For those of you that know me, you know that  (perhaps prior in my life) I am was not much of a Star Wars fan.  I know, all you diehards who are reading this possibly because of a Star Wars tag, I have practically just said something that shattered your heart.  I can hear it in your look at the screen from here, so you may as well say it straight to your computer …go ahead…boo, hiss, boo, hiss.  Feel better?  To those of you who stand in my former category of the people so over the crowd in love with this cultural  phenomenon and scratching your head at how deep people get into it, bear with me.

Now that that is out of your system(s), hear me out.  So, if you have read my blog for the last few entries, you realize that I just returned from a trip to Disney with my nephew.  It was a great time.  You must also know, that one of his latest and greatest loves is Star Wars and light sabers.  For a four year old, he astound me with what he pulls out of these movies.  He already knows and articulates that Luke is for the “light side” and Darth is for the “dark side”.  He also will look you dead in the face and tell you, “we must always fight against the Dark Side.”  All this is a REALLY long winded lead up to the fact that while we were in Disney, they put on a little “Jedi Training Academy” complete with an interruption by Darth Vader and Darth Mal which was eventually stopped by some guidance by the Jedi’s training the kids and Master Yoda.  For some reason, the statement made by Master Yoda stuck with me in a way that it never had before.  I really HEARD it and saw how it applies to my own life — and yours, so much so that I knew I had to pen this blog about it. 

I found the original scene on Youtube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4yd2W50No. 

In it, Yoda is coaching a young Luke as he attempts to retrieve his X-wing  from the bog .  Luke doubts himself and Yoda is saddened by this fact.  He sighs and says, “Hear you nothing that I say? You must unlearn what you have learned. ”  Luke begrudging states, “Alright, I will give it a try.”  Immediately, Yoda replies,  “No. Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.”

In that moment of a silly little show, with tremendous (somewhat over) actors, sitting in Disneyland, that movie snippet spoke to me.  Recently, I have really been working to “tackle my demons” of self doubt, fear of failure, fear of  success and/or failure at work and life in general.  As that loudspeaker repeated the recorded words for at least the second time that day, I heard them as if they were spoken just to me from God’s lips to my ears.  I must stop simply “trying” and defeating myself in fear before I ever get started and choose to either do or do not. That simple. There is something so powerful in only being presented those two definitive options.  Both cause you to take responsibility.  To be accountable and worthy of the outcome.  For example, I do chose to be kind to people.  There is a direct result of that choice.  I do not chose to be a bully to others or to manipulate them for the outcome I desire.  In that, there is pride. 

Don’t get me wrong, I realize that there are a lot of grey areas that we do  not control… let’s say the weather for one.  But I do also know that if I decide if it rains I will wear rain boots, I have saved myself a ton of calories that I used to burn second guessing my choices.  Would someone laugh at me at work if i wore polka dot rain boots? (True story, I wasted energy on that).  I know my “do” so I don’t have to worry about what others will think or say.  We humans are funny.  We fool ourselves that if we make no decision, or if we drag it out and give ourselves the out of “trying” we are absolved of any of the fall out.  Don’t get me wrong, trying is not a bad thing.  I will still “try” to make a really good pot roast or to remember to take the garbage out before my iphone reminder screams at me.    But, when it comes to matters of my  belief in my potential or value and my worthiness to achieve great and honorable things; I will not try.  I will walk boldly to all of the things that can be beneficial to myself and hopefully others and just do them. As such, I am sitting here now writing to you, aren’t I?

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My (and apparently Yoda’s) challenge to you? Do not try. Do.  Step boldly into who and what you are to become. Love yourself.  Explore your talent.  Step out of that crappy job, crappy apartment, crappy relationship, or crappy mindset.  Everyone has a talent and/or something to contribute in the world.  Everyone has a spot. A voice. A “job” if you will.  No one can do ‘it” if you don’t. I know it is incredibly scary.  Believe me I was the Queen of try. I would “try” new foods (one small bite at a time).  I would “try” to drive (and then be afraid that I would kill someone).  I would “try” and leave “him” (because I would worry about what would happen to him if I did leave – no real thought for myself).  Thankfully, life and God and -apparently- Yoda woke me up and has helped me to become a “do-er”.  If I can do it, anyone can. Personally, I can’t wait to see what happens when the wave of “do-ers” starts.  Stop reading this, finding all of the reasons you should just try and get out there and do…us “do-ers” need you in our ranks!