Good, Better, Best: Why the Bar Keeps Moving—and Why That’s a Good Thing

You probably heard it in elementary school. Maybe from a cheerfully demanding teacher. Maybe from a framed poster in the library. Maybe etched on a lunchbox or repeated in a locker room. That little chant that sounds like a nursery rhyme but hits like a life lesson:

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is your better and your better is your best.

At the time, it probably felt like a cute motivational rhyme. Something to recite before a spelling test or during a pep rally. But the older I get—and the longer I work in donor relations—the more I realize that little rhyme is more than just a mantra. It’s a blueprint.

It’s a call to stop settling.

It’s a reminder that excellence isn’t a destination. It’s a direction.

And in a field where the status quo often masquerades as strategy, we need that reminder more than ever.

Because here’s the thing: “Good” is not the goal. In donor relations, good is the baseline. Good means we didn’t make any big mistakes. The letter went out on time. The name was spelled correctly. The donor got a thank you. Good is functional. It’s polite. It keeps you out of trouble.

But “better”? Better is where things start to shift. Better means we didn’t just send a receipt—we shared impact. Better means we took the time to personalize that email, to call that first-time donor, to anticipate a need before it was expressed. Better requires intentionality. Better is a choice.

And then there’s “best.”

Best is when your donor cried at the video in the impact report—not because it was sad, but because it made them feel seen. Best is when your stewardship matrix is so seamless that every donor, regardless of size, feels like a VIP. Best is when your donors say, “I don’t just support this organization—I belong to it.”

Best takes work. Best takes risk. Best takes vision.

And best? Best is always evolving.

That’s the frustrating and fabulous part of this whole thing. Just when you think you’ve nailed it—your good becomes your new starting line. What was once your “better” becomes your baseline. You reinvent. You refine. You raise the bar.

And sometimes, just when you feel like you’ve finally reached “best,” a donor response reminds you: there’s more to learn.

Years ago, I helped a team craft what we thought was the perfect impact report. It was glossy. It was heartfelt. It was beautifully designed. We had quotes from program staff, charts that actually made sense, and a story that landed like a punch to the gut in all the right ways. We were proud.

Then we got a handwritten note from a donor—an elderly woman who had been giving $50 a year for over two decades. Her letter was kind, but clear: “I loved the stories. I appreciated the effort. But I still don’t really understand where the money goes.”

Oof.

That moment stuck with me. Because even at our “best,” we had missed something. Not in a way that undid our work, but in a way that reminded us—“best” is only best until we learn better.

And that’s the whole point.

“Never let it rest” doesn’t mean burn yourself out. It doesn’t mean hustle endlessly or chase perfection at the expense of your well-being. It means don’t get complacent. Don’t confuse familiar with effective. Don’t let “we’ve always done it this way” become your mission statement.

I’ve seen too many shops stay stuck at “good.” Not because they don’t care, but because they’re afraid. Afraid that “better” will take more time. Afraid that “best” is only for the big institutions. Afraid to try something new in case it doesn’t land.

But do you know what’s scarier than failure? Stagnation.

The donor landscape is changing—fast. Expectations are shifting. Loyalty is no longer earned with a form letter and a return envelope. Your donors don’t want to be processed. They want to be known.

So, when we say “good, better, best,” we’re not just talking about polishing up your workflows or using a better CRM. We’re talking about making the donor experience your benchmark for excellence.

Are your thank yous good—or are they unforgettable?

Are your reports better—or are they transformative?

Is your stewardship program the best—or is it just what’s easiest to manage?

You don’t have to get to “best” overnight. That’s not the point. The point is to keep moving. Keep questioning. Keep improving.

Donor relations is a craft. And like any craft, it takes practice. It takes humility. It takes the kind of grit that says, “We did good work last year—but this year, we’re doing better.”

The most meaningful improvements often come from the smallest changes. A new way of segmenting a list. A handwritten note added to a digital thank-you. A moment of empathy built into a system designed for efficiency.

These aren’t massive overhauls. They’re micro-movements in the direction of excellence.

They’re how we turn good into better. And better into best.

And when we reach that new peak? We start again. Because that’s the work. Not to reach a final destination, but to keep becoming more of the shop, the team, the organization we want to be. The one our donors deserve us to be.

So, the next time you hear that childhood rhyme—maybe in your head, maybe from a colleague, maybe from a cheeky consultant like me—remember what it really means.

Good. Better. Best.

Never let it rest.

Until your good is your better.

And your better is your best.

And then? You get up and do it again.

Because the best is never behind us. It’s always ahead.

Written by Lynne Wester