The Question That Haunts High Achievers
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The Question That Haunts High Achievers
Last week, I was speaking to a group of entrepreneurs when one of them admitted he'd been struggling.
He's dealing with a challenging family health situation and feeling like he isn't doing enough to grow his business.
A few hours later, I got a text from a friend, who said she was trying to slow down, but struggling with negative self talk that she wasn't doing enough.
The two nearly identical interactions just hours apart sparked a realization...
This is the single most common question I hear from high achievers:
"Am I doing enough?"
I've wrestled with this question in my own life. As a card carrying member of the Society of High Achievers, I've long held myself to an unrealistic set of standards when it comes to my work ethic, productivity, motivation, and output.
But in the last few years, in particular since my son was born, I've learned to reframe the question with a much better one:
"Am I doing my best?"
Because here's the honest truth:
If you're doing your best, you're doing enough.
And I'll admit, I used to believe the opposite. It wasn't about doing your best, but about doing what's necessary. While I still believe there are short seasons of life where that's the case, I've realized that it's a recipe for burnout.
It might work in the days, or maybe even the months, but it will fail you in the years.
Doing your best is not a weakness. It's a sustainable strength. It's showing up with the best energy you can bring today. It requires honesty and integrity. To look in the mirror. To tell yourself the truth.
So, the next time you catch yourself feeling like you aren't doing enough, pause and reframe it:
Are you doing your best?
Because if you're doing your best, you're doing enough.
