--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter what you do, give it everything…" description: "\"No matter what you do, give it everything you have. Be the best, not the second best.\" — Michael Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/michael-jackson-411_being-the-best_no-matter-what-you-do-give-it-everything_1683419.jpg" --- # No matter what you do, give it everything you have. Be the… ![“No matter what you do, give it everything you have. Be the best, not the second best.” quote by Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/michael-jackson-411_being-the-best_no-matter-what-you-do-give-it-everything_1683419.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/michael-jackson-411_being-the-best_no-matter-what-you-do-give-it-everything_1683419.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b09/michael-jackson-411_being-the-best_no-matter-what-you-do-give-it-everything_1683419.jpg) > “No matter what you do, give it everything you have. Be the best, not the second best.” [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages total commitment and striving for excellence over mediocrity. **In simple terms:** Give your all, aim for the top. Key Takeaway Commit fully, avoid being second best. Themes excellence commitment competition Mood determined aspirational Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - sports - career - artistic pursuits - personal projects Key Concepts self‑actualization performance mindset Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure “best”? - What sacrifices are acceptable? A Different Perspective May lead to burnout if balance ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-the-best/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-second-981112/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-best-981111/) [No matter what](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-matter-what/) [Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second/) [Second best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-best/) ## Related quotes > [“You've just got to accept that your first love is your greatest, and everything else is going to be second-best. But second-best is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-plum/you-ve-just-got-to-accept-that-your-first-love-is-your-greatest-and/) [Amy Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-plum/) > [I really reject that kind of comparison that says, Oh, he is the best. This is the second best. There is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/i-really-reject-that-kind-of-comparison-that-says-oh-he-is-the-best/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [“We all want to be the best at something. Trouble is, some people are only the best at being second best. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/we-all-want-to-be-the-best-at-something-trouble-is-some-people-are/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [You are the only you ... You are the best you. You will always be the second best anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-the-only-you-you-are-the-best-you-you-will-always-be-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You just have to accept that your first love is your greatest, and everything else is going to be second best. But second-best is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-plum/you-just-have-to-accept-that-your-first-love-is-your-greatest-and/) [Amy Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-plum/) > [What people say doesn't really matter. It's best to just brush it off and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/what-people-say-doesn-t-really-matter-it-s-best-to-just-brush-it-off/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [“No matter what you do, do your best at it. If your going to be a bum, be the best bum there is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mitchum/no-matter-what-you-do-do-your-best-at-it-if-your-going-to-be-a-bum-be/) [Robert Mitchum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mitchum/) > [One reason that birds matter - ought to matter - is that they are our last, best connection to a natural world that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/one-reason-that-birds-matter-ought-to-matter-is-that-they-are-our/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [No matter how I do this, my best songs have profanity in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/no-matter-how-i-do-this-my-best-songs-have-profanity-in-them/) [Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/) > [You could be the world's best garbage man, the world's best model; it don't matter what you do if you're the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/you-could-be-the-world-s-best-garbage-man-the-world-s-best-model-it/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Learn from the best; the second raters have nothing to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hurn/learn-from-the-best-the-second-raters-have-nothing-to-offer/) [David Hurn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hurn/) > [I can think of nothing more soul destroying in life than to persist in trying to do a thing you want desperately to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-can-think-of-nothing-more-soul-destroying-in-life-than-to-persist/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Basic training was hard, but I made it - because I wanted to be the best me. Sometimes you have to learn that being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-middleton/basic-training-was-hard-but-i-made-it-because-i-wanted-to-be-the-best/) [Ant Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-middleton/) > [“You can't live life being second best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-trimble-performed-by-two-door-cinema-club/you-can-t-live-life-being-second-best/) [Alex Trimble performed by Two Door Cinema Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-trimble-performed-by-two-door-cinema-club/) > [There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-is-only-one-real-sin-and-that-is-to-persuade-oneself-that-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## More by Michael Jackson > [In times like these, we need each other. We must bond together in spirit and in service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/in-times-like-these-we-need-each-other-we-must-bond-together-in/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I've never asked a girl out in my life, they have to ask me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-never-asked-a-girl-out-in-my-life-they-have-to-ask-me/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous, beautiful, and she still is today, I'm crazy about her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/elizabeth-taylor-is-gorgeous-beautiful-and-she-still-is-today-i-m/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I think a great artist should be able to create any style, any form, anything from rock to pop to gospel to spiritual, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-think-a-great-artist-should-be-able-to-create-any-style-any-form/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [There are people that I am in love with, totally in love with them. I would die for them. I love Michelangelo. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/there-are-people-that-i-am-in-love-with-totally-in-love-with-them-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I've heard that Black people and Black faces don't sell magazines, but one day you're going to beg me to be on there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-ve-heard-that-black-people-and-black-faces-don-t-sell-magazines-but/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Those who criticize, they desire our blood not our pain. But still I must achieve I must seek truth in all things. I must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/those-who-criticize-they-desire-our-blood-not-our-pain-but-still-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Please go for your dreams. Whatever your ideals, you can become whatever you want to become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/please-go-for-your-dreams-whatever-your-ideals-you-can-become/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I go around the world dealing with running and hiding... I can't take a walk in the park . I can't go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-go-around-the-world-dealing-with-running-and-hiding-i-can-t-take-a/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“What happened to truth? Did it go out of style?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/what-happened-to-truth-did-it-go-out-of-style/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [If - and it can be in a movie or in a department store - I hear someone arguing with their child, I break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/if-and-it-can-be-in-a-movie-or-in-a-department-store-i-hear-someone/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Everything that I love is behind those gates. We have elephants, and giraffes, and crocodiles, and every kind of tigers and lions. And -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/everything-that-i-love-is-behind-those-gates-we-have-elephants-and/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [My deepest gratitude to the Creator for His gift to me...the joy I receive in creating my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/my-deepest-gratitude-to-the-creator-for-his-gift-to-me-the-joy-i/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I have been a vulnerable target for those who want money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-have-been-a-vulnerable-target-for-those-who-want-money/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“It 's strange that God doesn't mind expressing Himself/Herself in all the religions of the world, while people still cling to the notion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/it-s-strange-that-god-doesn-t-mind-expressing-himself-herself-in-all/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) [Explore all 584 Michael Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) ## More Being the best quotes > [High school sucked. 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Ah big clap from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leodonessiony/ah-simple-laughter-that-you-trewing-on-my-face-is-a-simple-karma-that/) [Leodonessiony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leodonessiony/) > [To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/to-be-tested-is-good-the-challenged-life-may-be-the-best-therapist/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [There's no guarantee for the future; might as well be HAPPY now, and give my BEST in everything I do! In that way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/there-s-no-guarantee-for-the-future-might-as-well-be-happy-now-and/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Success lies not in the result but in the effort. BEING the Best is not at all important. DOING the Best is all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prabin-shrestha/success-lies-not-in-the-result-but-in-the-effort-being-the-best-is/) [Prabin Shrestha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prabin-shrestha/) > [Sometimes you choose the wrong actor, he could be the best actor ever, but hes not cast in the right part then it doesnt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-marceau/sometimes-you-choose-the-wrong-actor-he-could-be-the-best-actor-ever/) [Sophie Marceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-marceau/) > [I am not impressed with what people own. But I’m impressed with what they achieve. I’m proud to be a physician. Always strive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/i-am-not-impressed-with-what-people-own-but-i-m-impressed-with-what/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [You have to love your country like an adult loves somebody, not like a child loves its mommy. And right-wing Republicans tend to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/you-have-to-love-your-country-like-an-adult-loves-somebody-not-like-a/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [My role is to think about tennis and to help Serena Williams be the best she can be and do what she wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-mouratoglou/my-role-is-to-think-about-tennis-and-to-help-serena-williams-be-the/) [Patrick Mouratoglou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-mouratoglou/) > [One of my mom's best lines is... You're not training to be the best in the world, you're training to be the best in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronda-rousey/one-of-my-mom-s-best-lines-is-you-re-not-training-to-be-the-best-in/) [Ronda Rousey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronda-rousey/) > [I've learned a simple principle: all I have to do is be the best 'me' that I can be. 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