you're only as good as your last shift

proverb

A person's perceived skill or competence is determined by their most recent success or failure.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. A person's perceived skill or competence is determined by their most recent success or failure.

Origin

From the game of ice hockey; see shift.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

you're only as good as your last shift. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you're%20only%20as%20good%20as%20your%20last%20shift

MLA

“you're only as good as your last shift.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you're%20only%20as%20good%20as%20your%20last%20shift. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “you're only as good as your last shift,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/you're%20only%20as%20good%20as%20your%20last%20shift.

Source: you're only as good as your last shift on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.