DO YOUR BEST

Your strongest ally on the path to success is a good attitude. To make sure you have one, make Debbi Field's motto your own. Her motto is "Good enough never is." Refuse to accept 'good enough' when excellence is possible. Make your creed or purpose in life to always do your best.

Do you want to win recognition, admiration, and respect? The shortest path to winning respect is to respect yourself. That's exactly what you will do if you always try your best and make excellence your goal. Excellence means asking more of yourself than others ask of you. Here is what Og Mandino (1923-1996) has to say on the subject:

"One of the great undiscovered joys of life comes from doing everything one attempt to the best of one's ability. There is a special sense of satisfaction, a pride in surveying such a work, a work which is rounded, full, exact, complete in its parts, which the superficial person who leaves his or her work in a slovenly, slipshod, half-finished condition, can never know. It is this conscientious completeness which turns any work into art.

The smallest task, well done, becomes a miracle of achievement."

Can you see how those who do only what they are paid for cheat themselves? After all, to get the most out of life, you've got to get the best out of yourself. It is very easy to elevate ourselves. All we have to do is make a decision and commitment to do our best. To guide us on this path, Confucius (BCE 551-479) adds this advice, "When you see good qualities in a person, think of how to rise to that level. When you see bad qualities in a person, reflect inwards and examine your weak points."