SIMPLY YOUR BEST…

Thandi hasn`t been with us for long.  She is one of those quiet, soft-spoken members in class.  Never complaining and never really making chit chat.  So, I was quite taken aback last Monday when Thandi walked up to me and sat down next to me on the stage after our Golden Girls Pilates Class.

“You know”, she said.  “My house burned down last year.  I lost everything.  Everything.  I have not been well, and I have really struggled with the classes – I have been so tense.  But I have tried my best and I can feel my mind and my body regaining its strength again…”

I was so moved by Thandi`s openness and honesty, and I have thought about her remark about doing her best a lot these last few days.  We all go through times when it seems that our best is simply not good enough.  Last week when we experienced a lot of connectivity issues at the studio and failed to host proper Zoom classes, at some point I felt: “I am doing everything I can, but I am not delivering what I have promised these online clients…”

I almost felt like the girl in the funny viral TikTok video:

…Maybe this is how the majority of our Challenge members felt today when they optimistically waited for the result of our Mini-Challenge – they had to do the Drip Challenge last week, and the winner was promised a pair of Sweatgear pants.  Of course, I would have loved to present a pair of free pants to everyone, because they ALL were incredible and tried their very best…

In his book “The Breakthrough that will Change your Life”, Charles F Glassman makes it sound so simple.  He says: “Trying your best means:  You NEVER say negative things about yourself.  You ALWAYS accept yourself whether you win or lose.  You ALWAYS face challenges with a winning attitude.  You NEVER feel bad or sorry for yourself if you don’t win”.

But it`s much easier said than done.  We have all heard, “Always do your best.”  Whether it came from our parents, our teachers, or sports coaches, doing our best has always been a cliché-motto echoed throughout our lives.  But what does doing your best really mean?  And is it even possible to do your best?

It`s a really tough concept, because how many times throughout the day do we think that we could be doing more?  How many times throughout the day do we think that we should be doing something better?  And how many times a day do we give ourselves a hard time over…absolutely everything, yet nothing in particular?  And, last question, how exhausting is it?  Very…

This has really been on my mind the past few weeks, for in all these years we have hosted Fitness Challenges, I have not seen so much commitment from so many people.  And I want to be there for them and do everything I can to help obliterate the obstacles that prevent my members from doing their absolute best.

I constantly feel so responsible for their growth, their sanity, their levels of motivation and performance, and I often find myself wondering if I am doing enough for their well-being during these long 12 weeks.  Am I not too hard on them?  Am I not expecting too much? 

I don`t know, I just know that we are entering week 4 tomorrow, and it`s my heartfelt wish that every member should feel that she is doing her best and that it`s good enough. 

In the words of John Cena: “Do your best everyday, to do your best everyday…”

Have you thought about this?  Are you doing your best?  And how do you determine what your best is?  In his book “Always forward!”, American keynote speaker Bill Wooditch explains it like this:

“Doing your best is trying your hardest, your 100% best effort.   When you do your best, you do it with the intention of to succeed.  However, it is likely that you might fail.  Giving your best means that you stay optimistic about your effort and not giving up no matter how many times life knocks you back.”

I think the most important aspect of all is to focus on YOUR own journey.  Being driven to succeed should not be confused with the kind of competitive ambition that can consume you.  The key, says psychiatrist and author Dr Neel Burton, is to pursue healthy ambition – not looking over your shoulder how others are faring, but simply doing your best.

Doing your best is synonymous with living each moment to its fullest potential.  And this potential exists in every situation you encounter in your life.  Doing your best is not about meeting expectations or achievements, it isn`t about success or failure.  It`s about putting all your energy into whatever life situation you are currently experiencing.

Every moment you think you failed was supposed to happen exactly as it happened.  It is often those moments that we label as failures that teach us the most about ourselves.

Do things to do them, not to get them done – whether it`s a mini-Challenge or a step workout or a 5.00 gym session.  The American professional football player, Ralph Marston, once said: “Excellence is not a skill, it`s an attitude.”  If a task is worth doing, it is worth doing well.  Doing your best is therefore an attitude.

It`s the attitude of being realistic and to stop looking around, to reflect on what YOU want, focus on YOUR body type, lifestyle, season of life and available time.  Acknowledge when you are doing YOUR best and when you`re slacking.  Strive to be YOUR best, not to be THE best.  Be patient with the process.  Be honest enough to admit to yourself when you`ve not given it your all, give up the excuses and find ways to get your head in the game again.

And then?  Be grateful.  Pursuing excellence in every area of life is both a privilege and a challenge.  When the world screams, “Be perfect or you`re nothing”, look up and be grateful for what you are doing.

But what about those times when you still have that little voice that whispers in your head, “you`re not doing your best’?  Then read this locker room halftime pep talk given by the coach, played by Billy Bob Thornton, in the movie “Friday night lights.”  It is 1988, when the Permian Panthers are playing their final game for the state championship.

Thornton`s character looks at his players down on their knees and says: “For a long time you`ve heard me talk about being perfect.  Well, I want you to understand something.  To me, being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there.  It`s not about winning.  It`s about you and your relationship to yourself.

If you can say that there isn`t one more thing that you could have done, then you`re perfect…”

Maybe that`s a question we should ask ourselves daily – have I done all I could?  Not?  Then I will just have to do better next time. 

“Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better”, encouraged Maya Angelou many years ago.

Sometimes we`ll fall short of being the best, but may we never fall short of giving our best.  Have a wonderful week, not being simply THE best, just simply being YOUR best.

Yours in fitness

Mirna

082 779 0507