I recently moved to a new state and made the switch from working at the office to working from home. While unpacking I came across a rolled up poster from my childhood. Turns out it was a movie poster for The Empire Strikes Back. Yes, I am a Star Wars fan boy. Still have my action figures, ships, etc. I decided to hang the poster over my desk in the new home office.
The poster shows Luke looking off into the distance, maybe towards a better future? Maybe towards his destiny? Who knows? He was chastised by Yoda for always looking for adventure instead of keeping his mind on the present. Yoda had a good point. Luke did spend a fair amount of time fantasizing about his future rather than focusing on the task at hand. But, I would contend that he was just forward thinking. He was looking for a better life, a life where he could make a difference.
Now I know Luke was whiny and annoying (although this improved somewhat as the trilogy unfolded) while Han was the suave, no-nonsense rebel. Han was the epitome of WIIFM (what’s in it for me) thinking. I loved Han too. He was Indiana Jones in a galaxy far far away. But, to this day, I still identify more with Luke. Han was the cynical rogue who had been around the block a few times and Luke was another example of Joseph Campbell’s hero embarking on a journey.
These are the things I admire in Luke.
- He was an active, engaged learner.
- He was a completely altruistic helper.
- He was a visionary who saw the big picture.
- He was a trustworthy friend.
- He was a dreamer.
And of course, he had Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda in his PLN. Corny? Yes. Idealistic? Probably. But I don’t mind. I’ll always be a Luke.
So, are you a Luke or a Han? Or maybe you’re a combo of both? Perhaps a Leia?