3 Movies That Make Me Work Harder

I admit it: Sometimes I find motivation in the strangest places. And because I like to watch movies, I find myself applying the messages found in them to my entrepreneurial journey. Here are three of my favorites:

8 Mile: In the Eminem movie's final scene, Jimmy wins his musical battle -- yet instead of going to celebrate with his friends, he goes back to work to relieve the guy covering his shift at the local factory. That dedication is inspiring. I know I will have many small victories -- but often I just need to celebrate with a quick “Yes!” before heading back to work again.

Freedom Writers: Not surprisingly, another movie that gets me fired up features a teacher faced with the overwhelming challenge of teaching inner-city youth. She modifies her style, approach and lesson content to help her students get closer to graduation. It’s obvious that it’s not easy for either the teacher or students, but they all persevere, knowing what opportunities could lie ahead of them if they dedicate themselves.

Pursuit of Happyness: This movie has one line in particular that stirs me up. The lead character, Chris Gardner, talks about pursuing dreams: “You got a dream ... You've got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you [that] you can’t do it. If you want something, go get it.”

Many people have told me my education niche wouldn’t work, or that the failure rate of businesses puts the odds against me. On a bad day, I start to believe what I’m told, but then I put on one of these movies, and I know that I have to keep going.

Do you have a movie or song that pushes you forward? Share it in the comments below.

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