Many will recognize the following quote by a famous philosopher: “Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try”. The depth of the truth that is communicated may not be immediately obvious. But, the truth is compelling. As it states, we either do or we do not do. When we do, we are not guaranteed success. Failure is a part of doing. If we do not, we are guaranteed to fail. Thus, failure is the result of not doing. “Trying” might entail expenditure of energy that consumes time but is only that, a consumer of time, a going through the motions; looking busy; self-fulfilling old scripts. To be fair, “trying” can be honestly attempting to “do”, experimenting without a keen sense of direction. In the last case, it is really “doing”. Doing is honorable. We learn by doing, success or not. Failure is information.
Thomas Edison, in one of his famous quotes stated: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” What a great attitude. Persistence, even though there is no immediate success builds patience, endurance, and character. Success is not immediate. Success is the outcome of preparation and hard work. Success is the result of doing.
Success does not necessarily mean “perfect”. I am convinced that Thomas Edison would be both surprised and not surprised by the developments in lightbulbs. “Perfect” may better be seen as an accomplishment on a path to further accomplishments. That need not be discouraging but encouraging. There can be more. It has been suggested that practice does not make perfect, but it does make permanent. It can be built upon. How refreshing! There is the possibility of more.
Mediocre Meanderings 