Many professionals at some point in their careers have approached a deadline scrambling to complete a project. Along the way, they may have questioned whether they have given their best effort.
Or, they have half-heartedly finished a task they are not too thrilled about, just to wrap it up and get it out the door or finally be able to hit the “send” button.
If you were ever in the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, you remember the “I will do my best” part of the oath. As you grew up, you may have also heard this saying attributed to Will Rogers, Oscar Wilde, and perhaps others: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Studies have shown that people form a first impression of one another in as few as seven seconds. By always giving your best effort, you can help ensure the first impression you leave with others and that of the company you represent is continually favorable. Like it or not, every new interaction presents an opportunity to be evaluated, whether that is in person, in print, on a social media channel, or by way of a product presentation.
By rejecting the “good enough” approach, you’re steadfastly holding to the premise that you’re more dedicated and committed to the goal than those comfortable with just letting things slide because they are exhausted. Be patient and stay the course because the results of your efforts truly may take time to appear. Even in today’s world of instant gratification, reaching a significant goal can take time.
Continue to be persistent and power through even when you feel like throwing up your hands in frustration. Though the temptation may be great, if you remain accountable to yourself and to your company by going the extra mile, you’ll continue to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Your customers can tell the difference.
By being committed to a willingness to tackle challenges and accepting changes as they come instead of focusing on just a “good enough” approach, you can dedicate your efforts to caring enough to make a difference in the lives of others, your organization, and yourself by not abandoning your best efforts halfway through.
Throughout the process, you’ll want to be honest with yourself and others about what it will take to accomplish the task at hand or the long-term goal. After all, being truthful comes naturally. If you deviate from that and have to remember the tall tale you told someone else, you risk not being able to keep up with the charade that will eventually unravel.
By being thoughtful in your approach, you can also be happy for others, rather than relying on some unfair comparisons between you and them. By concentrating on being thoughtful, you’ll be dedicating positive energy to every process and not caving in to jealousy and hollow comparisons. Success may even arrive more quickly when you’ve chosen the high road of the positive path.
There is a price for sacrificing your best effort. Companies and individuals both need to understand the importance of maintaining high quality and the implications of not doing so. There may not be a second chance to correct a situation after disaster strikes. Have a plan, take charge and correct those areas that need improvement.
Not every oversight results in a global disaster, but you never know what might. Computers have an “undo” button. In real life, that’s not always possible.
By choosing to care and make a difference, you’re on the way to being the best.
Be the one told by a client or associate, “You’re the best!” rather than settling for being barely acknowledged as “good enough” for the job or task at hand.
