Reinterpreting standard statements

Created: 2023.06.09

Standard Statement: "You should always give 100%" In the better: You should always do things giving a reasonable amount of effort. In many things this means doing your best. In the 'explanation' column: "Wait ... what if you are giving blood?"

Standard Statement "You should always give 110%" In the better column "When playing games, you should give the best you can, and it should be better than your 100% sustainable level." IN the 'explanation' column: Rather than dismissing the concept of giving 110% effort as a cliché, it's important to understand what it means in the context of sports. When you're on the field or court, it's important to push yourself to your maximum capacity, even if that means playing beyond what you think is possible. For example, when I coached soccer at the teenage level, we had 30 second shifts and rotated players in and out of the field. Some players, like one guy who refused to take a break, thought they could play the entire game without stopping. However, I explained to him and the team that to be successful, they needed to give 110% of their sustainable effort during their shifts, and then take a break to recover for the next round of play. By doing so, they were able to perform at their best and improve their skills over time.