Do You Say "I'm Doing My Best..."? Learn Why It Damages Hope

 Examples For "I'm Doing My Best":

I’m doing my best…

I did my best.

I’m doing my best, so get off my back.

I’m doing my best. What more do you need from me?

 Explanation:

Unlike most imperfect phrases, this phrase takes its “character” from voice tone, and the words around it.  If you say: “I’m doing my best”, within a calm conversation, and it’s not accompanied by the add-on bits (in the examples), it’s simply an informative statement. Not likely to cause a verbal war. Still possible, of course, but not likely.

However, if you say “I’m doing my best, so get off my back”, you change the impact. If emotions are running hot, they will get hotter. If the argument hasn’t yet started, it will now begin.

Adding comments after the phrase makes it clear you just want the person to leave you alone, and that’s not a good message to send to someone important to you.

 There’s still a problem with both versions. If you use this phrase to deny responsibility for your actions you are unlikely to come up with a solution for the actual issue at hand. That’s because even the standalone version is a conversational “stopper”. If the person backs off in sympathy, the conversation moves on, but the problem remains unresolved. If the person questions whether you are doing your best, you end up with an argument that takes you to the wrong place. That’s a different topic.

Make It Better:

I’m doing my best at trying to get all the paperwork done, and I’m feeling overwhelmed. Is there some way you could help me out with this?

I know I haven’t been doing well at this, but I don’t know how to do it any better. Can you help, or maybe provide some suggestions?

I think I just need some help with this.

I’m certainly open to ideas. I feel like I’m doing my best, but I guess there’s always room for improvement.