Do Or Do Not

In a quote from a Star Wars movie, the character Yoda says, “Do or do not, there is no try”. This sounds pretty harsh, but it says a lot about how to be successful in all of our endeavors. People who desire to be more physically fit will very often give exercise a try but soon quit. Many have said, “I didn’t make it but at least I tried”. Using “I tried” as a built in safety zone to keep their self esteem untarnished. What if instead, they had resolved to succeed, refusing to accept anything less.

Starting down the path to better health and fitness should begin with having faith that it can be done. Set realistic, measurable, goals. Then get moving. The path is long and filled with obstacles, but if the journey is walked with determination, the chances of success are high. However, there is never any disgrace in temporarily failing, especially when knowledge is gained from it. Starting out, the first few weeks, might be difficult. But making it through them will be very satisfying. During those beginning weeks, saying “I can do this”, is more powerful than, “I will try”. Increased confidence comes with every decision not to quit. Unfortunately, many people who ‘try’ exercising do quit. Their goals are not accomplished, since they resolved only to try, not to succeed. The decision to try gave them a built-in excuse to quit as soon as it became uncomfortable.

I started smoking cigarettes at the age of sixteen. Strange as it may seem for someone concerned about health and fitness, my addiction lasted for nearly thirty five years. Like most, trying to quit was an endless struggle. I would do great for a few hours or even a couple of days. Something trivial would happen and I'd reach for a cigarette, with a vow to try again soon. One day, I just stopped, never having the desire for another cigarette again. What made that day different? My decision was to finally quit smoking. All the other times, my decision was merely to try, enabling me to fail gracefully.

Each of us has the ability to make important changes in our lives. Doing this requires we be our own motivational speaker and cheerleader, encouraging ourselves to stay on the right path. Once the decision is made, not to try, but to do, we are empowered to succeed.

It’s not just a step, it’s a start.

Dave