3 Things Yoda Has Taught Me About Business

Saturday morning movies are becoming a ‘thing’ in the Lee household…Mom catches some zzz’s while Dad and Baby post up on the couch downstairs. Naturally I want to start Sawyer off on the right foot so we’ve started chugging through the Star Wars movies

At the weeeee hours of the morning what else is there to do but throw in your favorite inter-galactic war movie and start getting over-analytical about iconic movie quotes?

Maybe Sawyer will grow up to be a Jedi Master?! I can only hope…

1) “You must unlearn what you have learned.”

This one was a no-brainer for me to include on the list. When I first started taking over more managerial responsibilities at the facility I kept doing the tasks and kept the same attitude that lead me to the promotion.

I never unlearned what I had learned.

Simply stated - what got you somewhere might not take you to where you want to go next.

I needed to evolve, find new resources, new role models, read new books, put myself in new situations that challenged my comfort level and expanded my threshold for business and the responsibilities I was taking on as well as prepare me for the next wave to come.

Takeaway: Your current level of knowledge is the base of your pyramid. Keep acquiring so your foundation can grow. Your ability to apply your knowledge will allow your pyramid to grow higher and higher.

2) “[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you fail.”

Self doubt. That is what Yoda taught me in this interaction with his young Padawon. In business the second you start to have negative thoughts, of any kind, you start to position yourself to lose.

There will be lows, but rather than start to doubt your ability, your effort, etc. start to think about learning points or lessons you can apply to the future. I have made a considerable number of mistakes over the last half decade. Each one has taught me a valuable lesson or made me appreciate the complexity of business strategy.

Takeaway- don’t let a mistake turn in to a pitfall. Mistakes are our best teacher. Come to terms that you can not have linear growth/success in business, but rather know that the obstacles you face will turn in to your own mini(er)-Yoda along your journey.

3) “Do or do not. There is no try.”

Did you really think I would write a Yoda article and not have this quote included?

I remember my first ever training week at Parisi Franchise Headquarters and Bill Parisi saying “are you into it or are you IN TO it?” I feel like this quote is the one in the same. Like most things if you’re into it on the surface you’ll probably fall on your face. When you’re in to it you’re invested, you’re motivated, and you no longer try, you just do.

Takeaway: Ask yourself are you into it? Do you just like the surface level qualities your job/position/lifestyle provides? Or are you in to what it takes to be successful?

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