When I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2019, I ran on the same course with the new women's world record holder in the marathon, Kenyan Brigid Koskei.
When I heard that she had set the world record, I was approaching mile 10 of the course! The difference between us wasn't the effort but the speed. What feels like a 100 percent effort by an elite athlete feels the same to someone at the back of the pack.
I told my students yesterday that I'd like to help each of them get a solid A in the course. But I added, "If you end up with a B or a C, but have done your very best, you can leave the class with your head held high."
Friend, your best is your best, not someone else's. My best will never be that of an elite marathoner. In other words, I will never become the best. But I can and will become my best.