QT: Don’t Beat Yourself Up for Doing Your Best (Best Of)


Today we are going back in time for a little “Best Of” episode. This was episode 75, back in the day before I used memes and GIFs to emphasize my points. The post has been updated accordingly. Enjoy


Are you a glass half full or half empty kind of person?

For the longest time, I’ve rejected the idea that I’m pessimistic in favor of calling myself a realist (there is a glass with water in it) but I’ve definitely trended toward pessimism.

I didn’t see being a realist as a bad thing, just kind of the way I was wired.

At the end of the day, you can call me what you want, but one thing I know is that I’m good at beating myself up.

No Matter What, It was Never Good Enough

How bad would I beat myself up?

I can’t tell you how many times, after a PR, I’d immediately begin dissecting everything I possibly did wrong during the race: I stopped for water, I missed running a perfect race by a tenth of a mile, I went out to fast, I went out too slow…

The list was long and distinguished, but I was always able to find ways to be critical of myself even though I had just run my fastest time ever at that particular distance.

How messed up is that?

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Please, take it from me, being super critical of yourself doesn’t do you any good.

There are enough people in your life that will tell you why you can’t or shouldn’t do something.

Whether it’s running a new distance, shooting for a PR, starting a podcast, building a business, or anything else that you’re contemplating, go for it!

And when it’s all said and done, don’t beat yourself up for doing the best that you could at that particular time. If the results weren’t what you wanted, it’s ok to analyze what you did and look for ways to improve, but beating yourself up when you did your best isn’t going to help you improve.


Stop beating yourself up. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of every run or race. #runchat Click To Tweet

Are You a Glass Half Full or Half Empty Kind of Person?
Are You a Little Too Self-Critical on Occasion?

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