Life Lessons

Life Lessons from the movie Forrest Gump: 08 – Life (and It) Happens

The movie Forrest Gump touched, moved, and inspired people 20+ years ago. The life lessons from the movie are just as relevant today as they were back in 1994. They give the movie it?s timeless nature.

This series is dedicated to listing the many life lessons from the movie that we can incorporate into our daily lives to feel more peace and love ? and to live our lives with Gumption.

Life (and It) Happens

When Forrest was in the midst of his run across America, life – and shit – happened.

Forrest Gump runs through a pile of dog crap. It Happens! — Credit: Paramount Pictures

One fellow approached Forrest seeking council for a business idea. At that very moment, Forrest unintentionally stepped into a pile of dog crap.

The hippie man shouted, ?Whoa! Man, you just ran through a big pile of dogshit!?

Forrest: ?It Happens!?
Hippie man: ?What, shit??
Forrest: ?Sometimes?

Life happens. Sometimes we step in it. We can only step in it when we?re out there making things happen.

Forrest embraced life. He was out on the street living. Running. Making things happen.

When life – and it – happened, Forrest just kept moving.

He didn?t complain.
He didn?t let himself get upset.
He didn?t blame.

If you?re playing it safe and not putting yourself at risk, you may be able to avoid stepping in a pile of crap.

But when you?re actively living life, making things happen – stuff is going to happen. You will step in it sooner or later.

Accept setbacks. Move on. Take responsibility for your mindset. Just as Forrest did.

Are you willing to get your shoes dirty to make things happen?

The Fine Line Between Persistence and Stubbornness

The past four years I?ve been steadfast in my goal to transform myself from a pure entertainer/marketer into a speaker/facilitator/consultant. I?m not fully there, but I?m well on my way.

So, have I been persistent or stubborn? The answer is yes. I?ve been both.

I?ve persisted in spite of opposition.

I?ve endured tenaciously.

I?ve insisted on reaching my goal.

That is persistence.

I?ve been stubborn in not listening to reasons ? I?m unreasonable.

I?ve been unmoving and fixed in my purpose ? I?m fixed.

I?ve been difficult to manage and refused to take no ? Don?t tell me, ?No!?

That is stubbornness.

As a society, we admire persistence.

Individually, we loathe stubbornness.

So consider this ?

Stubbornness that meets a goal is called persistence.

Persistence that falls short of a goal is called stubbornness.

Maybe the fine line between persistence and stubbornness is knowing how to bend.

Maybe the persistent are better able to adjust.

Maybe the stubborn just miss the mark.

Next Blog Title: Advice to Heed and Advice to Ignore

Next Blog Date: October 6, 2011

I?m Not a Smart Man ? But I Know What Urgent Is

Forrest many not have been a smart man, but he knew what love is.

As Jenny ascended the stairs at the Gump house, Forrest proposed marriage. She turned him down, saying, ?You don?t want to marry me.?

Forrest was clearly disappointed and asks her, ?Why don?t you love me, Jenny?? Then without waiting for her reply, he states, ?I?m not a smart man, but I know what love is.? He walked out the front door to the porch to stand alone with his thoughts.

I love that line. ?I?m not a smart man, but I know what love is.?

It demonstrates the confidence Forrest had in his abilities and shows an awareness of his own limitations.

Forrest knew his limitations ? but he also knew what he knew.

He knew his ability to love.

He knew who he was as person.

He knew what he valued.

He knew what he wanted in life.

Sometimes I feel like Forrest Gump myself ? not very smart ? or at least a little slow to catch on. It takes me longer to figure some things out. For example:

Stories of Gumption ? My Father, the Family House, and Another New Chapter

stories-of-gumption
Stories of Gumption is a regular column that profiles individuals who admirably demonstrate Gumption as we define it. These are the stories of real people who exhibit gumption in overcoming personal challenges, and validate the spirit of Gumption during their journey. Let?s take inspiration from those who seize 100% personal responsibility and show us how to live a life that exhibits Gump-like character traits worthy of applause!

Historically, the elderly would stay in their homes until they died ? at least the fortunate ones. Oftentimes, they were forced to leave the family house and live out their remaining days with either caring relatives or in a nursing home. This unpleasant relocation became necessary when they reached the stage of life where caring for themselves was simply no longer possible.

The family home of 58 years sold as Dad moves to retirement community

The old house was filled with 40, 50, 60, or even 70 years of memories, antiques, memorabilia, and lots and lots of junk. Wading through all of the stuff, giving mementos to family members, finding charities to benefit from still usable items, and filling a dumpster with everything else was a job left to the survivors. That process, while potentially therapeutic for the memories, was a task more necessary than fun.

Thank you, Dad!

Thank you for doing today what we won?t have to do tomorrow … or in five, ten, or in seventeen years, three months, and twenty-one days when you celebrate your 100^th birthday. God willing, that is what we will do on your 100^th birthday ? celebrate all together!

This week, my father will complete the sale of the family house of fifty-eight years and move into a retirement community.

Today, I salute my father as a man who is still living his life with Gumption. At age eighty-two, he is making a bold move. Any time one starts a new chapter in life, it takes courage. Starting the closing chapters takes foresight and shows great compassion.

Thanks, Dad, for doing today what will make your next five, ten, or seventeen-plus years more comfortable for you, Amy, me, and my siblings. You are a man of Gumption. You are my hero.

Here are a few more of my personal thoughts about Dad, the family house, traditional elder care, and a new way for the elderly to care for themselves.

Stories of Gumption ? Gary?s World Trade Center Story

On September 11, 2001, my cousin, Gary, was working in lower Manhattan when our world changed. Reprinted here is his first-hand account from that day … 10 years ago.

Gary’s Scary But Lucky World Trade Center Story

This was similar to what Gary was seeing just before the dust cloud overtook everyone on the street. Photo Credit Unknown.

My office was diagonally across the street and one building away from the World Trade Center.

The first boom was about 9 AM. People in the office wondered if it was thunder. But sheets of 8?-by-11-inch paper filled the air outside my 16^th-floor windows like a ticker tape parade. People on the sidewalks were looking toward the World Trade Center.

I took the elevator down. A coworker got off a different elevator car, looking disgusted and upset. Guys in the elevator going down said a plane had hit the WTC. On the street, I could see the whole 80^th floor of Tower 1 was ablaze. I walked about a block closer. I saw at least five people jump or fall from the smoke between the 80^th and 110^th floors. I could not see where they were hitting. The low buildings of the WTC were in the way. I was hoping there was a net at the bottom.

Why do some see talent and others see only a ?local idiot??

Coach-Bryant-Spots-Talent — Some see what they've always seen, while some see talent.

In my last post?I suggested that making your own luck is possible. And the chances of creating your own luck increase as you play, attempt, participate, and then attempt time and time again.

The example I used was Forrest being discovered as he ran onto the local high school field while the team scrimmaged. The legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant was in the stands and noticed Forrest?s blazing speed. Coach Bryant saw talent, potential, and an opportunity for his team.

The Greenbow High team coach only saw Forrest as the local idiot.

Is it a coincidence that one of the greatest coaches of all time was able to see talent while a small-town high school coach missed it?

Why do some see talent and others see only what they?ve always seen?

Are you wearing blinders to talent (and potential opportunities)?

What opportunities are running by you right now?

Next Blog Title:? Traditional Gumption Defined?

Next Blog Date:? April 21, 2011

Life Lessons

Life (and It) Happens

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