"Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best."

In competitions, we tend to dismiss anything and anyone that’s not first place. Yes, silver and bronze get some attention, but certainly not as much as gold. And certainly not as much as fourth place to last.

Unfortunately, the same attitude we have toward competitions is unconsciously carried over to the way we evaluate our life and ourselves.

This quote comes from H. Jackson Brown, Jr. , author of Life’s Little Instruction Book. It challenges the notion that being the best at things is a requirement for living a fulfilling life. However, all that’s required is to try your best.

It’s important to not allow the “competition” mindset to influence how you evaluate yourself and your life. If you can answer yes to the question, “Did I try my best?”, then what more can you do beyond that? Besides, “the best” can be, sometimes, ambiguous. Moreover, when it is achieved, it doesn’t necessarily result in life-long happiness.