Dedication to a cause and it’s associated goals implies commitment.    A clear sign of commitment is agreement to complete an action by a specified date.

Do or do not!

Maybe, if, and I will try are indicative of a lack of commitment.  Although agreement to make an attempt (try) is viewed as a commitment by some I am much more conservative.

Yoda, a seminal character in the Star Wars franchise captured my own perspective on this topic perfectly when he said “do or do not, there is no try”.  My view of this is, the doing of something does not preclude failure,  but psychologically this is very different from just trying.

Doing does not equate to trying for me, but rather it is indicative of full unbiased  commitment.  That is, doing it, whether you succeed or fail represents whole hearted committment while trying indicates a recognition you might fail before even doing it.

In this case the committment is only half hearted.

Why Commit?

The power of full commitment lies in the probability of success.  Back to Star Wars, Luke Skywalker, a young Jedi master is seeking to move a large object with the force. He is unable to do so after trying again and again.  Yoda advises him to do or do not, there is no try.  Following this advise he succeeds.

I put this story  down a an illustration that the reduction of the risk of failure, when failure is not accepted as a possibility before you have even started can lead to success.

So the next time you are challenged to do somethings, accept it with a time to complete by or do accept it (fully).  Remember, there is no value in trying, if you are no going to do it, just say so up front.