You know the movies.  The ones that make your heart grow ten times bigger, or the ones that give you the strength of ten warriors on your side.

These are the movies that inspire us.

They make the blood rush through our veins.  They make our soul sing.  They make us want to get up and give our best … until there’s nothing more to give … and then give some more.  They move us.

They make us laugh, they make us cry, they make us think.  But mostly, they remind us why we are alive and what’s worth living for.  They remind us that every day, is another day, to get up, venture into the world, and make a difference.  Our difference.  Whether that difference is to conquer a personal demon, or to make a difference in somebody’s life, or to make the world a better place.  It’s our story that we write each day.

Everybody, every day, has their own adventures, and their own unfolding story, but we’re all in this together.  And that’s why we identify with the movies that inspire us — to make the most of what we’ve got … to live more, learn more, laugh more, and love more … and, above all, to keep our spirit strong, and to go the distance.

Here are 25 motivational movies that inspire us to go the distance, and make the most of the journey of life along the way …

1. 300

No retreat, no surrender.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Children, gather round! No retreat, no surrender; that is Spartan law. And by Spartan law we will stand and fight… and die. A new age has begun. An age of freedom, and all will know, that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it!” – King Leonidas (Gerard Butler)

2. Braveheart

If it’s worth it, fight for it.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live… at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take… OUR FREEDOM!” – William Wallace

Watch ta clip – Braveheart in Defiance of the English Tyranny

3. Coach Carter

The power to shine is in every one of us.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez)

4. Dead Poet Society

Carpe Diem — seize the day!

Inspirational movie quote:

“They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they’re destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? – - Carpe – - hear it? – - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” – John Keating

Watch a clip – Dead Poet’s Society – Carpe Diem

5. Don Juan DeMarco

Love conquers all.

Inspirational movie quote:

"There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same – only love." — Don Juan DeMarco (Johnny Depp)

6. Freedom Writers

No excuses!

Inspirational movie quote:

“I don’t want excuses. I know what you’re up against. We’re all of us up against something. So you better make up your mind, because until you have the balls to look me straight in the eye and tell me this is all you deserve, I am not letting you fail. Even if that means coming to your house every night until you finish the work. I see who you are. Do you understand me? I can see you. And you are not failing.” – Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank)

7. Good Will Hunting

Love something more than yourself.

Inspirational movie quote:

“They don’t know about real loss, because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself.” – Sean (Robin Williams)

Watch a clip – Good Will Hunting – They don’t know about real loss.

8. Hitch

Find the things that take your breath away.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away.” – Hitch (Will Smith)

9. Into the Wild

Find the beauty in all things.

Inspirational movie quote:

“I will miss you too, but you are wrong if you think that the joy of life comes principally from the joy of human relationships. God’s place is all around us, it is in everything and in anything we can experience. People just need to change the way they look at things.” – Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch)

10. Lord of the Rings

Step up to the plate and write your story forward.

Inspirational movie quote:

“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.” — Gandalf (Ian McKellen)

11. Marley and Me

Do you make people feel rare, pure, and extraordinary?

Inspirational movie quote:

"It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. Sometimes it takes a dog with bad breath, worse manners, and pure intentions to help us see. Ask yourself, how many people in the world can truly make you feel rare, pure, and extraordinary?" –John Grogan (Owen Wilson)

12. Million Dollar Baby

Be relentless.

Inspirational movie quote:

“To make a fighter you gotta strip them down to bare wood: you can’t just tell ‘em to forget everything you know if you gotta make ‘em forget even their bones… make ‘em so tired they only listen to you, only hear your voice, only do what you say and nothing else… show ‘em how to keep their balance and take it away from the other guy… how to generate momentum off their right toe and how to flex your knees when you fire a jab… how to fight backin’ up so that the other guy doesn’t want to come after you. Then you gotta show ‘em all over again. Over and over and over… till they think they’re born that way.” – Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman)

13. Mulan

Be YOUR best, despite the odds.

Inspirational movie quote:

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." — The Emperor (Pat Morita)

14. Peaceful Warrior

Love what you do.

Inspirational movie quote:

“The warrior does not give up what he loves, Dan. He finds the love in what he does.” – Socrates (Nick Nolte)

“The accident is your training. Life is choice. You can choose to be a victim or anything else you’d like to be.” — Socrates (Nick Nolte)

Watch a clip – Peaceful Warrior – The warrior does not give up.

15. Rocky

Go the distance!

Inspirational movie quote:

“Ah come on, Adrian, it’s true. I was nobody. But that don’t matter either, you know? ‘Cause I was thinkin’, it really don’t matter if I lose this fight. It really don’t matter if this guy opens my head, either. ‘Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody’s ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I’m still standin’, I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren’t just another bum from the neighborhood.” – Rocky (Sylvester Stallone)

Watch the clip – Rocky – Training and going the distance.

16. Rocky Balboa (Rocky 6)

Keep bouncing back, keep moving forward.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning’s done.” – Rock Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)

Watch the scene – Rocky Balboa – It Ain’t About How Hard You Hit.

17. Rudy

Every underdog has his day. Prove it to yourself, nobody else.

Inspirational movie quote:

“In this life time, you don’t have to prove nothing to nobody, except yourself. And after what you’ve gone through, if you haven’t done that by now, it ain’t gonna never happen.” – Fortune (Charles S. Dutton)

Watch the Clip – Rudy – Rudy and the Janitor.

Watch the Clip – Rudy – Rudy succeeds with sack.

18. Runaway Bride

It’s not gonna be easy, but it’s gonna be worth it.

Inspirational movie quote:

"Look, I guarantee there’ll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you’re the only one for me. " — Ike Graham (Richard Gere)

19. Stand and Deliver

Want it and work for it.

Inspirational movie quote:

“There will be no free rides, no excuses. You already have two strikes against you: your name and your complexion. Because of these two strikes, there are some people in this world who will assume that you know less than you do. Math is the great equalizer… When you go for a job, the person giving you that job will not want to hear your problems; ergo, neither do I. You’re going to work harder here than you’ve ever worked anywhere else. And the only thing I ask from you is ganas. ‘Desire’.” — Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos)

20. The Bucket List

Find the joy and make it contagious.

Inspirational movie quote:

“You know, the ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls got to the entrance to heaven, the guards asked two questions. Their answers determined whether they were able to enter or not. ‘Have you found joy in your life?’ ‘Has your life brought joy to others?’” — Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman)

Watch the clip – The Bucket List – Two Questions.

21. The Empire Strikes Back

Just do it.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’.” — Yoda

22. The Mighty Ducks

Stick together, win together.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Neither do hockey players. Have you guys ever seen a flock of ducks flying in perfect formation? It’s beautiful. Pretty awesome the way they all stick together. Ducks never say die. Ever seen a duck fight? No way. Why? Because the other animals are afraid. They know that if they mess with one duck, they gotta deal with the whole flock. I’m proud to be a Duck, and I’d be proud to fly with any one of you. So how about it? Who’s a Duck?” – Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez)

Watch the clip – Ducks fly Together.

23. The Notebook

Awaken your soul and reach for more.

Inspirational movie quote:

“My Dearest Allie. I couldn’t sleep last night because I know that it’s over between us. I’m not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I’ll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I’ll be seeing you.” — Young Noah (Ryan Gosling)

24. The Pursuit of Happyness

Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right? … You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period." – Christopher Gardner (Will Smith)

Watch the clip – The Pursuit of Happyness – You want something.  Go get it.  Period.

25. Vision Quest

It’s the moments that matter.

Inspirational movie quote:

“I was in the room here one day… watchin’ the Mexican channel on TV. I don’t know nothin’ about Pele. I’m watchin’ what this guy can do with a ball and his feet. Next thing I know, he jumps in the air and flips into a somersault and kicks the ball in – upside down and backwards… the goddamn goalie never knew what the fuck hit him. Pele gets excited and he rips off his jersey and starts running around the stadium waving it around his head. Everybody’s screaming in Spanish. I’m here, sitting alone in my room, and I start crying … That’s right, I start crying. Because another human being, a species that I happen to belong to, could kick a ball, and lift himself, and the rest of us sad-assed human beings, up to a better place to be, if only for a minute… let me tell ya, kid – it was pretty goddamned glorious. It ain’t the six minutes… it’s what happens in that six minutes.” – Elmo (J.C. Quinn)

What are the movies you draw from for insight and inspiration when you need it most?

My Related Posts

• Inspirational Quotes
• Sites I Follow for Insight and Inspiration
• Passion Does Not Exist in the Job, It Exists in Us

I got a chance to see The Green Lantern this weekend.  I liked it way more than I thought I would.  I wasn’t really a Green Lantern fan, but after this, I have a change of heart.

Fear and will played a central role throughout the movie.  The interplay of these twin powers gave me  a new perspective and  a new respect for both.

The real power of the Green Lantern is his ability to “will” his way forward, focus on a solution, and find the courage to act in the face of fear.  As a result, he can overcome any limits imposed by himself or others.  As you might expect, self-imposed limits are the toughest kind.

3 Take Aways from the Green Lantern
Here are my three main take aways:

1. Fear is the enemy of will.  This was a beautiful line in the movie, and so true: “Fear is the enemy of will.  Will is what makes you take action.”   Along these lines, another powerful message in the movie was that just because we are human, vulnerable, and afraid, it does not mean we are weak.
2. It starts with what you see in your mind.  Chalk one up to the power of focus.  In the movie, The Green Lantern says, “Anything I can see in my mind, I can create.  I just have to focus.”
3. You can beat the fear. Don’t feed the fear.  If you feed the fear, it gets stronger.  Courage is the way you beat your fear.  You can become courageous.  You flex your courage when you take action in the face of fear.

A key message throughout the movie was this: Don’t let other people tell you what you’re capable of.  At the same time, sometimes other people see the things in you that you don’t see yourself.  At the end of the day, what really matters is what you believe.

Photo by Big C Harvey.

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean

I watched the movie Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (IMDB)  last weekend.  I’m not sure how to summarize the story, so if you want the plot, I think Wikipedia’s coverage of Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole is a good source.  I just liked the fact it was IMAX 3D.  No matter how many 3D movies I see, I always enjoy when things pop out from the screen (and, yeah, every now and then I do reach out just to see if I can catch something … but if I ever did that would freak me out.)

Anyway, one of my favorite habits to make the most of any movie or any book is to find three take aways.  Here are my three take aways from the Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole:

1. This is no time for half-measures.  I like this and it reminds me of the adage, “A stitch in time saves nine.”  I’ve often found that some problems get out of control if you don’t overwhelm them.  I’m a fan of overwhelming my problems up front … basically, nipping them in the bud.
2. Make strong the weak.   I like this a lot.  You can depend on a few heroes or you can raise the bar for everyone.  While not everybody will rise to the same caliber, there’s a lot to be said for equipping people with the skills to grow themselves and very often, people will surprise you, if you give them a chance.  The key is to know whether it’s a motivation issues or a skills issue.  If it’s a skills issue, then the key is to know whether it’s the teacher, the student, the feedback, or the approach.  I’ve seen “lost causes” accelerate in the right situation or the right approach or the right mentor … and sometimes it’s just back to the old adage, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
3. Do your dreams make you strong? Tell me that is not just a flat out great way to remind yourself that if your dreams aren’t lifting you up and getting your groove on, then you have to find better dreams.   There is plenty of inspiration around the world.  You just have to find what works for you.  And that is actually the key.  It’s not about just following other people’s dreams.  It’s finding a compelling vision that lights your fire and breathes life into your day.

One way to find a dream to make you strong is to help somebody you know reach their dreams.  What goes around comes around.

Photo by SWolfeNI8W.

My Related Posts

• 3 Take Aways from the Karate Kid
• 3 Take Aways from Robin Hood
• 3 Take Aways from Shrek Forever

I saw The Karate Kid (2010) this past weekend.  It’s not Daniel-san or Mr. Miyagi or the Crane technique, like the original The Karate Kid.  Instead, it takes place in China, it’s got Jackie Chan, and they do Kung Fu.  In fact, I wish the title was The Kung Fu Kid.

It’s got some amazing scenery of the mountains and the city, and some incredible fight scenes.  But it’s not all eye-candy.  It’s got story too.  It’s the story of a "boy meets bully."  Dre, the new kid in town, becomes the target of a bully.  It’s also the story of a "boy meets girl."  Dre’s love interest is Mei.  It’s also the story of a "boy meets teacher."  Dre gets schooled in the ways of Kung Fu by Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a humble maintenance guy, who becomes his teacher, friend, and father figure.

Here are my three take aways from The Karate Kid

1. A true friend is somebody who makes your life better.   This was one of my favorite lines from the movie.  It’s so simple, but so true.
2. Sometimes you have to earn your respect.   There are many times in life when you have to prove yourself – either to yourself or other people.  I find this pattern is especially true when you’re changing places or changing jobs.  Sometimes it means finding your fit.  Sometimes you are a fish out of water.  Other times, it’s a real growth opportunity.  My greatest growth came from my greatest challenges.
3. Life will knock you down.  You can choose whether to get back up.  This was another one of my favorite lines from the movie.  Life is unpredictable.   You’ll face setbacks.  Things don’t always go as planned.  Sometimes life can really seem unfair.  At the end of the day, it’s not what happens to you, but how you respond.   One of the most important things you can do when you get knocked down, is get up again.  This is how you build your resiliency for whatever life may throw your way.  And, as my Mom always told me, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

I liked this movie on multiple levels.  It was already a classic story, but I was surprised how well this movie was done.  From the actors, to the scenes, to the story lines – it’s solid.

Photo by Marvin Kuo.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” — Maria Robinson

He’s big.  He’s green.  He tries to do the right thing.  His name is Shrek.

I finally got to see Shrek Forever After. It reminded me a bit of It’s a Wonderful Life with a twist.  Shrek is tired of the routine and wants a change of pace.  He wants just one day to be an ogre again.  He makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin to trade a day from his past, for one day to romp and play without his everyday responsibilities.  The problem is Rumplestilskin is a shady guy with some hidden agendas.

Why is it that striking a deal with shady characters never works out how we planned?

Here are my three take ways from Shrek Forever After:

1. You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.  It really can be hard to know the value of what’s right in front of you until it’s not there anymore.  You might even be surprised by what you miss.  Shrek had it all and didn’t appreciate it enough until it was gone.  Another way to look at it is, things can always be worse.  Maybe if Shrek practiced some more attitude of gratitude he could have coped better with his day to day frustration?  After all, he was living a fairy tale.
2. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Poor Shrek. I learned this lesson too after falling for too many scams.  Now, I know how to check my gut, check the fine print, and when in doubt, I get another pair of eyes on it.  When you know the right questions to ask or the evidence to look for, you can almost always find the scam.
3. True love isn’t always love at first sight.  Sometimes you have to get to know someone, to love someone.  It was nice to see a fairy tale show another path to the heart.

We all have those days where the grass looks greener somewhere else.  I think those are the day we really have to look at what we have right in front of us.

My Related Posts

• 3 Take Aways from Robin Hood
• What 16 Movies Can Teach Us About Life and Leadership
• Lessons Learned from Peaceful Warrior

Photo by Happy Batatinha.

“Calm and careful, make it count.” — Robin Hood (Russel Crowe)

I watched the movie Robin Hood last week.  There’s nothing like watching the birth of a legendary archer to get me reflecting on my old archery skills.  Robin Hood and his band of merry men always entertain me.

When I was a kid I thought it was actually “Robbing” Hood because he was known for robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.  There’s more to the story though than just a bandit with a big heart.  It’s a story of adventure, daring, and courage.  It’s the story of a highly skilled archer who rises from commoner to hero.  In the movie, as the story goes, Robin Longstride (Robin Hood) promises a dying knight that he’ll return his sword to his father, Walter in Nottingham.  When Robin returns the sword, Walter convinces him to impersonate his dead son, to protect their land from confiscation.  Robin ends up quite the rebel rouser and proves himself a highly capable leader, even beyond his band of merry men, when he inspires everybody to fight for their home and land and protect from the French invasion.

Here are my three take aways:

1. Never give up.  On the hilt of a sword are the following words: “Rise, and rise again. Until lambs become lions.”    Simply put, when you get knocked down, get up again.  And again.  You’ll grow stronger in the process.
2. You can change your lot in life.  You can rise above your station.  Just because you aren’t born to land or position, doesn’t mean you can’t become the person who can have those.  You don’t have to be a natural born leader — you can become one.
3. Shared values bring people together.  Whether it’s a common threat or a common goal, it creates a common bond.  In this case, there was a common threat, both the invasion and the evil doers leading up to it.  Robin had “right” on his side, and he created a common goal around defending their land.

If I were to add another take away, I would say it pays to be skilled.  Shooting arrows with precision through obstacles and over a distance, makes for some memorable movie scenes.

Photo by Will Hale.