Recent Oscar-winning blockbuster, The Revenant, follows a group of 19th-centurytraders who have been sent on the hunt for valuable fur in Northern America. The story follows the journey of Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who endures a violent bear attack and extreme conditions as he seeks vengeance on those who killed his son.
Now you may be asking, what relevance does The Revenant have to business, entrepreneurship and opportunity? In actual fact, there are a great many things this incredible film can teach us:
The importance of persevering
Throughout the film, Hugh Glass endures terrifying, dangerous circumstances that truly push him to his limits (including a horrific bear attack, a night spent sleeping inside a horse’s carcass and eating a raw bison liver). But just when you start to wonder, “When is this guy going to give up?” you realise that the answer is never, and he will never stop persevering until he reaches his goal.
Through unrelenting determination, discipline and perseverance, Glass achieved what he initially set out to achieve, thus earning him great respect from his peers, high society members and those in the military.
Many of the world’s most successful businesspeople came from nothing and fought tirelessly for success. Though you’re not expected to eat raw liver or spend the night in arctic conditions, what is important is that you always strive to achieve your goals and never give up.
Being 100% committed
Glass never took a half-hearted approach to anything. He carefully thought things through before making his next move and was 100% committed to his decisions. Through this 100% commitment, he was able to survive, fulfil his mission and become a legendary frontiersman.
When you commit yourself wholeheartedly to all areas of your business, your passion will without doubt shine through and the quality of your business will be extremely apparent. This 100% commitment will also enable you to be incredibly organised, which will lead you to make fewer business mistakes along the way.
There are resources and opportunities, everywhere you look
Glass’ ability to survive under the cruellest conditions is shocking yet inspiring. Aside from his perseverance, Glass was also incredibly resourceful, making use of anything and everything around him in order to survive. By watching his enemies (in your case, the competition) he learnt how to hunt, eat and build shelters out in the wilderness. He was also incredibly organised and spent no time complaining or timewasting – he was always one step ahead of the rest, which is what enabled him to survive under such dreadful conditions.
In all areas of your life, it is usually your attitude that determines how far you go. In order to operate a successful business, you need to be willing to get your hands dirty, to experience great highs and lows and to seek opportunity in everything that you do. Remain positive, resourceful, committed and organised if you want to succeed – even when the odds are not in your favour.
Check us out on Twitter and Facebook for more articles.
Other films/TV shows in the series:
Related articles.
