Try not, or maybe...

I've often heard people quote Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V of Star Wars), when he says, "Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."

One of the thoughts that occurred to me on this morning's run is that there are two meanings of the word try.

Yoda says the above when Luke Skywalker says, "All right, I'll give it a try."

In this context, Luke is expressing doubt, and an associated lack of commitment, in what he has agreed that he will do. 

People often say "I'll try" when they actually mean that they won't, and even if they do actually, try, the best it will be is half-hearted, which in turn will almost guarantee failure. 

I think this meaning is the one Yoda was talking about, and in this case I agree with him.

But there is also another meaning of try.

I'm a fan of Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote, "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." From this standpoint, everything we do is an experiment.

Experiments are all about trying something, failing, adapting the approach and trying again, in a continuous cycle until you succeed.

It's about taking action without waiting until you're certain that it's definitely the right action. It's about keeping putting one foot in front of the other and maintaing momentum rather than grinding to halt until you're absolutely certain.

This is the second meaning of try, and in this context I believe that trying is a good thing.