3 Things Yoda Taught Me About Life and Business
I’m a big friggin’ Star Wars fan. My mother introduced me to the original trilogy before the age of 10 and ever since I’ve been trying to figure out how to build light sabers, use the Force, and snag my real-life Princess Leia.
I specifically remember rewinding The Empire Strikes Back to hear everything Yoda had to say (yup, on VHS for all you youngsters). Maybe I related to his size (which matters not) or maybe I was hooked on becoming a Jedi myself, but here’s what his wisdom taught me about life and business.
“Wars not make one great.”
Your relationship with the people around you, in any capacity, is one of the most important parts of your life. You know what the best part about your relationships is? You can control it. Whether you’re in a relationship, or you’re closing a sale, remember that your objectives are probably the same — to mutually benefit both parties, and leave the table better than when you sat at it.
I’m not here to say that you shouldn’t stand up for what you believe is true, but what I am saying is it’s alright to agree to disagree. Swallow your pride. Say I’m sorry. Say I love you. Understand a client’s concerns. The moment you really start understanding someone else’s perspective, is the same moment you you will start enjoying the real benefits of any relationship.
Show empathy and compassion in everything you do.
“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
The greatest things I’ve experienced in life happens when I truly decide to take action. This applies to almost everything. We’ve all done said we’ll ‘try’ on small levels and say something like ‘I’m going to try and lose weight’ or ‘I’m going to try and make it’. On a macro-level, ‘trying’ can be detrimental to our overall success.
The fact of the matter is, you either are or you aren’t. Making the decision to do something is only real if you take a step toward accomplishing it. At that point, you’re doing it.
Anyone can wish and anyone can hope but action is what sets us apart.
“(Disbelief) is why you fail.”
I’m a huge believer in belief (lolz). I’m a huge believer in ‘you get what you focus on’.
Think about it for a moment.
In anything, the moment you started to doubt yourself, whether in business, in relationships, or even sports is the moment you started failing.
Believing in yourself or believing in your outcomes opens up your mind to new strategies to accomplishing whatever you’ve set out to do. The idea is trite but I promise you this is definitely true.
The next time you set out to do something, focus on the every quality you have that will help you achieve it, rather than the excuses why you can’t.