You wake up at 6 am groggy and tired, but you pull yourself out of bed anyway and start making coffee. Your partner is awake and already angry. They feel like you never listen, and you continue the pattern. Grab some coffee and jump into the car to get to work.
BOOM. Flat tire. In the abrupt stop, burning coffee flies all over your shirt and lap. Swearing like a sailor, after half an hour you manage to get the spare on and get back into the car with greasy black hands and muddy knees. When you finally make it to work (late) your boss rips you a new one.
All in all, this is not your best day. Not even close. You’re mad, frustrated, and honestly feel like going back to your desk and crying. You walk into your office and wash the grease off or your hands, praying that you might get a moment to yourself. Of course, that doesn’t happen. A nurse wheels a little girl on a hospital bed into the operating room. You can see her dad staring at you from behind the glass. You’re the only one who can save her, and it’s go-time.
Would you give this little girl your 100% best? Or just take this operation off? The great surgeon puts aside their frustration to give each patient every ounce of effort. He clears his head and gives everything he can to save the girls life. How could he live with himself if he didn’t?
Treat your job/family/passion like the great surgeon treats every operation.
Whether it’s a dad that feels like he’s stretched to the max and wants to run from his family, or a blogger with writers-block ready to skip a deadline; hold yourself to giving 100% in every situation of in your life.
I am definitely one to cut corners. I try and take on so many jobs that I justify doing lesser work by the volume of that work. In the end, I just end up with piles of average work and nothing very impressive to show for myself.
As a videographer, I often end up wanting to show people my “best work”. While I can show them the sheer amount of videos I’ve made throughout my career, I find myself NOT wanting them to see most of it. I know it isn’t the best I can do.
But if I have nothing that I can say I did my 100% best on, then is that lesser work actually my best work?
I want to leave this open ended so I can hear some advice from you. This has been a struggle for me for a while. Should I continue taking on a larger amount of things? Or focus on a few smaller things? Which are you doing/wish you would have done?
I apologize, I know most of my blogs are self-centered and often ask a lot of questions, but I am still a 19 yr old trying to figure out how life works after all… 😉
Can’t wait to hear from you. Remember to like and share! Thanks for reading,
thedihedral.com 
I have always considered life to be an adventure. I believe we are given about 80 years to live life to the fullest, in a world that offers us most anything our hearts desire. I compare life to a basketball game: first quarter we grow up; second quarter we seek our passions; third quarter we pay our dues, so that in the fourth quarter we can return to our passions. Sounds like you need to focus on finding or confirming your passion. The second quarter is tough, but remember it is just the second quarter. There is a lot of time left in the game.
I talk about this more at: https://adventurecontinues.org/a-new-path
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Thanks for that perspective. It is extremely easy for me to end up with ‘tunnel vision’ and only focus on the time I am in right now. I’ll check out your blog for sure.
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Great post! I really like what Greg said about life being similar to a basketball game and dividing stages into quarters. While reading the end of your post, I was curious as to why you didn’t want to show others your work. I know as humans we frequently tend to wish that something would’ve turned out better or that we had done more when often times we did everything we could at that moment.
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I think that when I show people my work, I see the flaws in it, and know that I could have done better. And so while they may not see it that way, all I really see when I watch my stuff is the things I could’ve (and should’ve) done better.
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I think you’re setting yourself up for failure if you expect yourself to give 100% in every endeavor. Those videos you don’t share publicly are, nonetheless, worthy exercises of your craft; building muscle. Wouldn’t you say?
Myself, I have a lot of things undone, half-done, and done half-assed; exercise, right? But even when I’ve done something really well, given it 100%, I always see something to improve in the finished product. ALWAYS. That is the virtue of a perfectionist; not everyone is possessed with such perspicacity. Someone once said, and I think it applies here, or maybe not, the trick in getting anything done is knowing what to leave undone.
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That’s definitely wisdom for sure. Thanks for the good perspective. I think maybe I should be looking at it as doing my best rather than giving 100% each time?
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I spent the first 40 years of my life practicing for The Story. The Story cost a lot and the currency I had to pay was in forms I never expected, couldn’t have imagined. My training enabled me to recognize The Story when I walked into it, and because of all the practice, and the high price I’d paid, I was able to recognize it. It, itself, taught me how to write it. That took another decade and a half. I knew I owed it everything I had. It was easy to give it 100% and 100% was a LOT more than I knew it was. When I was 19 I thought my story was something else completely. Life isn’t a baseball game. If there’s any metaphor that halfway works (for mine anyway) it’s a hiking trail and I don’t have a really good map. Just go with it. ❤
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haha yes! I always love your analogies. I definitely spend a lot of time looking at the trail ahead of me, trying to figure out what is coming around the bend…
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Good luck with that 😉 That trail is full of surprises.
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I love your intro story. Your surgeon has to pull it together for an A+ effort because a life is at stake. But, realistically, he’s giving maybe a C+ at home. Work has ups and downs. Marriages have ups and downs. Rock faces have ups and downs. 🙂 The older I get, the more I realize that I have to choose where my best is actually required and accept the fact that some things have to slide along at times. Blessings!
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thank you! I guess what’s hard for me is figuring out the passions that I want to do my best at vs. what I need to let slide a little…
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Look into the nature of commitment. Commitment is easy to see looking backward – it’s what you actually did. Integrity is when what you say you’ll do aligns with what you actually did when you look back. Your word is more valuable than your work. When you give your word, keep it. Only use the word “commit” when you will actually do what you say you’ll do; then do that. And, as always, be wary of advice from strangers;)
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I will definitely take that advice, although it be from a stranger ;). Following through is definitely extremely important and at times difficult, but that’s some good wisdom for sure.
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Actually, advice from people you know may be even more suspect…they may have an agenda…listen to everyone but think for yourself – and (from your postings) it’s pretty clear you do that.
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Hey, I appreciate it. Thanks for the encouragement. You’re the best!
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My meditation app told me today that we’re not capable of giving a 100% in everything. It’s the things that really matter to you, the things your passionate about, that deserve your full attention and 100% effort. I agree, and I think if it’s something you absolutely live for, you won’t even want to give it less than a 100%.
Btw, great intro, I’m a surgical nurse and I can totally relate!
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Love it! That’s super cool. Do you find yourself having to block out bad days often when you get in for work? Do you struggle to do that at all?
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Doing great work and sharing it requires vulnerability. It’s easy to take on a lot and do it half-assed and then stew in some shame about it. (I know this path well.) But when you decide not to be afraid any more (or not to let fear stop you, more likely), you can do work that you think is excellent and put it out there to others, some of whom will think it’s crap and some of whom will think it’s great. Figuring out whose feedback is useful is a skill. Also, recognizing that there’s not enough time to do everything—even if it’s all good stuff and all stuff you want to do—is frustrating and a life-saver. Pick and choose. Put other things on the to-do list for later. (I’m finally getting to an interest now that I’ve had for 20+ years… because now it fits in my life.)
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I think that is some excellent advice. There is definitely a fear of failure in my mind when I’m working on projects. I will try to be more cognizant of that! Thank you!
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Stupid as it may sound, fear of success can also be an issue – can I replicate this? If you’re always half-assed, you always know (or can pretend) you can do better.
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Reblogged this on Ace Friends & Bloggers News.
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Life is about providing what you believe in your others need by help and guidance in your ❤️ Its true you have to do it yourself but wisdom comes from within and becoming street wise. Never judge others unless you be judged and be humbled in the sight of thine enemies took me 30 plus years to understand and another 5yrs to apply. And don’t be too hard on yourself by making mistakes you learn how others feel and by admitting your mistakes they will open up and tell you theirs then you can help them God Bless Ian
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Thank you for liking my post “Challenge is Opportunity/ Opportunity is Challenge”.
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I really like this post! It can be very difficult to nail down what our true passion is, especially at the age 19. It’s difficult at 53! I say, enjoy your life! Focus on the things that bring you the most joy…the things that make you smile when you think of them.
Try doing a few things well. Taking on too much is not a good habit to form, too stressful!
You can never ask too many questions, a curious mind is a wonderful thing!
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There’s a really great speech by the Australian comedian Tim Minchin at a graduation ceremony where he shares a few life lessons with the graduates. It struck me as excellent advice. You can probably find the clip on face book. My own advice is – don’t spread yourself too thin. Concentrate on what makes you fizz and buzz with passion…Enjoyed reading your post and will forward the blog address to my climbing crazy ex-son-in-law!
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HI, I enjoyed the story of the surgeon and as inspirational as it is I think we keep doing that-giving our best to everyone else but we get the short end of the stick. So heres to giving our best to those closest to us and those beyond.
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I have some clients that want and are willing to pay for my best work. Others just want a quick job to get it done. As learn about my clients I try to fit the job to their needs and desires.
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Look for the roses in every day if you look hard enough you will find them !
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First of all, Great post,
You are wise beyond your years and your words have rhythm.
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Thank you for stopping on my blog post. I also want to say simple thing…Take it slow….there’s always a tomorrow….Good Luck !!
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I am reading a book about Mother Theresa who was a missionary nun to those with diseases in India. Despite her incredible dedication and love, she had doubts about her spiritual heart. This she shared with only a very few people. The reason I bring it up is because no matter how doubtful or depressed she was; she suited up, put on a smile, and went to work on the task at hand. A journalist once asked her “how to change the world?” She replied: “Help the person right in front of you.” I would add that we may have many days ahead of us or just one, but no matter, we should give the best of us today. No 2 days will be the same. If you give what you are able that day, this is all that can be asked of you.
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Good! Thanks for sharing
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Nice post just don’t apologize your nineteen and trying to figure out how life works. I’m 59 and still trying to figure it out. No worries no hurries let it be and it will be wonderful.
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