There is No Try

I listen to the Rich Eisen Show, via podcast, from time to time. Last week David Feherty called into the show and Rich asked him “what happened to Tiger?” His response is worth a listen, available here.

Feherty’s answer sounded like Yoda (except with Feherty’s cool Irish accent); essentially he said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Feherty wondered if Tiger’s anxiety had become too precious to him… that these day’s he is trying to make good golf shots. In the days when Tiger Woods was winning the US Open by 15 shots, he just did it.

That really resonates with me. There have been seasons and roles in my life when I have had a do approach; and other seasons and roles when I have had a try approach. Without question, the most fulfilling and successful results have come when I have been more of a doer than a trier.

So I am taking inventory, separating various roles, responsibilities, and activities into the try category or the do category. For those in the try category, I’m wondering if I can just stop. If I can’t, then I am working to move those from the try category to the do category. That may mean reframing the work, or resetting expectations. It could mean shuffling roles and responsibilities with others (delegating and such). And it likely includes learning new skills and building new systems and approaches. 

Knowing that I am far more productive with a do approach than a try approach, I’m intent on not wasting my efforts on try; I’m going to do.