--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not enough to do your best; you must…" description: "\"It's not enough to do your best; you must know what to do & then do your best.\" — W. Edwards Deming" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/w-edwards-deming-1337_enough_it-s-not-enough-to-do-your-best-you-must_1540939.jpg" --- # It's not enough to do your best; you must know what to do… ![“It's not enough to do your best; you must know what to do & then do your best.” quote by W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/w-edwards-deming-1337_enough_it-s-not-enough-to-do-your-best-you-must_1540939.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/w-edwards-deming-1337_enough_it-s-not-enough-to-do-your-best-you-must_1540939.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d67/w-edwards-deming-1337_enough_it-s-not-enough-to-do-your-best-you-must_1540939.jpg) > “It's not enough to do your best; you must know what to do & then do your best.” [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Best effort requires clear goals and decisive action, not just effort. **In simple terms:** Know the task, then give your best. Key Takeaway Align clarity with effort. Themes productivity clarity excellence Mood focused determined Type business motivational When to use this quote - project planning - team meetings - performance reviews - training sessions Key Concepts management theory goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What is your next clear objective? - How do you ensure you know the right task? A Different Perspective Clear goals can be unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and then do your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-not-enough-to-do-your-best-you-must-know-what-to-do-and-then-do/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do, and THEN do your best. —W. Edwards Deming”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-grenny/it-is-not-enough-to-do-your-best-you-must-know-what-to-do-and-then-do-2/) [Joseph Grenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-grenny/) > [You know what’s best for you, and you know what will make you happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-canning/you-know-what-s-best-for-you-and-you-know-what-will-make-you-happy/) [Sara Canning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-canning/) > [I learned a lot about playing the best of the best, and now what I know the best of the best is, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/i-learned-a-lot-about-playing-the-best-of-the-best-and-now-what-i/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) > [You've got to test yourself against the best to know you are the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-rice/you-ve-got-to-test-yourself-against-the-best-to-know-you-are-the-best/) [Declan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-rice/) > [I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-the-very-best-i-know-how-the-very-best-i-can-and-i-mean-to-keep/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [We're all just trying to do the best we can with what we know!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/we-re-all-just-trying-to-do-the-best-we-can-with-what-we-know/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [It is best to know the worst at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/it-is-best-to-know-the-worst-at-once/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [“the best we know how.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-roy/the-best-we-know-how/) [Jennifer Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-roy/) > [We call heaven our home, as the best name we know to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/we-call-heaven-our-home-as-the-best-name-we-know-to-give-it/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [“Sometimes walking away is best. I should know. It's my specialty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/sometimes-walking-away-is-best-i-should-know-it-s-my-specialty/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [Dream better than the best you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-goddard/dream-better-than-the-best-you-know/) [Neville Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-goddard/) > [To be the best you can be, is to know the person in the mirror better than you think you know everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-lopez/to-be-the-best-you-can-be-is-to-know-the-person-in-the-mirror-better/) Wendy Lopez > [We do our best that we know how at the moment, and if it doesn't turn out, we modify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/we-do-our-best-that-we-know-how-at-the-moment-and-if-it-doesn-t-turn/) [Franklin D Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt-2/) ## More by W. Edwards Deming > [Absence of defects does not necessarily build business... Something more is required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/absence-of-defects-does-not-necessarily-build-business-something-more/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [In Japan, a company worker's position is secure. He is retrained for another job if his present job is eliminated by productivity improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/in-japan-a-company-worker-s-position-is-secure-he-is-retrained-for/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We are here to make another world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-are-here-to-make-another-world/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Innovation comes from the producer - not from the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/innovation-comes-from-the-producer-not-from-the-customer/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-only-useful-function-of-a-statistician-is-to-make-predictions-and/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A leader is a coach, not a judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-leader-is-a-coach-not-a-judge/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It does not happen all at once. There is no instant pudding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-does-not-happen-all-at-once-there-is-no-instant-pudding/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Sub-optimization is when everyone is for himself. Optimization is when everyone is working to help the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/sub-optimization-is-when-everyone-is-for-himself-optimization-is-when/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We know what we told him, but we don't know what he heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-know-what-we-told-him-but-we-don-t-know-what-he-heard/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Rational behavior requires theory. Reactive behavior requires only reflex action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/rational-behavior-requires-theory-reactive-behavior-requires-only/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A manager of people needs to understand that all people are different. This is not ranking people. He needs to understand that the performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-manager-of-people-needs-to-understand-that-all-people-are-different/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“It is not enough to just do your best or work hard; You must know what to work on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-not-enough-to-just-do-your-best-or-work-hard-you-must-know-what/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [You have to manage a system. The system doesn't manage itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/you-have-to-manage-a-system-the-system-doesn-t-manage-itself/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/two-basic-rules-of-life-are-1-change-is-inevitable-2-everybody/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) [Explore all 255 W. Edwards Deming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) Gene Scott > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not enough to do your best; you must know what to do & then do your best.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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