Editor’s Note: Originally published Jan. 11, 2023

“Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.” – George Halas.

Halas is a Hall of Fame NFL coach. He was the owner of the Chicago Bears and played a key role in establishing the league.

His comment is simple but challenging.

To choose to do your best through most of your endeavors is rare.

Most people find it easier to “coast.” They don’t have the motivation or discipline for success, only showing up to do just enough to avoid criticism or correction. I call it doing “as much as necessary and as little as possible.”

But, through experience, I’ve learned that coasting is a recipe for regret and underachievement.

Coasting is cumulative. It causes a performance drift that allows the competition to outrun you. The difference between someone who musters a top effort each day and one who doesn’t soon shows up.

A “coaster” misses the promotion and finds themself unprepared when the time comes for important tasks. A “coaster” asks himself, “What if?” As time goes by, regret becomes a theme.

The right habit is to choose effort. As you begin a day, an activity, a journey – throw the switch in your head that says, “I will try hard. I will concentrate. I will stretch. My purpose is to get better.”

Regret is a hard thing to live with. To think “I could have/would have/should have” is an impotent feeling that weighs heavily as life passes.

If you’re coasting, change your course. You won’t regret it because nobody who ever gave their best regretted it.