5 Self Improvement Lessons From a Galaxy Far Far Away

Outing Myself as a Huge Nerd

I consider myself to be a Star Wars fan.

Well, maybe not the recent woke crap they came out with…

But I enjoy a lot of the movies (and should probably watch them again soon).

So today, let’s do something fun and dive into the world of Star Wars. In this newsletter we’re going to look at 5 Star Wars characters and the lessons you can learn from them.

Let’s get into warp speed and go for it!

Yoda

Start with him, we shall.

The temptation to be like others is huge. I know we can see certain traits and achievements and think “I want that too”. This is often mixed with insecurities about ourselves. You might feel like you’re not good enough, that you’re weird or that you’re not going to fit in.

But here’s what you can learn from Yoda:

Looking at Yoda’s character, he stands out a lot.

What I’m talking about, you know.

In a way, Yoda is the odd one out because of this. You could say this makes Yoda “weird”, and maybe it does. But it also makes him memorable. It’s his quirkiness that adds to his character and it’s one of the main reasons he’s loved by a lot of fans.

Never be afraid to be authentically you!

We all have two faces.

We have the mask that we put on for other people to see. Underneath that, there is the “true” self. This consists of the things you might dislike about yourself. The parts that you think are not “cool”. Your quirky side. The hobby you don’t want most people to find out about. The list of these things can go on and on.

Don’t be afraid to let those parts of yourself shine!

For me, making lame jokes is one of them. (And then laughing the hardest at them)

The amount of times that I’ve made a joke so terrible that it physically hurts the people around me is astounding. However, they usually get a good reception, because it’s letting the authentic me shine.

Sidenote: 

When it comes to humor, it’s all about amusing yourself. I laugh at my jokes because I find them funny, and if someone else does as well, that’s just a bonus. When you think of something you find hilarious, say it! And say it like you truly believe it’s the funniest thing in the world. Your energy is what creates the positive reaction.

But, back on topic:

Be yourself, and find others like yourself!

No matter what your quirky side is, I can guarantee you that many people will vibe with that! So rather than betraying yourself by pretending to be someone else, find them!

Wearing a mask all the time gets heavy real fast…

Find those around whom you don’t have to wear one!

Luke Skywalker

Just like the heroes in most stories, Luke perfectly exemplifies personal growth.

With Luke, I could highlight qualities like loyalty to his friends, learning from mistakes, bravery in the face of uncertainty, rigorous training, looking for mentors and so on. All of these qualities are extremely important for success.

But instead, I would like to highlight what we call The Hero’s Journey.

Imagine a movie where there was no conflict at all. The entire galaxy was peaceful, no fights, no struggle for any of the characters, nothing they try fails and they’re just relaxing most of the time…

That movie would suck balls!

There would be no character development, no glory, no interest, no emotion.

It wouldn’t really be a movie at all…

Here’s how this applies to you:

You might think right now that you would like a life without problems. But, not only will that never happen, you’d be bored out of your mind if it did! The truth about life is that we all NEED the struggle and the problems along the way.

They help us grow.

The lows help us appreciate the highs.

We get our greatest feelings of satisfaction from the journey of overcoming problems. Because of this, we have something to be proud of. Growth feels good. Stagnation and rewards you haven’t worked for feel terrible by comparison…

Here’s a reframe you can use:

Whatever problem you’re facing right now, imagine that you were the hero of a movie. How will you get through this 10 times stronger? What actions will guarantee a happy ending? How amazing will you feel when you make your comeback?

Don’t get stuck worrying about problems, look for solutions instead!

Darth Vader

Possibly the best life lesson from Darth Vader:

With all seriousness, there are two main things I’d like you to take away from Vader:

The first lesson here is that our choices have consequences. Accepting that is the first step towards improvement. Harsh truth: You are EXACTLY where you deserve to be in life! It’s all based on the choices you’ve made and actions you’ve taken in the past.

Don’t like where you’re currently at in life?

The second lesson from Darth Vader is all about redemption.

Even though he has committed terrible crimes and grueling deeds, at the end he does come to the light side to bring down the empire. This does not make his past actions any better. It certainly won’t turn back time either. And it won’t bring back those who were lost in the process.

But it shows that anyone can make a change at any point!

The downside of one-sided writing like this is that I don’t know who you are or what you have done in your past. What I CAN tell you is that you can decide TODAY that you’re going to change.

You can flip the switch!

You can say “I will make that switch! That’s it, period!”.

And when you match your actions to your words, you can completely change your entire life around! Regardless of your past, you can set yourself up for success bigger than you ever dreamed possible in the next 12 - 36 months!

The past does NOT equal your future, unless you keep doing the same things!

Han Solo

You can say a lot about Han, but at least he shoots first.

Did I just turn a meme into a lesson? Yes, I did!

Deal with it!

That said, the principle of “Shooting First” is powerful!

Where many people go wrong is that they are excellent planners, but terrible doers!

Planning is simple.
Planning is risk-free.
Planning is fun (you get to dream)
But execution is difficult.

For that reason, you see people with lots of dreams and goals. You see people that are getting ready to “finally start that business” for years! But they never actually do it…

Or people who want to create a 186-step plan before doing anything.

(Which will likely break down between step 1 and 3 )

Or spending weeks or months researching every small detail before taking action.

You don’t want to do that!

Shoot first, adjust your aim later!

When I say that the 186-step plan will likely break down before step 3, I’m NOT joking. When thinking about the future, we usually see that future through a rosy lens. We tend to envision a perfect future where nothing goes wrong.

In reality however, you’ll find problems at every step along the way!

Achieving greater things is hard!

It’s SUPPOSED to be hard!

It’s that hero’s journey that we talked about.

Think about it like this:

If you have to make a 200-kilometer trip (roughly 1.35 million hamsters, for Americans), would you wait under you were 100% certain that all traffic lights along the way will be green? Would you continue “planning” until you’re guaranteed to not have a single traffic jam, detour or other inconvenience along the way?

Of course not!

You start driving!

And when there’s a roadblock, you find a different road you can take.

Action creates clarity!

When you shoot first (by taking action), you will get feedback. Certain things will go well, while others don’t. By taking action, you discover the roadblocks. You will find the problems. And now you can work on solving those problems to get ahead!

Taking step 1 helps you see step 2 and 3 more clearly!

Start by taking action now and adjust along the way.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

When I think about Obi-Wan, I’m mostly thinking about qualities like self awareness, wisdom and staying calm under pressure. Additionally, he and Yoda showcase the power of having mentors.

The most difficult quest you’ll ever go on is the mastery of yourself.

But it’s also the most important one you MUST win to succeed.

Mastering yourself takes many forms:

• Introspection for more self awareness

• Building discipline and routines

• Learning the power of patience

• Being comfortable with being uncomfortable

• Continuous learning

• Self reflection and seeking feedback

• And there are way more options

And while these are all fantastic principles and ideas, I know that these can also sound vague and impractical. So the exercise section of this newsletter is dedicated to giving you some practical ideas you can put into practice today.

Bonus: Jar Jar Binks

Put simply:

Mesa think this is the perfect example of what perfection looks like!

Alright, that’s more than enough Jar Jar for this year.

Why Change Feels So Overwhelming

Have you ever felt like you’re in a place in life that you hate, but can’t seem to change?

If so, today’s audio lesson is exactly for you!

I’m sharing one of the main reasons why this happens as well as some practical things that you can do to guard against this. Listen here:

More Life Lessons From a Galaxy Far Far Away

Ready to learn more crucial life lessons alongside Luke Skywalker?

In this video I’m sharing 7 personal development lessons you can learn from Luke’s journey. (And yes, these apply to life on earth as well)

Practical Things to Start Mastering Yourself

Self mastery is crucial, but it’s also incredibly broad, a bit vague and overwhelming.

Here are 4 things you can do today to become your best self:

Clarity + Reflection

Before you start your day, ask yourself what your 3 MUST do activities for the day are. Things important to you! Not your boss, nor your friends, family or anyone else. Let those be your guiding light throughout your day.

At the end of your day, reflect back on your actions. Did you do everything that you set out to do? If not, where did you go wrong? What could you have done better today? Are there any important lessons you learned today?

Note: Journalling all of this can be incredibly powerful!

Create a Time Journal

Just for a few days, set alarms at 30 - 60 minute intervals. When it goes off, write down what you have been doing for the last (half) hour.

It is incredibly easy to fool ourselves into thinking we’re doing better than we are. Tracking your time like this can be an eye-opening experience. It will help you find areas to improve on and uncover sneaky bad habits.

Bonsu: Check your screen time on your phone.

Introspection or Meditation

Focus is one of the most important factors for success. This doesn’t just mean spending your time on the right activities, but also avoiding distractions while you’re doing them. If you want to improve your ability to stay focused, meditation is one of the few habits that will improve your ability to do so.

Introspective meditation is a bit different.

Rather than focusing on your breath or a mantra, you’re putting your focus inward. In a session like this, you would listen to your inner thoughts. Maybe you have nagging insecurities that come to the surface. And now you know what to work on. You could also prompt yourself with questions like “What is preventing me from taking action on [goal]?”.

Taking Care of Yourself

The more resources you have, the more you can achieve. It sounds like a no-brainer. But are you getting enough sleep? Are you getting enough sunlight and fresh air? Are you exercising enough? Drinking enough water? Having a nutritious diet?

Take some time to audit this, and start making some (small) changes where needed.

Self improvement doesn’t have to be complicated.

The key ingredient you need for any kind of real growth is (self)reflection and awareness. Without these, there’s no way to consciously improve. Change is automatic, progress requires conscious effort.