Only as good

I had a thought about that saying..."You are only as good as"  There are multiple ways of filling in the blanks and ending that sentence.  I had a few come to mind but then I did what I do and I checked.
These are a few of what I found.
 You are only as good as:

• the sum of your parts
• your weakest link
• your word
• the company you keep
• your last game

Of course, what came to my mind is...I am only as good as my last post.  Maybe that is why I continue to write.  "That one wasn't very good, try another.  I can't leave that one at the top - I must put something better there instead but that didn't come out right and I need something different, more humorous, more detailed, more light-hearted, more realistic, more, more...more...better."  But enough about me.
It says, "Only as good", which seems to have a negative connotation.
It seems you can't get better than the sum of your parts.  Which parts?  Are we talking body parts or mental, emotional, logical parts?  Has it turned into a math problem with the use of sum?  (Gads, no please...no math)!  But if it is, how many parts and how are they being measured exactly?
How about the weakest link?  I can only think of the television game show with the British female host that made the saying so memorable. "You ARE the weakest link.  Goodbye"   I can't even remember much else about the show except for the cool, black outfits she wore every episode which was way before The Matrix.  Now we're talking cool outfits.  Not a weak link in that bunch.
Then there is...my word.  If I am only as good as my word than I should be in pretty good shape.  Yet, it doesn't seem that way when it is said like that.  If someone is reminding you that..."you are only as good as your word", while shaking their finger at you...then I can see the person it being said to getting almost defensive..."Hey!  My word is good!  Really it is!"  Don't you see it like that?  But can you believe them?
So we come around to...the company you keep.  What if you don't keep any?  Company?  Maybe it's better to keep bad company than none at all?  If I am the only company I keep is that a bad thing?  I'm not such bad company...or maybe I am or I would keep more company?  Wouldn't I?
You are only as good as your last game.  Really?  If it's a game it doesn't matter, does it?  Isn't it all about how you play the game?  Or would that be just another brilliant saying by those wise people that come up with these sayings.  Those wise people nobody knows so there is no way to clarify what they were getting at since we don't know who they are or how to find them.

Only as good.  Is anyone really Only as good?  It isn't very motivational.  "Well, sorry...can't go on...since that was good and I might not top it again."  Or..."I'm good since I did that really well a long time ago and don't want to mess it up."  Right.  Like anyone really thinks about it that way or that hard.  Except me.
I am only as good as my last post.  Well, since that is the case...'ya know another will need to be posted soon!
TT