There is no Try

Do or do not. There is no try. (Yoda)

This is one of my favourite movie quotes of all time. And I am sure it is for a lot of other people too. But even though it's widely quoted, most people misunderstand the words.

They assume that by there is no try, Yoda means:

• Results matter not action.
• Don't just attempt, have conviction that you can do it.
• You must succeed or you've failed.

None of which is the full view. What Yoda wants is to absolutely dissolve the paralyzing judgment inherent to trying. The question of whether one's try will be a success or a failure.

By reframing Luke's mindset from trying to lift the X-wing to simply lifting the X-wing, Yoda removes the psychological dagger of try-evaluation that hovers over tentative action. All action is true action. No true action is tentative.

Yoda could have ended at try not. He doesn't. He explicitly says, there is no try.

And, let it be so. For trying can be the disguise that cloaks overthinking, trapping people so they struggle to act, experience or even live.

Let it be a reminder to not unsee what is by overthinking what one sees.