How to Give It Your All

It’s easy to say you’ll do your best, but saying you’ll do something doesn’t mean you’ll actually do it. Do you give it your all? Here are 17 ways to turn talk into action.

How to Do Your Very Best

Challenge yourself. Step outside your comfort zone. If you don’t push your limits, you’ll never get better.

Focus your efforts. Trying to be excellent at everything leads to mediocrity.

Start doing more by doing less. Subtracting from your list of priorities is as important as adding to it.

Embrace continuous improvement. Strive for small improvement in everything you do. Remember, progress is one step closer to excellence.

Give it your best shot. Strive for excellence, not perfection.

Up your game. The best way to improve your tennis game is to play with someone better than you. The same holds true in other areas of your life.

Score small wins. Hit singles rather than home runs. Small wins will keep you motivated as you pursue your long-term goals.

Learn from the best. Surround yourself with top-notch people. Determine what qualities make them special and whether you want to follow their example.

Start small. Learn when the consequences are small. It’s better to learn in a non-threatening environment than when it’s “game time.”

Accept failure. Mistakes don’t make you a failure, but beating yourself up makes you feel like one. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

Request feedback. Treat feedback as a gift rather than as a slap in the face. Feedback turns good into better and better into best.

Profit from setbacks. Adversity is a great teacher. It helps build confidence and self-esteem. There is great truth to the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Stay strong. Determination is habit forming; so is quitting.

Raise the bar. It doesn’t cost more to strive for excellence, but if you settle for mediocrity, it’ll cost you dearly.

Live with honor and integrity. Knowing what’s right is as important as doing what’s right. Choose principles over convenience.

Be a good person. Do you want to do more or be more? Having said that, forget your to-do list and create a to-be list.

Lead by example. Virtue isn’t demanding more of others; it’s expecting more of yourself.

Doing your best isn’t an activity; it’s a mindset.