auxiliary verb: used with another verb to form questions and negative sentences, sometimes used in affirmative sentences for reasons of style; used instead of the main verb in questions added to the end of a sentence to check information or express surprise; used to avoid repetition; used to give extra force to the main verb; verb: to perform, take part in or achieve something; to act or take action; to deal with or be responsible for something; to be acceptable, suitable or enough; noun: a party or other social event
Prefer listening to reading? Just click below.
When considering the word “do”, the first thing that springs to my mind is a certain 900-year-old green alien saying “Do or do not. There is no try.” Whether or not you’re a fan of Star Wars, the wisdom in those words is far greater than I initially imagined…
Do. Or do not. We always have that choice – without other alternatives – every second of every day. Saying “I’ll do it later” is still not doing it. Later may never come. You haven’t done it until you do it. Then it’s done. This applies to everything, whether it’s a chore, a bore, a joy, an honour, a privilege or a pleasure. Paying a bill, going on holiday, cooking a meal or becoming a jedi: every task and every choice can be done. Or not. “There is no try”, because by the time you’re done trying, it’s either done or it isn’t. “Try” is not a resolution, it’s merely something that can precede a resolution, an extra step before we do or don’t do something. “Do or do not”. Simple. But does whether or not we choose to do anything even matter?
On a cosmic scale, I’m inclined to say no, not really. Whatever we do or don’t do, we live, we die, the world keeps turning (until it doesn’t), the universe continues to expand into infinity, and that’s about as far as our puny minds have got. And make no mistake: we are puny. So it doesn’t matter… or does it?
The thing is, we’re not cosmic. We’re puny. Disney has taught us: a little rain can have huge consequences for an ant colony. We are puny, and our concerns are relative to our circumstances. If we allow our (relative) awareness of our place in the universe to devalue our hopes, dreams and actions, then what’s the point in being here? Our concerns may be small, even petty, but they’re ours. That has inherent value, at least in my opinion.
When we do things, they are noticed, and they are remembered. Whether the things we do are good or bad, right or wrong, successful or unsuccessful, we learn from these experiences. They shape our growth and affect how others perceive us, as well as how we see ourselves. Our actions define us, for better or worse. Inaction, while still defining, can only take us in one direction…
If we don’t do anything, we don’t learn. We don’t grow. Yes, obviously we can pick up bits and pieces from other, more adventurous folk, but it can never be the same as experiencing something first hand. We all perceive things differently: the same story or piece of music will hold different emphasis and different meaning for different people. Without the act of doing, we miss out on the opportunity to experience something as a whole, filtered only by the lens of our own perception and not the perception of others. If we don’t achieve this level of understanding, our growth slows to such an extent that we actually regress in relation to those around us.
The definitions of life include the capacity for growth, functional activity and continual change preceding death. So… if we don’t do anything at all, are we even really living? I know that we keep aging physiologically if we do nothing, which could technically be described as all three of the aforementioned points, but I put it to you that physiological aging continues long after death as our bodies rot, so this process alone can’t be an indicator of life. That being said, there are times when choosing not to do something is just as important as doing something, however dangerous inaction may be…
Going back to Star Wars: what if Anakin Skywalker had chosen not to turn to the dark side of the force? No evil Empire, no Rebel Alliance, no three films worth of galactic war, followed by a plethora of prequels, sequels and spin-offs. Peace and harmony abound! I shan’t delve into comparable real-world examples – current or historical – as that could get a little heavy for this time on a Wednesday. What I will say is that there’s a world of difference between doing nothing as a conscious choice and missing an opportunity to do something through delays or fear brought on by over-thinking, and being aware of the difference can be life-changing.
Well, dear reader, I’m sure you’ve plenty of things to be doing without me delaying you any further. For now, I’ll simply wish you all the best in all that you do – or do not – and implore you not to think too much!
If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, leave a comment or support our work, then please, do see below.
+ Click Here to Support Our Words
Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish a new post. No fees. No fuss. No spam.
