It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.

The saying contrasts the comfort of “doing our best” with the harder standard of meeting objective necessity. It implies that effort, sincerity, or good intentions can be insufficient when circumstances impose non‑negotiable demands—deadlines, moral duties, strategic necessities, or survival itself. The line’s force comes from its pragmatic ethic: outcomes and requirements can override subjective measures of trying. It also hints at leadership under pressure, where responsibility means aligning action with what the situation requires, not what feels like an adequate personal effort.