Who knew a little green booger-looking guy could be so wise?

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

The correct way to spell “trying” is “doing” because only when you do are you truly trying.

Trying is not in the thinking; it’s in the act itself. For example, I have a friend who is trying to get back into fitness. It’s admirable. The problem is, he’s been telling me he’s been trying to get back into fitness for about 6 months now without actually committing. So now he’s playing the broken record called, “Why isn’t this working?” on repeat.

The thing is, trying to get back into fitness isn’t just talking about it. It’s doing a set of pushups. It’s going for a walk. It’s making the time to commit to working out and then following through. Do or do not — there is no try.

“The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.”

When we’re consumed by the fear of losing something, we stop playing to win and start playing not to lose. And this is precisely how you lose.  

 In life, it’s easy to get stuck in defense mode, clutching to what we have instead of going after what we want. But here’s the kicker: this kind of fear rarely protects us. It just makes us blind to opportunities. Worrying about loss is normal, fatally human even. But if it’s running the show, you’re missing the big picture — and all the good stuff that’s just waiting to be found.

It’s normal to have a fear of loss, but it shouldn’t consume your thoughts. Train yourself to think, how can I win and follow through; chances are….you’ll win.

“You must unlearn what you have learned.”

Remember being a teenager? We were all so sure we had the world figured out. Our heads were huge, our jeans were tiny, and our arrogance was unmatched. Then life smacked us around for a bit, and we realized most of what we thought we knew wasn’t the whole picture. That’s the thing: life is rarely what it seems, and clinging to our old beliefs prevents us from considering new beliefs.

There are over 8 billion people with 8 billion perspectives living in the world. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you likely aren’t the one who has everything figured out. Take comfort, because neither am I. 

If you want to grow, you’ve got to stay curious and question what you know. You’ll either get the reassurance that you were right or will be fortunate enough to learn more. It’s a win-win.

“The greatest teacher, failure is.”

Sometimes, the only way to learn that fire is hot is by touching it.

If you’re a well-adjusted human, it’s safe to say you don’t enjoy failure. Honestly, who really likes to lose? But failure is how you understand life lessons.

 For example, when I started my sales career, my first job was a total wash. I think I only made two or three sales. At my next sales job, a short stint, I made 10–20 sales. But on my third, I made over 200 sales in the B2B world.

It took failing — and frankly, sucking — for a few years before I failed my way into success. Losing forces you to examine what isn’t working and focus on what is.

 Failing is the tough love you might not like in the moment but will likely appreciate years later. Don’t fear it, but rather accept it’s a natural part of life.

“Patience you must have, my young Padawan.”

We’re all addicted to instant gratification. We want abs in a week, a bestselling book in a month, and a million bucks before lunch with a side of fries. But here’s the truth: good things take time.

Flowers don’t bloom faster because you yell at them. Caterpillars don’t turn into butterflies because you’re wagging your finger and tapping your foot.

 It’s the same with life.

Rushing screws up the process because there’s nothing natural about it. Sure, urgency is great when paired with focus. But you’ve got to learn to wait. You’ve got to learn patience. Let the process play out, and maybe — just maybe — you’ll enjoy the ride. After all, you’re the one living your journey, so stop and smell the roses once in a while — you might even like the scent.

Please like, comment, share and tell me what you think. What’s your favorite Yoda lesson?