Friday, August 7, 2009

Good Enough

I once had someone ask me if they thought that what they just finished doing was "good enough". Not "is it good", but, "is it good enough". At first I thought, "I guess so". Who am I to say whether or not something that someone else does is good enough. But the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me.

What exactly is "good enough"? Is it really not good, but most people wouldn't notice? Do you justify "good enough" by coming up with excuses as to why it wasn't good? Maybe it was the last set, or the last rep, and you're really tired. Or maybe your trying to keep up with others, so you're cutting corners. Or maybe no one is looking, so you can get away with it. Are you selling yourself short by achieving "good enough"? Is "good enough" an achievement????

Here are a few more perspectives. If a mechanic is working on a car, and struggling to get a lug nut tightened on the wheel. He gives in to what he thinks is "good enough". The owner of the car picks it up and drives off. Later that day the car is involved in an accident because the tire came loose. Was it "good enough"? If an electrician cuts corners to save time and money and thinks the job was "good enough", but a week later an electrical fire burns down the house. Was it "good enough"? Will "good enough" keep you safe?

In the gym, if the guy lifting weights is going for a new PR on a back squat, and he is not squatting as low as he should. He gets his PR, but would have not been able to get it if he had done the squat properly. Was it "good enough"? Or the gymnast who is attempting the vault in the Olympic games. He does a tremendous vault, but doesn't quite stick the landing. Was it "good enough"? Will it be "good enough" to win?

All or Nothing
Reality... "Good enough" is nothing, "all" is your best. If you are giving something your best, you are giving your "all" -- 110%. It is impossible to give something your "all" and be "good enough". Your "all" is way more than "good enough".

Reality... Is your "best" your "all"? Or is your "best" only "good enough"??? If you have to ask the question, "Was that good enough?", then it probably wasn't.

So here are some equations -- to make it simple:

"Good enough" = nothing
"Good enough" = you could have done more/better/been safer
"All" = best
"best" = no regrets

On Perfection
Do you need to strive for perfection? Does giving your "all" mean you must be perfect?? No -- perfection may not be "good enough". But you do need to give your "all". And only when you give your "all", will you know, absolutely, positively, without doubt, that you have done your best. And you will never question whether or not it was "good enough".

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