The Fallacy of Trying
We’ve all fallen prey to this fallacy. The fallacy of trying is simply the false notion that we need to attempt something instead of actually doing it. Haven’t you been in places or had times when people encouraged you to just ‘try’ something? A teacher tells a student, ”This is the finals; just try it”. A manager tells an employee, “This is an easy project; just try it”. A waitress tells a guest at a restaurant, “This is a delicious meal; just try it”. A coach tells a player, “That’s a great concept; try it during the game”. And so on.
The idea of just trying something is perhaps responsible for many of the failures of life. There is no such thing as ‘trying’. It’s either do it or don’t. If you approach a situation, task or activity with the intention on ‘just trying’ it, you are setting up yourself for failure. You have to go in with the mentality that you will do it. What kind of organization would Nike be if their mission was “Just try it”, instead of “Just do it”? ‘Just do it’ is more than an advertising slogan. It’s the secret to Nike and many leading organization’s success. ‘Just do it’ has become the most widely recognized motto all over the world. It has inspired many individuals to pursue greatness and success.
Are you approaching life with a ‘doing’ mentality or a ‘trying’ mentality? In a world that values productivity more than activity, we must embrace the idea of doing it rather than just trying it. Don’t fall prey to the fallacy of trying. Be a doer. In the world famous words of Nike, ‘Just do it!’.
