It's easy to be your best when everything is going your way. When the ball is going in. When the deals are closing. When you nail the presentation. When you're getting along great with everyone.

But that's not when being your best matters most.

Josh Waitzkin has this line that sticks with me. "The grit that matters most is learning to be your best when you're at your worst. This is really the difference between elite-level performers and everyone else."

Here's what Waitzkin isn't saying. He isn't saying elite performers are just better than everyone else. What he's saying is that they train their brain to be at their best when things are at their worst.

So instead of erupting in negative emotion when something goes wrong, they treat that moment as the real test. They respond with grit and grace, on purpose.

I don't know what challenging circumstance might show up for you today or this week. But I do know it's your job to try and be your best when you're at your worst.

Because when you master that skill, your relationships, your performance, and your leadership can go to entirely new heights.

P.S. The Optimistic Outlook is a Podcast! Leaving a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts would mean a lot.