ALL WE CAN DO
An old friend of mine used to respond to every compliment by saying "we're doing the best we can, it's all we can do". I've thought a lot about this over the years and repeat it often. It means that we can't expect to do the best conceivable job, we can't achieve perfection, we can't measure ourselves by another's capability, by some hypothetical ideal, we can only do the best we can do. It excuses our frailties, our imperfections, and empowers us to accept an imperfect performance so long as we do the best we can do.
I've often said that no one can expect us to do more than we're capable of, better than our best. But I also say that we must continue to try to do better, to improve ourselves, our performance. Is there a contradiction? No, both are true. At any time, we can't do better than the best we can do. But we can continually try to improve our best, to expand our capacity, to do better and better as our skills grow. We can work as hard as we can to learn, to seek new opportunities, new challenges, to master those skills necessary to accomplish our goals.
I've been spending time lately in circumstances where I observe others and learn something of their lives. I've been impressed in a way that surprises me. I used to think I worked as hard as anyone but many of the people I've observed work even harder than I, sometimes 7 days a week, 16 hours a day to polish their skills, to expand their opportunities, to help others, including friends, customers and families. And in many examples, they have not been particularly well rewarded, They do it because their work ethics demand it, because they genuinely want to help others, because they love to learn, because they're ambitious, or for all these reasons, or for other reasons I haven't understood. The fact is they seem to me to be putting out maximum efforts to do their best. I admire them and they can be proud of themselves. I hope and believe they will eventually be rewarded for their efforts.
I've also seen a few examples of a different kind of person. These are people who don't do their best, who don't make much of an effort, who look to their own short-term interests first, who try to get by with the minimum effort and performance. Sadly, many of these people are the most fortunate, talented, bright people I've met. Maybe not today, maybe not soon but eventually they will regret this time of indolence. Ultimately we are rewarded for what we do, but people also credit us for our effort. People who put in no effort will not be as well rewarded for what they do. And, perhaps more importantly, they will not be proud of themselves.
Look at yourself and make sure you do the best you can. It doesn't matter whether that is more or less than others can do. You can be proud of yourself and others will notice also.
8-16-02
Home Page 2002 Archives 2001 Archives 2000 Archives 1999 Archives