My geeky flatmate quoted Yoda from Star Wars a month or so ago and it has really struck a chord with me. I haven't seen Star Wars, but I hear it is quite a famous quote:
'Do, or do not. There is no try.'
I have always been one of those people who will say that 'I'll try my best to do exercise tonight' or 'I'll try and eat healthy this week'. I always thought that having good intentions was the best I could do, but now I can see that 'trying' was just leading to failure. When I say that I am going to try and do something, I am already admitting to myself that I may fail.
I am kind of a big softy and always make excuses for myself and other people, something I constantly say is 'that as long as you tried your best, that is all you can do'. In some circumstances this is true, but I can see now that this isn't the case when it comes to food and exercise. Eating healthy and exercising are both things that only I have control over. No one has ever held a gun to my head and forced me to eat pizza or chained me to a chair so that I can't exercise.
I joined a gym a couple of weeks ago and there have already been a heap of excuses I could have used not to go, and sometimes I almost didn't go, but I just keep remembering that I can try and do this or I can do this. I know that sometimes life gets in the way and so there will be days when I plan to go to the gym and then can't go. That doesn't mean that my goal of going to the gym a minimum of 4 times a week will be compromised, it just means I have to go to the gym on a Sunday to make up for that missed session.
EXCUSES THAT ARE NO LONGER TOLERATED
~ I have a cold
~ I had a long/stressful day at work
~ I have a headache
~ I'm tired
~ I'm hung over
~ I don't have time (or want to make time)
~ I have cramps
~ It's cold and rainy and I just want to stay in bed
~ I forgot to wash my gym clothes
I needed this little kick in the pants. I'm not familiar with Yoda-isms (althoug I know about Yoda), but thank you for that quote! I will start using it as a mantra!
ReplyDeleteYou have a smart house mate! Have you started calling him Yoda???
ReplyDeleteYoda is full of amazing. I loved your list of excuses that are no longer tolerated, I have a similar mental list in my head. Today I was fighting the tired excuse... I think it is the worst one. Way to acknowledge the problem and take steps to fix it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fab post. Excuses are so much harder to fight in winter, I find!
ReplyDeleteAnd A is a very intelligent man :)
Looking forward to our brunch :)
xx
You never saw Star Wars???!!! Go see it right now! Its a film classic. And Yoda is the man!! If you don't see the movie, you can't say the line your room mate quoted in the Yoda voice, which makes the quote!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, that is an awesome quote. I think I will use that one myself.
Loving it!
ReplyDeleteInspiring Stuff - So Inspired By Your Post, I Printed It Out And Stuck It To My Wall, My Fridge & My Mirror. Soooooooooooo True - Thanks For Reminding Me Of The Difference Between "Gunna and Gone" :-)
ReplyDeletehehehee...I got that saying engraved on my husband's Ipod shuffle when I bought it for him last year. He drives me nuts when I ask him to do something and he says "I'll try..." - am always saying, don't try it - do it. Couldn't believe it when I found that quote - Yoda is his hero (he is a total SW nut).
ReplyDeleteAnother quote that I like, which I got on a magnet for the fridge for him, is "Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of the people who are doing it".
Best of luck with 'doing' instead of just 'trying' :)
Ahhh Yoda.. he's so wise! You're spot on though. I have SO many excuses in my arsenol. I am doing to DO this week, not TRY! NO excuses will be acceptable!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the motivation
Em :)
You go girl! Love your committment! Another wise thing i've heard quoted recently - make things non-negotiable - you have to go to work, so to you have to exercise. I've been so slack at reading blogs of late but am looking forward to getting back into better habits - you've always given me inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI've always loved that Yodaism too!!! Guess that makes me a geek! Good advice!
ReplyDelete