--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life doesn't require that we be the best…" description: "\"Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best.\" — H. Jackson Brown, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_life_life-doesn-t-require-that-we-be-the-best_1112884.png" --- # Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try… ![“Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best.” quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_life_life-doesn-t-require-that-we-be-the-best_1112884.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_life_life-doesn-t-require-that-we-be-the-best_1112884.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5b/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_life_life-doesn-t-require-that-we-be-the-best_1112884.png) > “Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best.” [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We aren’t required to be the best, only to give our best effort. **In simple terms:** Try your best, not be the best. Key Takeaway Give your best effort. Themes effort humility self‑improvement Mood encouraging steady Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - daily tasks - fitness routines - learning projects - teamwork Key Concepts growth mindset resilience personal excellence Questions to Reflect On - What does “trying your best” look like for you? - How do you measure personal effort? A Different Perspective Perfectionism may still linger despite this mindset. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-try-656219/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-doesn/) [Require Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/require-best-2974347/) [Try Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-best/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever I try to do, I always try to give it my best and try to be a killer because, at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannis-antetokounmpo/whatever-i-try-to-do-i-always-try-to-give-it-my-best-and-try-to-be-a/) [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannis-antetokounmpo/) > [If you can be the best, then why not try to be the best?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-morgan/if-you-can-be-the-best-then-why-not-try-to-be-the-best/) [Garrett Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-morgan/) > [Believe in the best ... have a goal for the best, never be satisfied with less than your best, try your best, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/believe-in-the-best-have-a-goal-for-the-best-never-be-satisfied-with/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [Yeah ... I know that I'm not the best but I try to do my best & that's all what matters!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spido/yeah-i-know-that-i-m-not-the-best-but-i-try-to-do-my-best-that-s-all/) [Spido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spido/) > [“don't try to be best, try to give your best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurbhatt/don-t-try-to-be-best-try-to-give-your-best/) [Kurbhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurbhatt/) > [Do your best, try to do your best at everything you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-backlund/do-your-best-try-to-do-your-best-at-everything-you-do/) [Bob Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-backlund/) > [As a person, we must not try to be best among others. WE must try to be better... Not for the world, but for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-mustafa/as-a-person-we-must-not-try-to-be-best-among-others-we-must-try-to-be/) [Farah Mustafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-mustafa/) > [I just try to do my best and try to be a part of the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-smalling/i-just-try-to-do-my-best-and-try-to-be-a-part-of-the-team/) [Chris Smalling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-smalling/) > [All I do is try to do my best, and I try to enjoy my football as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-loftus-cheek/all-i-do-is-try-to-do-my-best-and-i-try-to-enjoy-my-football-as-well/) [Ruben Loftus-Cheek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-loftus-cheek/) > [Life doesn't come with an instruction book; that's why we have fathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/life-doesn-t-come-with-an-instruction-book-that-s-why-we-have-fathers/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [I did the best that I could to try to write you songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-day-to-remember/i-did-the-best-that-i-could-to-try-to-write-you-songs/) [A Day To Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-day-to-remember/) > [I try to make it best and try to do it right but no matter what you always come in my eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/i-try-to-make-it-best-and-try-to-do-it-right-but-no-matter-what-you/) [$Teady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teady/) > [When you're at your best, try helping those at their worst!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-at-your-best-try-helping-those-at-their-worst/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Wherever I'm asked to play, I'll do my best and try to help the team as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/wherever-i-m-asked-to-play-i-ll-do-my-best-and-try-to-help-the-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I move on as quickly as possible. I tend to be really hard on myself anyway, which is great for work ethic and such,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-rickards/i-move-on-as-quickly-as-possible-i-tend-to-be-really-hard-on-myself/) [Ashley Rickards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-rickards/) ## More by H. Jackson Brown, Jr > [Hire people more for their judgment than for their talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/hire-people-more-for-their-judgment-than-for-their-talents/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [We're constantly striving for success, fame and comfort when all we really need to be happy is someone or some thing to be enthusiastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/we-re-constantly-striving-for-success-fame-and-comfort-when-all-we/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Develop a sense of urgency in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/develop-a-sense-of-urgency-in-your-life/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Give children toys that are powered by their imagination, not by batteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/give-children-toys-that-are-powered-by-their-imagination-not-by/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Dont say you dont have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/dont-say-you-dont-have-enough-time-you-have-exactly-the-same-number/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Put a love note in his shaving kit before he leaves on a business trip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/put-a-love-note-in-his-shaving-kit-before-he-leaves-on-a-business-trip/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Always have something beautiful in sight, even if it's just a daisy in a jelly glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/always-have-something-beautiful-in-sight-even-if-it-s-just-a-daisy-in/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [You can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you better know something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/you-can-get-by-on-charm-for-about-15-minutes-after-that-you-better/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Spend your time and energy creating, not criticizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/spend-your-time-and-energy-creating-not-criticizing/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Oh, the difference between nearly right and exactly right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/oh-the-difference-between-nearly-right-and-exactly-right/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Become the world's most thoughtful friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/become-the-world-s-most-thoughtful-friend/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that almost everything looks better after a good night's sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-almost-everything-looks-better-after-a-good-night-s/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Mature love is composed and sustaining; a celebration of commitment, companionship, and trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/mature-love-is-composed-and-sustaining-a-celebration-of-commitment/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that creating a successful marriage is like farming: you have to start over again every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-creating-a-successful-marriage-is-like-farming-you-have/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/be-modest-a-lot-was-accomplished-before-you-were-born/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) [Explore all 239 H. Jackson Brown, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life doesn't require that we be the best, only that we try our best.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H. 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