That statuesque golden boy has been wooing audiences since 1929. He only goes home with the best. His nod of approval is not only coveted, it’s celebrated with sparkling dresses and terse tuxes.
But the Oscar winners have more to share than entertainment or even a night of watching the red carpet. To me, the Oscars are a wealth of life lessons ripe for the plucking. Though most of these movies might not be right to share with your wee ones just yet, they’re always a great reminder about what’s important in life…and those lessons we can definitely pass on.
1. Silver Linings Playbook
Eight Nominations in 2013
Tiffany had a dream – to win the dance competition. She knew she couldn’t do it alone. So she made a deal with Pat to be her partner and offered a “Win-win” solution. Finally – they set a goal: Get a 5 rating and help Pat’s Dad win back the money he lost gambling on football.
Then they did what all successful people will do: they rolled up their sleeves and went to work, practising every day. And it worked.
2. Lincoln
Twelve nominations in 2013
The lessons from our 16th President are plentiful. This movie reminds us of them. Stick to your principles with unwavering belief and fight for them. Along the way, build consensus for your vision and work with others to achieve that consensus. That is a big part of being successful in any venture you undertake in life and in business.
3. Argo
Seven nominations in 2013
Have you ever had an idea that seemed so impossible to achieve, where the stakes are high but the payoff enormous? That is “Argo”. The plot to free six American Diplomats from Iran seemed so far-fetched you have to believe it is true. Tony Mendez’s plan to shoot a “fake movie” seemed preposterous and a little crazy. But it worked. So don’t let an “impossible dream” stop you from trying.
4. Jerry Maguire
Five nominations, one win in 1997.
We’ve all heard the phrase “I had a Jerry Maguire moment”. Jerry’s life altering decision to chuck it all and start his own company made his name in the business language lexicon. The “Jerry Maguire Moment” is the instant when you stop following your bank account and start following your heart.
Make the decision to choose integrity like Jerry, and then, should the opportunity arise, go change the world starting with your own.
5. Working Girl
Six Nominations, one win in 1989.
Tess McGill had big hair and big dreams. The hair got shorter. The dreams only grew. How? She had a very chic, very streamlined idea: Dress the part you want, act the part you want – not the part you have. Then go after it. Spoiler alert: It works!
6. The King’s Speech
12 Nominations, four wins in 2011.
He stammered and stuttered. For King George VI, known by his family as “Berty”, this was an almost paralyzing obstacle when one of his main duties as King was to speak for his people. The one thing he had to accomplish he believed was impossible. Lionel Logue, however, showed Berty that his limitations were only perceived.
We all face impossible tasks in our business – reaching a certain income, increasing our production, streamlining our processes, being that success we all dream about.
Berty showed us something monumental, that the impossible rarely is impossible. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No.
7. Moneyball
Six nominations in 2012.
The Oakland A’s didn’t stand a chance. Too poor. Too underrated. Too…other bad things. So General Manager Billy Beane, with the assistance of computer analyst Peter Brand, rewrote the playbook. If they stood no chance of winning playing by the accepted formula, then they had to rewrite the formula. It meant looking at the problem from a different angle and being creative with their resources. No more following the beaten path. They beat out a path for themselves. And the result…speaks for itself.
8. The Help
Four nominations, one win in 2012.
They cooked and cleaned and raised children. Thankless jobs. And yet maids Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson gave it everything they had. The children loved them, the homes were spotless, and the fried chicken was never burned.
What you are doing matters less than how you do it. You may not yet be living your dream. But wherever you are, whatever you are doing, give it everything you’ve got. It’s not only the recipe for happiness, it’s the path to success.
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