Your Best

Stop signing your letters and emails with 'Best'! 

Other forms:

• All the Best
• Best
• Best Regards
• Very Best

Why?     Reserve "Best" for exactly that …. your Best. 

I'm working with Bo Eason, Storytelling Expert, Former NFL All Star, Broadway Playwright and Motivation Speaker.  He works with people to be their Best.  Working with him has made the word, Best, nearly sacred for me.  Let's explore!

The definition of Best is 'the most excellent, outstanding or desirable.' 

Best isn't just a high bar.  It's the HIGHEST bar!

When you signed off your letter or email with 'Best,' did you go into your whole being, gather up all your best thoughts and best intentions?  Thought about how you can best serve that person's life mission?  And then write that word, 'Best'?

Hmm

Oh, and what about using Best as an apology.  That really grinds me.  Someone hands you their work and say, "I did my Best."  When you hear a whiny tone, it means they are setting your expectation for poor quality.  Something WAY less than Best.  The full phrase means something like, "I did my best with the crappy conditions given to me."   Or, "I did my best with the awful resources given to me, the unreasonable timeline, the impossibly low budget.  I'm not happy with the output, but here."   You get my drift.

Please stop using "Best" as an apology!

So, what is your Best?

We're always in pursuit to be our Best, but are we ever there?

Best is elusive. 

I had the amazing opportunity to ask an Olympic runner about winning the gold medal.  Asked if they ran their Best?  No

Despite imperfect conditions, they won.  People pursuing their Best never give up.  They squeeze more and more out of themselves.  Tune and fine tune.  They aren't in competition with others.  They compete with the Best version of themselves.  They strive and drive for more.  Best is beyond our reach and yet ever present.  Pulling us to adapt and tune.  To hone our talent like a beautiful gem we continually polish so we shine brighter and brighter.  Let's SHINE!

Create a specific vision of your Best.  What does it look like?  What does it feel like?  Visualization is a powerful tool.  Seriously, close your eyes, take a deep breath and visualize Your Best.  Pick up a pen and paper and write it down!

Then, begin.  Strive for it.  Let it pull you.  Encourage you.  Motivate you.  Remember to celebrate the milestones as you move closer to it.  Many high performers forget that part.  Celebration.  If you forget to celebrate, you may get disheartened and founder.

If you attain that measure of success that defines The Best, raise your arms and celebrate!  Woo HOO!  Share your victory with friends.  Have a party! 

And then look up and around.  Like any mountain you've climbed, there's another beautiful mountain to summit.  Another calling. 

Your work is done with your last breath.  Make every breath and every step, count!

The people around you and our world needs your Best!

Let's GO!