You Can Do Better!

The concept that success is mine when I work my hardest to become my best, and that I alone determine whether I do so, became central to my life and affected me in a most profound manner. – Coach John Wooden

(by SuperCoach Michael Neill):
There is a story about a young aide who began working for former US Seceretary of State Henry Kissinger. After preparing a 10 page brief for Kissinger, the aide was quite surprised to find the brief back on his desk the following morning with the words “You can do better!” written across the top.

Diligently, the young aide checked and re-checked his facts, this time visiting a few additional sources and turned in the now 15 page brief to Kissinger’s office. Within an hour, it was returned to him, once again with the words “You can do better!” written on the front.

Once more the aide checked and re-checked his facts, garnered yet more sources of information, and after nearly 36 sleepless hours of diligently gathering all the available information, making enquiries and checking facts, he proudly presented the now 20 page document to Kissinger’s office, only to have it returned to him yet again with the now familiar words “You can do better!” written on the front.

Despondent, they young aide met with Kissinger to offer his resignation. “This is the best I can do,” said the aide. “I’ve given my all.”

“Good,” replied Kissinger. “Now I’ll read it!”

How often in our own lives do we do the bare minimum we need to do to get by, satisfying others without in any way satisfying ourselves?

When I look back on my own life, many of the accomplishments that people assume I’m most proud of fade into insignificance compared to a stone wall I built in my parents driveway when I was 15. I built that stone wall by hand, choosing each stone with care. It’s not perfect by any means, but I have never put more of myself into a project, and the fact that two decades later, the wall is still standing pales into insignificance compared to my experience of truly giving everything I had in service of my goal.

This week, do yourself a favor – don’t fake it. Don’t “get away with” anything, and don’t just show up. Put in the hours and put in the effort, not for your employer’s or client’s sake, but for your own. Just for this week, work like you DO need the money and reap the rewards of success, fulfillment, and well-being.

Today’s Experiment:
1. Choose a project you are currently working on.

Examples:
Something at work, your relationship with your spouse or your children, Some DIY or home improvements, etc.

2. If it was given back to you with the words “You can do better!”, what could you do to do it better?

Examples:
Put in more time, put in more effort, put in more thought, get help from others, learn more about it, etc.

3. Know that you CAN do better and do what it takes to know that you have done your best. Remember, you are the only one who can determine when you’ve done so.

I’ll leave you today with one of my favorite quotes of all time from the French actress Sarah Bernhardt:

“Life begets life, energy begets energy.
It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.”

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