“Your best is yet to come.” You’ve certainly heard that before. Perhaps, like me, you’ve rolled your eyes at it when a well-meaning parent or friend said it.
“There’s no way I’ll ever accomplish more than I have.”
“I’ll never build my business bigger than it was before the collapse.”
“This is the best job I’ll ever have.”
Have you ever said things like that to yourself?
You hold yourself back when you say things like that. Typically for one of three reasons.
The Three Reasons Your Best Won’t Come
1. You believe the lies.
You allow the lies to tell you that this is as good as it gets.
When you start to achieve any level of success, others who have never done so will flock to tell you how lucky you are. They will use subtle and not-so-subtle ways to convince you that your best has arrived.
What the lies sound like:
“Don’t blow this. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“Play it safe.”
“You are so lucky just to have made it this far.”
2. You believe the hype.
You buy-in to what others say about you.
The newspapers will tell you how great you are. Others will trumpet your successes. And you believe it.
That is when you get stuck. Your best is no longer yet to come, simply because you believe you’ve already achieved it.
The hype sounds like:
“You can do no wrong.”
“And the award goes to…”
“It’s an honor to have our next speaker.”
You want the hype to come…you just don’t want to believe it.
3. You forget your big dream.
You move the target to your present location.
You set out to change the world and you settle for a nice house and a fancy car.
You achieve a result that was originally either on the path to your goal or a different result altogether…and you stay there. In short, you rest on your laurels. You get complacent.
Complacency sounds like:
“I can live with this.”
“I’ve worked hard to get here. Why push any further?”
“Oh, that goal was youthful idealism.”
My Story
I’ve been through all three, but one instance of the last two reasons stands out in mind. In the summer of 2000, I won the Carolinas Amateur golf tournament, the top amateur tournament in North and South Carolina.
One of the perks of winning was that the following summer, I was exempt into every top tournament in the country. Plus I got a huge trophy with the names of players I grew up idolizing engraved on it.
A funny thing happened over the next few months though. I lost my drive.
I had just won my biggest tournament…and then I slowed down. I rested on my laurels. All fall and winter, I looked at that trophy and replayed the tournament in my mind. I thought, “see, this is what you can accomplish, Matt.”
I thought I was motivating myself and increasing my confidence. But what I was really doing was living in the past.
Not My Dream
Winning that tournament was never my dream. My dreams were so much bigger. Winning the Masters and the U.S. Open. Playing in the Ryder Cup. Being number one in the world. Not winning the Carolinas Amateur. That was only a stepping-stone. I allowed it to be the pinnacle.
By remaining stuck in the past, I was unintentionally stunting my growth and limiting my future.
Wherever you are now, there is so much more for you.
Your biggest client is still out there.
Your best painting is still inside of you.
Your best sales month is yet to come.
Your best invention, your best speech, your fastest run…are all in the future, not the past.
Have you believed the lies, believed the hype, or forgotten your original dream? How can you make sure your best is yet to come?
Once again, great insight Matt!
There’s a real balance we have to find here. While I’m a firm believer in setting goals and continuous improvement, we also have to face reality sometimes. There are seasons in life that just don’t allow us to focus on our dreams. I think the real trick is never giving up on them.
Love the photo! I could totally imagine winning something like that could be a pinnacle. You still playing?
Well said Bob.
I don’t play anymore except at conferences every year or two.
Great Post Matt! Believing the lies so crucial. Change the story, change the world.
Thank you Josh!
Nice job Matt and congrats on that major success. The lies I hear are all from my inner critic. He means well, just trying to keep me from getting hurt.
So what is your big dream?
My big dream is not ready for primetime yet Jim…and by primetime I mean sharing it with everyone 🙂
I am now fired UP. Not emotionally fired up, but noticing that bubble of hope that makes my eye corners crinkle and an almost smile show up, it’s like a migraine starting from the center instead of up in my head, a slow spread of joy. As Les Brown likes to say, “It’s Possible!”
This is *not* Mamie Brown’s baby boy.
Love it Kathy!
Excellent reminder Matt, often myself and I see it in others where we become complacencent with where we are and don’t think we need to grow. No matter what level you are at, you can always grow to take that next step.
You have a great blog over here Matt!
Thank you Jeanne!
If you’re not growing, you’re not really living. It’s great to see how God is molding and shaping you, Matt. Thanks for sharing your story!