"Do your best" is a good thing, but in reality, it has become a pretext for many people not to do their best. Most of the time, doing our best is just an illusion, and our true potential is far from being realized.
In film and television dramas, there are always some bad people, who are deliberate and unscrupulous to do bad things. It is true that these people are incurably bad, but the spirit of doing their best when they do bad things is worth learning from. When saying "I have tried my best", you might as well ask yourself, are we thinking of ways to "deliberately"? Have we taken measures "unscrupulously"? Of course we can't do bad things, but we can use our methods and spare no effort, so that one day we won't regret saying: "I could have done better..."
1. Be cautious and try your best
Wen Jiabao said when he was about to step down as prime minister: "I tried my best and hope to get everyone's understanding and forgiveness." As the premier of the State Council, this shows a kind of humility of the leader, but as a company employee, we must be cautious in our words and do our best.
"Do your best" is the mantra of many people. When the leadership arranges the appointment in advance, they will say "I tried my best"; when the task is not completed in time after the event, they will say "I have tried my best". If you really do your best, it is understandable, but the reality is often that doing your best is just an illusion. Most of the people who try their best are not really doing their best. Before a person's ability is fully exerted, he will not know how much his potential is.
best effort is an illusion
A long time ago I read a report that a foreign mother lifted a car weighing more than a ton with her bare hands in order to save her daughter from being crushed under a car tire. This story is probably too old to be found on Baidu or Google, but it is deeply etched in my heart. The great power of this great mother, driven by maternal love, made me understand more about what it means to do my best.
Pastor Dale Taylor, who once taught Bill Gates, once told a story about a hound and a rabbit:
One winter, hunters go hunting with hounds. A hunter shot a rabbit in the hind leg, the injured rabbit desperately escaped, and the hounds chased after him. But after chasing for a while, the rabbit ran farther and farther. The hound knew that he couldn't catch up, so he returned to the hunter angrily. The hunter said angrily, "You are useless, you can't even chase a wounded rabbit!"
After hearing this, the hound defended in disapproval: "I have tried my best!"
Besides, the rabbit successfully escaped home with a gunshot wound. The brothers all gathered around and asked him in surprise: "That hound is very fierce, and you got another injury. How did you get rid of it?"
Rabbit said: "It is trying my best, I am trying my best! It doesn't catch up with me, at most I will be scolded, and if I don't run as hard as I can, I will die!"
In the famous Japanese animation work "Saint Seiya", there is a small universe inside the body of each saint and their enemies, some are brought to the extreme, and some have not yet been brought into play. In fact, we also have a small universe in our body. Most of the time, this small universe is in a dormant state. Only when it is critical, it will suddenly explode. The mother who lifted the car, and the rabbit chased by the hounds, when their lives were threatened, exploded with extraordinary and astonishing energy, and did things that were impossible to imagine in ordinary times. It was the result that inspired the microcosm. They are really trying their best.
On the other hand, the hound in the story couldn't even catch up with a wounded rabbit, and it was also saying that it was "doing its best". Maybe it is indeed running out of breath, but it is not enough. If it runs like a rabbit and perseveres, will the rabbit still have a chance to survive? So the hound's effort is just an illusion.
Some people in the project are just like this hound, they feel that they are just doing a job, earning a salary, and dedicating 8 hours a day to the company is considered their best. As for these 8 hours, how many hours are really "trying to work", there is still a question mark. If this is considered an effort, I am afraid that the hound will not agree.
Employees who really try their best should take everything seriously, don't think that this thing is not important, that thing is okay, it's not worth my effort. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once said: "Excellence is not an act, but a habit." Why excellent people are always excellent is because they take everything seriously and try their best to do everything well. thing, keep the small universe active at all times.
best effort subtext
The reason why people say "I tried my best" is that the work is very difficult. Although I have been working hard to do it, I have not done it well due to objective reasons that cannot be changed. Please forgive me. You must know that I have a good attitude. I just have no credit, and I have hard work.
However, in the eyes of leaders, the word "effort" has a completely different meaning. The hidden information can be said to be fatal, and it will cast a shadow on your career. When a leader hears a subordinate say "I tried my best", he will think of a few things:
The first is that you are really average in ability, and you can only do this when you exert all of it, and it seems that you cannot take on a big responsibility.
其二是你不思进取，潜力也有限，将来也不会有什么发展了。
其三是你准备对问题放任不管了，或者将问题交给领导，让领导想办法，这是多么的不负责任啊。
进而领导会想到，你既然尽力了都只能做成这样，看来给你的工资是有点太高了。如果你是项目经理，就更加要不得了，须知项目经理身负重任，如果最大能力只能做成这样，那项目岂不危险了？
因此，如果你对自己还略有信心的话，永远不要说“我尽力了”。这几个字无异于往领导的心里泼了一盆冷水，让领导的心凉透了。如果你想给领导一些温暖的话，最好换一下说法，比如“我可以再想办法”。
向税务部门学习尽力
如果要想明白什么叫尽力的话，我想最好的榜样就是我国的税务部门了。
据统计，1994-2011年，我国的税收收入总量从5071亿元增长到95729亿元，增长了17.9倍，年均增速达到18.9%，远远高于GDP的增速，更远远高于居民收入的增长水平。这么多的税收，为我国的社会主义建设打下了强大的物质基础。
之所以取得如果骄人的成就，与我国的税务部门一丝不苟、不让每一分该纳的税落空、竭尽全力为国家增收的工作作风是分不开的，试举几例：
2009年9月中旬，国家税务总局发布通知，就企业向职工发放交通通信补贴扣缴个税等相关问题进行了明确，各类交通补贴与通信补贴也要收税；
2011年8月23日南京市地税局于宣布开始对在房产证上加名的行为征收“房产证加名税”；
2011年8月，税务部门强调按照《个人所得税法实施条例》，各公司中秋节所发放的月饼，在缴税范围内，需将月饼的市场价值加入到员工的工资内，然后按照工资标准的个税进行扣除；
2013年2月4日国家税务总局纳税服务司表示，按照规定，个人缴纳的大病医疗保险金不能在个人所得税税前扣除，须缴个税。
秦国宰相李斯在其名篇《谏逐客书》中说道：“泰山不让土壤，故能成其大；河海不择细流，故能就其深。”正是由于税务部门不遗余力、不辞涓滴的工作作 风，使得我国税收形式一片大好。在税收基数已经很大的情况下，从深度和广度方面仍然不断挖潜，不放过每一个可以合法征税的环节，国家的税收才能以远高于 GDP增长的速度不断攀升。纵使如此，他们从来没说过“我尽力了”。
各位程序员和项目经理们，跟国家税务部门相比，你还敢说自己尽力了吗？
2. 方法总比问题多
“我尽力了”，这句话总给人一种无可奈何的感觉，好像已经没有什么方法了，事情已经无可的挽回了。但是，前面我们说过，项目中没有不可解决的问题，每种问题都有它解决的方法。正所谓“世上无难事，只怕有心人”，为了完成任务，就要“不择手段”。
苦干也是一种方法
中国有个很出名的地方叫温州，大家都知道温州商人很精明，很会做生意，所以温州人有中国的犹太人之称。殊不知，在温州人精明的背后，是他们实干、苦 干的精神。温州人中流传一种“四千精神”：走遍千山万水，想尽千方百计，说尽千言万语，吃尽千辛万苦。改革开放之初就是靠着这种四千精神，温州人白手起家 投身眼镜，皮鞋，服装，等制造业在小作坊生产出大产品，温州制造走向全国走向世界。
温州人的这种“四千精神”其实是一种苦干精神，这也是一种方法，虽然是看上去是个笨方法。什么叫尽力？首要要尽自己的力，把自己用尽、榨干，像温州 人一样，把能做事全都做了，把能想到的方法全都用了，把能说的话全都说了，把能吃的苦全都吃了。如果总是给自己留用余地，每次都遗憾的说，我其实可以做得 更好的，那就不叫尽力。
《西游记》中孙悟空是一个典型拥有“四千精神”的人。每次碰到妖怪，都要经过一番苦战：拼武力、比法力、还要斗智力。有时变成小虫子钻妖怪肚子，有 时使计偷换妖怪的宝贝，孙悟空把能想到的方法全都用了，在战胜妖怪的过程中，每次都是吃尽了苦头。正因为吃了这么多苦，最后才得以修成正果。
项目管理是个苦差事，必须要有这种不怕吃苦的精神。因此在说出尽力二字之前，我们不妨先问问自己，有没有像温州人、像孙悟空这样苦干？
充分利用一切资源
当然，尽力并不是把自己累死，而是综合利用一切资源，又快又好的达到目标，我们自己只是可用资源中的一项而已。
我看看过一个小孩搬石头的故事，让我对“尽力”二字有了更深的理解。故事是这样的：
一位贤明的父亲和他7岁的儿子整理后花园，他们遇到了一块埋在土中的大石头。父亲觉得这是一个教育孩子的好机会，于是他要孩子自己将大石头移开。
孩子推了半天，石头仍然不动，就聪明地在旁边挖了个洞，找来一根木头插进洞中，把另一块小石头垫在底下，使劲地往上撬，但大石头仍纹丝不动。显而易见，以他的力气是不足以搬动大石头的。
孩子告诉父亲他搬不动，父亲在一旁看得很清楚，但仍冷冷地说你要尽全力。
这一次，孩子用尽了全身的力气，小脸都憋得通红，到后来将整个身体的重量都压在木头上了，石头仍纹丝不动。孩子大喘着气，颓然坐下。
父亲和蔼地走到他身边，问道：“你确定你真的用尽全力了吗？”孩子说当然用尽了。
这时父亲温柔地拉起孩子的小手说：“不，儿子，你还没有用尽全力。我就在你旁边，可你没有向我求援。”
很多人像这个搬石头的小孩一样，把自己累得半死，还是无法完成任务，只好仰天长叹：“我尽力了。”其实这还不是真正的尽力，我们还很多资源可以用而没有去用，比如向同事求助、向上级求助、向朋友求助、向网络求助……
看看人家孙悟空，大部分妖怪也不是他自己搞定的。 他在自己个人全力以赴仍不能取胜的情况下，会找观音帮忙、找龙王帮忙、找天兵天将帮忙、找太上老君帮忙、找如来佛祖帮忙……直到搞定为止。难怪孙悟空的 “执行力”这么强，九九八十一难都难不倒他，一个重要原因就是因为他会充分利用一切可用的资源。虽然-孙悟空的武力和法术可能还称不上一流，但他完成任务 的能力绝对是一流的。
转换思路，避免硬碰
市场营销学中有一种经典的案例，就是如何把梳子卖给和尚。这看上去真是个大难题，和尚没有头发，怎么卖？如果只是简单走到庙里，说师父买一把梳子吧，那十有八九是不会成功的。如果不想想其它办法，只会不断的碰壁，最后回到公司悻悻然的说“我尽力了”，这是可以想象的结果。
碰到实在难以解决的问题，就应该转换思路，寻找替代方案。如果通过其它方法也能达到同样的效果，那也是一件好事。这就好比打仗时，只要能歼敌就可以了，何必一定要正面进攻呢？从侧面包抄也可以嘛。
回到把梳子卖给和尚这个问题，看看营销达人们的方法吧：
一、告诉和尚梳头可以使得血脉畅通身体好；二、刮刮脚抓抓痒，去死皮又舒服；三、在寺庙里供香客梳头；四、送香客，刻上“积善梳”三字，保佑平安吉 祥；五、卖给香客，给不同的价位得到方丈不同开光程度的平安梳、富贵梳；六、在梳子上做广告，宣扬该寺庙标新立异，佛祖有神通；七、两把梳子相对固定住可 以做柳州滤粉，改善伙食；八、做织布的梭子；九、片豆腐；十、送还俗弟子，下山后万事顺意。
没想到一件看上去不可能的事居然可以想出这么多方法来实现，看来关键是要转换思路，才能将不可能变成可能。
在软件项目实施过程中，同样会碰到很多硬骨头，如果硬碰硬啃，即使最后将这些硬骨头消化掉了，势必也会花去不少宝贵的时间，影响到项目的进度，因此上上之策还是转换思路，寻找替代的解决方案。
我曾经用.net开发一个地图应用系统，到用一个基于COM的地图开发组件库叫做ArcGIS Engine。在用该组件库操作某个数据表时，总是报告内存出错，我百思不得其解，搜索了无数的资料，将代码修来改去、变化腾挪，仍无济无事，耗费了我近 一个月的时间，最后形容憔悴，不由得感到一丝失落和悲怆。有一次老板走到我身边，听取我的苦闷之后，他和蔼的说，看看能不能用其它方法实现。
It really is a word to wake up a dreamer. Yes, why do I have to use it to process data tables? Maybe it's a bug in this component, so isn't it worth it for me to compete with it? The data table can also be manipulated with ado.net, and it will undoubtedly be more efficient. So I spent 2 hours changing an implementation method, and there was no memory error again. Although I couldn't kill this "enemy" myself in the end, I finally solved the problem and avoided wasting more time.
After this incident, I feel that I have become "smarter" in handling things later.
Once I saw a programmer write the barcode component by himself when implementing the barcode function. Due to his inexperience, he sighed and said to him, try using the barcode font. Sure enough, it didn't take long for him to tell me it was a success.
Sometimes customers need a certain function, and it is more complicated to implement. But it's easy to change it. For example, once a customer requested to export the statistical results as an Excel file, which requires the use of the Excel class library, which not only increases the coupling of the system, but also requires familiar people to develop it. In addition, it is necessary to consider whether the customer has installed Excel (due to copyright issues). , many users are using the WPS form). At this time, if you change the way of thinking and export the statistical results to csv format, it can not only be opened with Excel, but also very simple to implement.
There are countless similar examples. As long as you are a conscientious person, you can even sell combs to monks. What else can we do? !
http://developer.51cto.com/art/201211/364725.htm