Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later – Og Mandino
Your Best is Within You
Ability is the possession of the means or skill to do something. Performing various functions well comes down to our abilities. From simple abilities like walking to more complicated ones such as programming, abilities cover a massive range of what we can do. Whereas we view ability from the perspective of what is acquired through formal education, our most valuable abilities lie within us. These abilities are easy to underestimate or step over because we don’t view them in their proper light. If we apply and develop these abilities daily, we will discover incremental and exponential growth. It’s often the things we overlook that have the potential to impact our lives and others. Impact happens by inchmeal. Little by little, it accrues like interest in a money market account. Just like the account that grows as the interest accrues, as we consistently pour into others by bringing our best, that impact results in an enriching environment, and our lives have meaning.
Build Meaning Into Your Life
Don’t wait to find meaning in life. Build it into what you do by bringing your best and serving others. In doing so, you will enrich your life. Connect your life to the highest purpose of serving others; your best will always come to the table. John W. Gardner, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, said this about commitment and meaning:
“We tend to think of youth and the active middle years as the years of commitment. As you get a little older, you’re told you’ve earned the right to think about yourself. But that’s a deadly prescription! People of every age need commitments beyond self and need the meaning that commitments provide. Self-preoccupation is a prison, as every self-absorbed person finally knows. Commitments to larger purposes can get you out of prison.”
Committing to bringing our best is the key to breaking free from self-preoccupation. Building meaning keeps us from living a mundane life that eventually leads to stagnancy. How do we bring our best and build meaning into our lives? Start by being your best. You cannot give what you don’t have. Bring your best to everything you do by being your best first.
Committing to bringing our best is the key to breaking free from self-preoccupation.
Condition Yourself
At age 39, Lebron James should not be playing the level of basketball he is. At an age where most players experience significant decline or have already retired, Lebron defies the odds. In his 21st year in the NBA, a feat matched by very few, Lebron has separated himself as one of the greatest players for his ability and availability to play at a high level at this stage in his career. Instead of shifting to neutral and coasting to the finish, LeBron James continues to exceed expectations. Recent evidence is leading the Los Angeles Lakers to win the inaugural In-Season Tournament in December last year. According to an article in Essentially Sports, he spends roughly $1.5 million yearly on his body! That investment has paid off handsomely in the form of 21 seasons (and counting), the all-time leader for points scored, the NBA’s all-time leader for minutes played, 10 NBA Finals appearances, 4 Finals MVP honors, and 4 NBA Championships. And we are all witnesses. Lebron invests in his body conditioning, which continues to pay off years later.
Lebron exemplifies the principle of being your best to bring your best. Your inputs determine your outputs. Focus on what you feed your mind consistently. If you eat healthy food once a week but indulge in junk food for the rest, chances are the effects of healthy eating will be nullified. The same applies to the mind. It is an asset that you should manage with care and consistency. Your life rises or falls by your mental conditioning. Invest in what will build you mentally. Invest in healthy relationships, experiences, and tools like books and podcasts to expand and enrich your mental capacity.
Your life rises or falls by your mental conditioning
Final Thought: If you are passionate about living a life that counts and taking the hill, be intentional about bringing your best to everything you do. Start with your inputs and what you feed your mind. The output will be a life that commits to serving others and making an impact.
Keep on keeping on!
Discover Your Treasure 