Ask Yourself What The Best Version Of You Would Do – Then Do That.

I’m looking at another one of my quote images for this article, and it’s open to debate as to whether it’s my best or not…

Ask yourself what the best version of you would do. Then do that.

If I said that thoughts lead to actions, which lead to results, that might seem easy to agree with. It might also seem easy to agree therefore that a change in results needs a change in action, which needs a change in thoughts.

Hang on though, hang on – this is all well and good in theory, written down in article, or on the stage of a personal development seminar, but what about the times when we act *without* thinking?



Well, that’s a good question, and in fact it forms part of the point I make in this article…

Yes, there certainly are times when we act without thinking. As it happens, our brain acts all day long every day just to keep us alive, with bodily functions that we do without thinking. Our subconscious mind works away feverishly all the time, and often when we say or do something in the ‘real’ world, we would say that we acted subconsciously or ‘instinctively’.

That’s ok, but even then, there are times when what we call ‘instinctively’ is not really anything of the sort, and it could be better viewed as more *habitually.* We act based on our experiences, the internal models we have in our brains, built up over many years, partly by others, partly by ourselves. These models become so strong, that our brain takes them as fact, and we can find ourselves acting accordingly.

This means that they can be changed, they are not fixed, not cast in stone. It might not be easy or quick, but change them we most certainly can.

The only way we can change these subconscious behaviours is to use conscious behaviour to steer the change, and this brings me to the second part of my point, about the things we do that we do in full knowledge…

So, that thing you thought – was that your best?
That thing you said – was that your best?
That thing you didwas that your best?

Are you treating other people in a way that you’d consider your best, and are you treating *yourself* in a way that’s your best?

You might well be asking what I mean by ‘your best‘ and that’s another good question, so here goes…

I could say that you should, in fact, be telling *me* what ‘your best’ is because I have no way of knowing! I don’t know your beliefs, your circumstances, your story. Having said that, if I went for the word ‘integrity’, I think I’d be going in the right direction.

Integrity towards others, integrity towards yourself. Integrity when it comes to what you think, what you say, what you do.

If you consider what that means to you, then you’ll be well along the way to defining what ‘your best’ is, as it means to you, and that’s the key – not someone else’s definition of what your best is, or should be, but *your* honest, genuine definition of what it means for you.

Then we can revisit my words in the image, and ask yourself what your best version of you would do, then do that.

"Gordon Bryan",

Now, at this point, I should probably say that I’m not suggesting the world is some sort of Mary Poppins adventure. We don’t act our best all the time, I understand that. We can’t, I understand that. There is a multitude of reasons as to why not, so I accept that we don’t all act as the best version of ourself all the time.

I know I haven’t.

Here’s the thing though – isn’t it better if we set the intention to? Wouldn’t it be a better place for everyone if we tried to be the best version of ourself, to ourself and to others? I’d say yes, without doubt, and without apology for saying it.

If we think about what the best version of ourself is, and realise we aren’t acting, talking, or thinking that way, we can ask ourselves ‘why not?’ and this can often be all it needs for us to decide to go with the best version.

It’s a process which also means we work out what our worst is, and if set out with intention to be our best, then we will always steer ourselves away from our worst. That’s better all round, it has to be, and what’s more, when others around us see us acting as the best version, they then start asking the question of themselves too!

This has the marvellous side effect of bringing others along to their better versions! Better all round, or not? Er, I’m going to go with ‘better!’

So, taking your own back story into account, but not using it just as a handy excuse, when you think, talk, act towards others and yourself, is it your best? Ask yourself what the best version of you would do. Then do that.

In the main areas of life – health, wealth, career, lifestyle, relationships – what would the best version of you be doing? What would your best version set as a goal, as the aimed for result? Big, grand scale concepts like this are built in reality by the everyday thoughts, words, and actions, so look to yesterday – was it your best? Look to today, and look to tomorrow, and I say again that you could do a lot worse than have this as a plan: ask yourself what the best version of you would do. Then do that.

Ok, as ever, I’d love to hear what you think – do leave a comment!

‘Til Next Time,
Health & Happiness,
Gordon
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for email updates, box at top right of page, and if you want to do more about being in line with the best you, then grab my free video series covering my 8 Step Goal Achievement Formula



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