“Do Your Best” Meaning: When to Say It & How to Respond

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Plus, tips for how to do your best (even when times are hard)

Co-authored by Marcus Pruitt, BS Reviewed by Seth Hall

Last Updated: December 30, 2024 Fact Checked

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“Do Your Best” Meaning

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Using “Do Your Best” in a Sentence

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How to Reply

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How to Do Your Best

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Similar Phrases

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“Do Your Best” Quotes

When someone tells you to “do your best,” they’re telling you to try your hardest at something. They don’t mean to do so much that you end up burning yourself out. Instead, they just want you to give it your all so you can feel good about your efforts. In this article, we'll explain what “do your best” truly means, how to respond to it, and provide some tips on how to do your personal best, even when things feel challenging.

“Do Your Best” Quick Definition

When someone tells you to “do your best,” they are encouraging you to put all of your effort and attention towards the task at hand. They aren’t asking you to do more than you’re capable of; they're simply trying to push you to try as hard as you can. It's a supportive phrase meant to motivate you or give you grace.

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What does “Do your best” mean?

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To do your best means to do the most that you can in a given moment. When someone tells you to do your best, they are encouraging you to focus all of your attention on something. They want you to put in the most effort that you can when you’re doing the task at hand and perform to the best of your ability.^{[1]
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- If you do the best you can and still fail at something, that’s okay! The person who told you to do your best will be happy as long as you try your hardest.
- Example: “Thanks again for helping me with this project. I know that you’re new to this, so just do your best and reach out if you need any help!”
- Example: “I know that you’re nervous, and that’s okay! Just do your best and try not to worry. You got this!”

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How to Use “Do Your Best” In a Sentence

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To encourage someone to try their hardest, say “Do your best.” When you use the phrase, pitch up your voice so you have a positive tone. That way, the person you’re saying it to will feel encouraged instead of anxious or nervous.^{[2]
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- Example: “Remember, there’s no pressure for this task. Just remember to do your best and reach out if you have any questions.”
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Say “do your best” to give someone grace during a hard time. When someone is struggling and still has a task that they need to accomplish, tell them to do their best. This will let them know that they don’t have to go above and beyond to get something done. They just need to do what they can in the moment so they can get through the task at hand.
- This meaning is still supportive, as it is meant to give a person grace during a time of struggle rather than push them to try their absolute hardest.
- Example: “Hey, I know you’ve been having a hard time with everything that’s been going on. I’m not expecting you to go above and beyond, just do your best, today. Remember, I’m here if you need anything.”

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How to Respond to “Do Your Best”

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When someone encourages you to do your best, tell them that you will. There are plenty of different ways to phrase this, depending on how you want to come across:
- If you want to keep your response short and sweet, say “Thanks, will do!” Use a positive tone to show that you really plan on doing your best.
- If you want to express gratitude for the person telling you to do your best, say something like “I will! I appreciate you for always encouraging me!” Flash a smile so the person knows that you’re being genuine.^{[3]
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If you’re struggling, tell them that you will try. When you’re having a hard time, it’s difficult to put in 100% effort. So, if someone tells you to do your best while you’re struggling or overwhelmed, let them know that you’ll try the best that you can without overpromising on what you can deliver and thank them for being so supportive.
- Example: “Thanks for being so supportive. Things have definitely been difficult lately, but I’ll try my best.”

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How to Do Your Best

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To do your best, try to work hard and avoid distractions. You may feel tempted to accomplish everything all at once, but don’t multitask, procrastinate, or do anything else that will take away your focus. Just choose one task and stick with it. Whether you’re finishing a project at work or cooking a new meal, the best way to do your best is to put all of your focus and attention to the task at hand and not stop until you complete it. Here are some tips to help you make it through:
- Set goals to help you figure out what needs to be prioritized and give you better direction for the task at hand.^{[4]
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- Take breaks if you start to get exhausted but can’t complete the task in one session. Working too long without giving yourself time for breaks can lead to burnout.^{[5]
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- Ask for help when you need it. Your peers may have insight that can be useful for the task at hand.

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Things to Say Instead of “Do Your Best”

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Try some of these similar phrases to motivate someone. Sometimes, “do your best” can make someone feel like their performance isn’t up to par, leading to feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness. To avoid making a person feel like this while still motivating them to do their best, there are a bunch of other phrases that you can use. Some of those phrases include:^{[6]
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- “I know that you’ll do great!”
- “Hey, the deadline for this project is coming up! It’s a little soon, I know, but I trust that you’ll know what to do to make it the best that it can be!”
- “Hey, I know this is a big task, so just give it your best effort! You’ve got this!”
- “This is a huge task for us. Even I had a hard time with this. Just give it all you’ve got and reach out if you have any questions.”
- “I know that you’re new to this so I don’t expect things to be perfect. Just try your best and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
- “Hey, I know you’ve had a heavy workload this week. Just hang in there and keep up the good work. You’re doing great!”
- “This is a big thing we’re asking you to do, so don’t be afraid to go all out. You’ve got this!”
- “This is just a practice test, so don’t stress about making things perfect. Just try your hardest and reach out if you’re confused about anything.
- “If there’s anything that I can do to help make this easier for you, just let me know!”
- “You’ve been doing great work lately! So, keep putting your best foot forward.”
- “I love how this project turned out! Whatever you’ve been doing, keep doing it!”
- “You’ve been doing a great job! Keep it up!”

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“Do Your Best” Quotes

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If you're at a loss for encouraging words, use a “do your best” quote. There are plenty of different ways to tell someone to do their best or encourage them. Those ways include saying:
- “Don’t stress, just do your best.”
- “When the world feels like it’s against you, the best thing to do is to do your best.”
- “Do your best and let the rest go.”
- “Instead of trying to be flawless and strive for perfection, just do your best.”
- “The best preparation for tomorrow is to do your best today.”
- “We only have one life, why not do your best?”
- “On the days where you don’t feel like doing anything, the only thing to do is do your best.”
- “It’s okay if you fail, as long as you do your best.”
- “When you try your best and don’t succeed, it’s okay! You still did your best,”
- “Remember, when you work hard and do your best, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”
- “When someone trusts you to do something, give it your all and do your very best!”
- “It’s not a failure if you do your best.”