Movie Morals: “Do or do not. There is no try!”

By Taylor Johnston

This quote is often jokingly used from the Star Wars movies when Yoda is training Luke Skywalker. While it is a simple statement, it actually has a lot of profound depth to it that can help us in our daily lives, if we let it. Let’s dissect:

First let’s give it some context. In the movie scene, what was Yoda trying to teach Luke as they were training?

Having convinced Yoda to train him, Luke is first tasked with raising his sunken X-Wing out of the depths of the swampy waters of Dagobah. Luke sees this mammoth task in front of him, and naturally grows nervous. Earlier in the movie it took Luke a herculean effort to lift his own lightsaber out of the snow using the Force; now he was being asked to lift a heavy space ship. Luke responds he’ll try, to which Yoda offers the now immortal line:

Do or do not, there is no try.

Luke attempts to lift the X-Wing out of the waters, but he fails and gives up. “It’s impossible,” he says. Wordlessly, Yoda rebuffs him by easily lifting the ship out of the water. “I don’t believe it,” says Luke, awed. “That,” says Yoda. “Is why you fail.”

Two lessons that standout here:?

1. Belief.
2. Too often any endeavour or task we set out to accomplish that is new is often approached with a lack of belief we will complete the task. Mainly because we have never done it and we lack knowledge of the outcome. We frequently forget that failure is not finite, it just may be part of the doing. Once we lose belief we are on the path of not doing.
3. Trying doesn’t exist.
4. People are either on the path of doing or not doing. Trying can be translated to effort without belief OR half-effort. Combining effort and belief will always find the path to completion. Walt Disney once said “If you can dream it, you can do it.” If you believe you will complete a task, even without all the ability or knowledge at the time, then you know that once you have that knowledge and ability it will be completed or done.?

What area of your life are you just “trying” in? What if you had sure confidence that whatever you acted upon will come to be? Do you think your effort would change? What would that REALLY look like?

Who are the people that would be greatly touched & impacted if you believed, with your whole heart, that your actions were the key that made the difference.

What needs your belief today?