Yoda Was Wrong

I used to love the “Star Wars” movies. The whole ‘Jedi Knight’ concept seemed very cool, very noble. And so I especially enjoyed the part of the movies, where Luke Skywalker learned from the great master Yoda, how to become a Jedi Knight. In a crucial scene, Luke complains that he is trying hard, to which Yoda replies

“Do … or do not. There is no try.”

Sounds profound, doesn’t it, a zen kind of wisdom that suggests a deep knowledge of people and reality. But in fact, it’s a crock, a superficial statement that sounds smooth and thoughtful, but really does not ring true when you think about it. Kind of like a Barack Obama speech, come to that.

You see, to try is to make the effort. Nothing, and I mean nothing, happens unless that effort is made. And trying often means failing. Remember learning how to walk, or try to teach it to your kids? Lots of falling down, and getting back up – to try again, over and over again until you can do it. Life is all about trying.

If you do not try, there is no doing. Don’t listen to the puppet.