It’s easy to feel the pressure to be the best at whatever you do. The best student in the class, the best basketball player, the best salesperson, the best designer, etc.
The status of the best at something is achieved by a very select few, making it nearly an unattainable goal for the rest of us. There is only one person who can be the best at something.
You Can Only Be The Best At One Thing
So while you may never make the status of being the best at a certain skill, you can be the best at one thing and that is being you. Happiness, meaning and purpose in life come when we stay true to who we are and keep growing into more of that.
[bctt tweet=”Be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire. St. Catherine of Sienna” username=”viaMarbleTracy”]
How do we become that person? I am very much on the journey myself, but I do feel I have learned some practices that have helped me to grow and become more of who I am created to be. With that in mind,
7 Helpful Practices For Growing Towards Your Best Self:
- Surround yourself with the right people. People who bring out the best in you, who are living their best lives, who believe in you and will be honest with you. You are who you surround yourself with.
- Take time every day to meditate. See yourself as uniquely created and loved by God to be a source of love in the world.
- Identify your strengths, gifts, and abilities. When you know what you’re good at, then you can keep growing in these strengths, gifts and abilities. But you first have to know what they are. I have found tools like the Meyers Briggs, DISC, Enneagram, Clifton Strengthfinder, and delving into the spiritual gifts outlined in Romans 9 to be very helpful. One of the best ways to know and name your strengths is to try things. You won’t learn about your abilities by sitting on the couch playing hours of video games.
- Regularly step out of the fray. No one is their best self when overworked, overtired and overstressed. Regular times of withdrawing for reflection, rest and renewal are vital to being our best selves.
- Commit to the disciplines needed to grow you. Whether it be regular exercise, journaling, reading books or listening to podcasts, life coaching or whatever is helpful to you, invest the time, resources and energy needed to put disciplines in place that will help you to grow and become your best self.
- Expect discomfort. It’s uncomfortable to be stretched and challenged but it’s necessary for growth and development. For example, if you were to ask those closest to you what it’s like living on the other side of you, you may gain some very uncomfortable but useful feedback about your blind spots or limiting ways of interacting with others. In order for the best to come forth, the worst has to end. The path of least resistance is to avoid those kinds of revealing conversations. The path to growth is to lean in.
- Serve Others. One of the best ways to learn more about yourself is to by giving of yourself to others, especially those who are pretty different from you. You will begin to recognize biases, prejudices, and limiting thinking in a way that you just can’t see otherwise.
You alone hold the power to be the best you. No one else can do that for you. And what’s more is that the world needs you to be richly and authentically you if you want to leave a meaningful legacy and to make your life count for others.
Be you today. Be yourself. And be the best you that you can possibly be.
What about you? What practice or discipline has helped you to stay true to yourself? I am sure my list isn’t exhaustive. I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment!
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Ephesians 1 11, MSG