I am easily confused, as you know...
Yoda says,
"Always with you what cannot be done.
Hear you nothing that I say?
You must UNLEARN what you have learned."
"Allright, I'll give it a try" says Luke
"NO! TRY NOT. DO OR DO NOT. There is no try." Yoda responds.
WHAT is the difference between "trying and doing" - I ask myself that question often, trying to understand the subtleties or the boldness of the difference.
Then I see the video from EA that talks about failure...
"the part (the effort) that you don't see is the part that makes today possible."
"Failure is defined by three words: LACK OF SUCCESS. But, based on that definition, it says we don't value learning, we don't value growth, we don't value experience and struggle. And, our obsession with winning means that we're letting go of all of that which we could be learning in every single moment."
He goes on to talk about Walt Disney, Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln (he lost in 8 elections...
"I believe failure can almost lure success. Countless failures are almost doorkeepers to success."
"Failure tests our genuineness and our authenticity and our real desire to chase and achieve our goal... that real desire to take on the responsibility of that success, to take responsibility for that position and the responsibility that it brings with it."
"And therefore if you've never failed, you've never tried anything new."
The funny thing is that I don't mind failing. I just don't want to spend my whole life "trying" endlessly and feeling like I never accomplished anything.
If I think of it as doing and having some blend of successes and failures - that feels right and appropriate.
I believe whole-heartedly in doing... and failing.
The examples they share are people that ultimately succeeded and succeeded in massive ways. It's ironic that to support the concept of failure, they highlight Lincoln, and Oprah, and Disney...
I am smart enough to realize that there are millions if not billions of people who fail and never become rock stars. Billions of people who spend lifetimes dreaming and reaching and doing... and are never known outside of their spheres of influence.
I am more than ok being one of those people - loving and living those I do with integrity and giving it ALL that I have.
That feels SO different than feeling like I am spinning my wheels in trying...
I am starting to understand the difference between doing and trying and it is helpful.
It's about INTENT... It's about COMMITMENT... It's about putting your SOUL on the line of your dreams and stretching yourself as far as you can - DOING all that you can do...
Trying is pretending.
Doing and failing is part of winning...
And, I would argue, doing and failing is actually succeeding, if you are learning from the process.
The only true failure - is giving up.
I don't give up.
I do - the very best I am capable of doing.
And, then I try to do better.
in harmony,
Nestor