No, I’m not suggesting you join the Army.  But I do love their slogan.  (And Nike’s, but that’s for another day.)  What does it mean to be all you can be?  What does a life lived from that philosophy look like?

It looks pretty amazing actually.  It’s still life, with its inherent ups and downs and all the wonders and catastrophe’s that can be thrown at you.  The only different is, well, You.

So, what should you do?  Simple.  You should do your best.  That’s it.  Take time to check in and ask yourself if you are currently doing your best at whatever task you’re in the middle of.  Take time to plan ahead, then with the end in mind, map your way back to where you are now.  That way you always have a map for reference to get to where you’re going, a.k.a. you always know what’s coming, so can prepare to be sure that you are giving your best.  Strive to do you best in all your roles….at work; as a parent; as a friend; as a patient; etc.

An important aspect to doing your best, is owning and growing from your shortcomings.  If you know you have the capacity to reach a certain level and you fall short one day, that’s o.k.  That’s absolutely o.k.  It’s also inevitable.  These times simply present other opportunities to practice being your best, such as…showing yourself compassion and patience; identifying what may have tripped you up or slowed you down; owning mistakes; turning mistakes into learning opportunities that make you better.  See how this works?

No one is going to be 100% in every role every second.  Not possible.  What is possible is to strive to be the best you can every second.

Don’t mistake this directive as a whip snap from the Puritan Work Ethics play book.  I’m not saying you need to work, work, work.  I’m not saying you need to produce results.  I’m saying you need to strive to be the best you can in any given moment.  And quite often, that means recognizing and honoring your needs and wants.  You know, those things the Puritan Work Ethics teaches we shouldn’t have.

So, from work to family to play to caring for your mind and body – give it your all.  You are so worth it.  And so are those of us who are blessed enough to come into contact with you.