“There’s power in acknowledging what you’re dealing with and taking action early—and that’s the art of embracing your situational best.” – Molly Shea
Back in 2020, I came across the phrase “situational best”. It has stuck with me ever since.
In the health and fitness industry, along with many other industries, burning yourself out is glorified. This leads people to believe that in order to be successful at something, they need to push themselves to their limits in order to be considered a “hard worker” or “dedicated”. When it comes to health and fitness, you may see the “grind culture” without even knowing it! Here are some common ways burnout + extremes are glorified:
- Not taking any rest days
- Following extreme diets
- Working out excessively
- Prioritizing extreme leanness over health
If you have ever worked with a coach at Paragon, you know we strive to help clients move away from the extremes that are listed above. We promote finding balance and aiming for your situational best. Aiming for your situational best involves setting aside the need to be the best overall and, instead, focusing on being the best you can be in any given circumstance. It’s about aligning your efforts and abilities with the current conditions you find yourself in, rather than comparing yourself to others or imposing unrealistic standards.
An example of using your situational best would be acknowledging that because of your current work schedule and commitments with your kids, you can realistically workout 2 days a week. Rather than beating yourself up for not being able to workout every single day, you give yourself credit for doing your best in your current circumstances.
Benefits of aiming for your situational best:
- Promotes personal growth. Adopting this mindset allows you to open the door to continuous growth and development by having a more realistic approach to your goals.
- Reduces unnecessary stress. Allowing yourself to operate at a realistic level helps remove the unnecessary stress and pressure of “grind” culture. You can focus on doing your best given the context of your current conditions, instead of feeling like a constant failure.
- Enhances your resiliency. Life is filled with unexpected curveballs. This approach allows you to be more fluid in how you reach your goals. The ability to adapt to every scenario can help you navigate your journey with more resiliency and positivity.
- Increases happiness. Shifting your focus away from constant comparison and critique can allow you to feel happier in your journey. Allowing yourself to be proud of your journey because you are doing your best is a very freeing experience.
Aiming for you situational best promotes a much longer lasting approach to your wellness. By utilizing this mindset, you will stop feeling like a failure and you will begin noticing how great you are actually doing! The ultimate goal: Remind yourself that you do not need to be perfect. Progress over perfection. Strive to be the best you can be, while fully acknowledging your current circumstances.
