Not My Best Performance (And Why That’s Okay)

This weekend, I was up at 4am to help guest-train for a friend’s certification. (See photo at bottom)

The training was happening in Amsterdam — and I’m in California.
So there I was, slightly delirious, leading a four-hour training before the sun came up.

And by my own standards?
It wasn’t my best performance.

I wasn’t as sharp.
My energy wasn’t at 100%.
There were moments I stumbled through.

In the past, that would’ve wrecked me.

I used to be terrified of not performing at my highest level.
What if someone saw me tired?
What if I made a mistake?
What if I wasn’t flawless?

That fear of not being “perfect” used to stop me from even taking the swing.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

You’re not your best moments.
You’re not your worst moments.
You are the sum of how you show up — over time.

So yeah, 4am me wasn’t my best.
But gave what he had.
And in the long run? I think that counts.

We extend grace to others all the time — for being human, for being tired, for not getting it perfect.

We get to do the same for ourselves.

Because the people who go the farthest?
They’re not perfect.
They’re just willing to take the risk of being seen —
even when it’s inconvenient, imperfect, or a little bit messy.

Cheers, Jason

PS - Here’s me, slightly delirious.