Your Best… Within Reason

You know how I just up and went to Vermont with Garrett for a spur of the moment trip last week? I mentioned in that post that a few things that had turned into a headache. One of those things was a contract. Thank goodness for great lawyers, but all the legal talk had my head spinning!!!

During one of the calls, my lawyer was explaining the difference between “reasonable” and “best.” There is apparently a HUGE difference in those two words. “Best” meaning that you did literally everything possible and “reasonable” being a little bit more forgiving.

Separate from the contract, it actually got me thinking. Outside of the law, I think you need both ends of the spectrum. You have to do your best, within reason.

On an everyday basis, I really do try to do my very best. I’ll agree to do something on a short notice… I’ll bend over backwards to get something done well… I’ll rearrange my schedule if need be. However, there are times when I just can’t make it happen. I used to take these moments as serious personal defeats. I would really beat myself up about it. Sometimes I’d even still make it happen at the detriment to my own self.

I do want and strive to do my very best with every opportunity, but there is a line when doing my best isn’t necessarily reasonable. Figuring out where that line is is definitely a challenge, but it’s worth examining and figuring out when it’s questionable! If you’re not sure if you can handle something, sit down and really figure out to what extent you can or can’t do it. Maybe you need to compromise or negotiate what is being asked… maybe you actually can say “yes”… or maybe you really do have to pass altogether.

Sometimes you do have to give yourself a break and realize that you will do the best you can given the circumstances. When you start being consistent about doing your best when possible, the end results will be even better because you’re doing it in the right situations.

Have you ever felt pressured to do your best even if it didn’t feel possible? How have you learned to say no?