve done my best”…. you limit yourself.
Is your best what’s needed to solve the problem or complete the goal?
How do you know what your best is, in every situation?
Reaching your best is a continuous journey, always unfolding.
No one knows your best. Not even you.
As you may have noticed already, I’m not a big fan of the “do your best” approach.
Instead, I prefer:
Do whatever it takes.
If you want to:
- advance in your career
- complete a major project
- fight for an impactful cause
- compete at professional level
- overcome personal challenges
- achieve fitness and health goals
- succeed in crisis management
- be a successful entrepreneur
- commit to creative pursuits
- achieve your financial goals
- advocate for social change
the “whatever it takes” mentality is effective. And when done considering your personal values and your well-being, it’s also beneficial.
“Whatever it takes” opens a world of possibilities. It gets your mind into the creative, problem-solving mode that helps you push through. It invites your mind to explore what else is available to solve the problem or achieve the goal.
I noticed many benefits of doing “whatever it takes” – here are the most important ones:
1. It shifts you into problem-solving mode – because it encourages creative thinking. Creativity often leads to innovation. You can uncover options that your mind didn’t consider before.
2. It fuels your determination and perseverance. It makes you persist in trying out various solutions to solve the problem at hand or reach the goal. And this means you are more likely to push through obstacles and challenges. With this attitude, you’re more likely to achieve your goals.
3. It improves your focus and commitment. You minimize distractions and doubts if you’re dedicated to doing more. Your efforts are likely to be more efficient and more effective. Your chances to focus on achieving your goals increase.
4. It helps you achieve ambitious goals. Often, you need commitment and extraordinary effort to achieve an ambitious goal. The “whatever it takes” approach can help you put in the extra effort and go above and beyond to achieve the goal.
5. It makes you more resilient. The inevitable obstacles you encounter when trying out various solutions, test you. They help you build resilience. You learn to adapt to changing circumstances. You develop the skill to quickly bounce back from setbacks.
In the “whatever it takes” mental model, it is crucial to respect your personal values. To act only according to your ethical beliefs. To pursue only what resonates with your own values.
So:
Do whatever it takes – that aligns with your personal values.
Do not make ethical compromises. If your actions do not align with your personal values, the “whatever it takes” model works against you. Actions that ignore ethical values can lead to depression or anxiety. Without the ethical guardrails in place, your mental health is at risk.
It’s also important to take care of your well-being along the way. The “whatever it takes” mental model, if over utilized, can make you neglect personal relationships and life balance.
Don’t do the best. I’ve said it earlier: the “whatever it takes” mentality is effective. And when done considering your personal values and your well-being, it’s also beneficial.
Approach one problem to solve or one goal to achieve with the “whatever it takes” mentality. And allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised by the results.
