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11 Movie Quotes to Spark Entrepreneurs into Action

Entrepreneurs often find inspiration from places, things, and people others overlook. They born desire to do something more, something differ, often involves a reassurance their dreams are worth the time and the effort they are putting forth. Entrepreneur-minded folks look for ideas in all areas of daily life. Movies can have a profound effect on creative types and many of the most renowned movies have provide life-changing quotes which continue to inspire the dreamer.

Here are 11 movie quotes to keep in mind when your entrepreneurial spirit needs a cheerleader:

 

“Do, or do not. There is no ‘try.’ ” Star Wars

The epic Star Wars movies are highly inspirational to people around the world for a variety of reasons. This infamous quote from wise old Yoda is particular powerful for entrepreneurs. In order to find success and fulfill your dreams, you have to do something – anything – to reach your goals. Making the effort to get things done is a huge part of success. Decide you are going to do something and go for it!

 

“Don’t ever let someone tell you you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period. All right?” – The Pursuit of Happyness

Will Smith delivers this powerful speech, one which probably still rings true for the actor himself. A dreamer is often faced with criticism. Other peoples’ beliefs, reality, and self-criticism can be effective dream killers. In order to see your dream come to fruition, it is important to find the belief in yourself to carry on despite the naysayers. Push through no matter what everyone else is doing. If you want to rise above the rest, you have to stop following the rest. People will try to dissuade you along the way, especially people who are too scared to follow their own path in life.

 

“Someone I once knew wrote that we walk away from our dreams afraid that we may fail or worse yet, afraid we may succeed.” – Finding Forrester

Oddly, the fear of success will stop some people in their tracks. Many are comfortable with the idea of failure but being scared of our own potential can be devastating. Don’t make excuses about why things can’t work out. Stop self-sabotaging your own efforts to get to the top. Don’t be afraid to make the necessary changes to your life so you can keep moving forward. You have a dream for a reason and you have a right to all the happiness in the world.

 

“Get busy livin’, or get busy dyin’.” – The Shawshank Redemption

Some entrepreneur-minded people keep putting off the inevitable until the time is ‘right’. Chances are good there will never be a ‘right’ time to quit your job to follow your passion. If you continue to wait for the world to be perfect, you’ll never do what you want to do. Every single day is a new opportunity to chase your dreams at high speed. Don’t wait until it truly is too late to achieve greatness. We all have to go sometime and you just never know when your number will be up. Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) chipped at that stone wall for years until his dream finally came true.

 

Somewhere along the line we stopped believing we could do anything. And if we don’t have our dreams, we have nothing.” – The Astronaut Farmer

Without dreams, entrepreneurs can easily feel they have nothing indeed. The world truly is your oyster. Keep opening shells until you find your pearl. Know upfront not everyone will believe in you or your vision. The good news is they don’t have to believe. You do. In this movie, the farmer set out on a mission to realize his dream of traveling into space. He builds a rocket in the barn and even threats by the government doesn’t distract him from his goals. He was courageous, motivated, and most importantly determined to keep going because he believed he could.

 

Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.” – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Living with regrets can be a hard pill for an entrepreneur to swallow. The cliché about opportunity only knocking once is an important one. Our lives our all defined by a series of moments and missing the right opportunities can change your direction significantly. Live each day looking for those opportunities which make you feel alive, joyous, and content. Jump in with both feet and soak up each experience for what it is before it’s too late.

 

I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.” – Steel Magnolias

This famous quote (from a fictional dying woman) is incredibly powerful for the entrepreneur-minded. The feeling of satisfaction when taking a risk pays off is indescribable and worth every second of effort you put forward. There are no small successes. Every one of them should be celebrated as they come. Dreamers understand the value and the feeling of those 30 incredible minutes and even failure isn’t a strong enough deterrent to stop them from trying again and again.

 

“Oh yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it, or learn from it.” –The Lion King

We grow by living through experiences. Even the bad ones can teach us the most valuable lessons. Don’t regret mistakes you’ve made or failures you’ve endured. The past is just that – in the past. Stay focused on what you have to look forward to rather than remaining stuck in the past. Take each mistake as a gift and learn from every failure. In the Lion King, Simba has an uphill battle to his rightful place in the world and he took the good with the bad to make sure he ended up where he deserved to be.

 

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.” –  Finding Nemo

Dory never gave up looking for her friend Nemo, no matter how many obstacles she faced. To realize your full potential, you’ve got to keep swimming. Every day. Set your goal and go after it with everything you have. Acknowledge the road ahead won’t always be easy but reaching that goal will give you a feeling like no other.

 

“I’d buy the Quick Stop and reopen it myself. That’s what I’d do. That’s what we should do.” Clerks II

This quirky movie made dreamers believe a little bit more in themselves. A store clerk had been missing out on his true purpose because he believed the grass was always greener somewhere else. Don’t be blind to what is already in front of you. Be grateful for every small step you take toward your goal and don’t overlook those nearby trying to help you connect the dots. Find like-minded people to expand your world, your passion, and your ideas. You don’t have to go after it all alone.

 

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

While your passion and perseverance can determine your success, you have to remember YOU are the most important part of the equation. Go ahead and do the full-court press to achieving your dreams but never forget to take care of yourself in the process. Even the smartest phone needs to be recharged. Get fresh air, drink water, surround yourself with things that make you feel good, friends that make you laugh, and inspiration that fuels your entrepreneurial fire.

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