We want to be the best. Aiming to be the best is considered a worthy pursuit in the society. I did too.
But I recently changed my mind because I am trying to evaluate every thought by a simple yardstick: Does this line of thinking take me towards action?
‘Best’ is a binary label. You are either the best or you are not. When you struggle – and all creative pursuits involve struggle – it’s difficult to believe that what you’re creating is the ‘best’. This is the easiest way to lose motivation. Pretty soon I’m logged on to Netflix simply because whatever effort I’m putting in, isn’t producing the ‘best’ results. So, pursuing the best, takes me away from the very things I need to move forward.
Instead, I try to be ‘better’. The cool thing about becoming better is that I can be better in different ways. I can be better to different degrees. Even if I didn’t produce as many words today as I did yesterday, I am still in a better place today because the story has moved forward just that little bit.
Trying to become better allows me to put in the work.
So, I aim to be better, not the best.