Ahhh… Louie, what a story. What a stellar human being.
The movie depicts Louis Zamperini’s strength, strong will and the absolute desire to persevere.
Conviction is to be unbroken - I believe that it was his conviction that led Louie to excel and to survive. He believed that he would catch Don Lash in the first qualifying race. He believed that he would survive 47 days in a raft on the ocean, catching a shark with his bare hands for food. He believed that he could hold a huge and heavy plank above his head for hours. He believed that he could outwit and outlast his captor. He had more than belief, he had conviction.
Finish and finish strong - A theme that continued throughout Zamperini’s life was his kick. He always found something – some way – to finish strong – even in defeat. It’s how we finish that really matters. Having the right ‘road map’ helps. Have a plan, know your end goal and whatever it takes – finish strong to achieve it.
Control the one thing in your life that you can – yourself - The greatest threat to your future is the one from within. It is not what happens to you but what happens *in* you that makes or breaks you. The one and only thing that you can control is yourself. The secret of resilience starts with the courage to control what you can.
It takes courage to resist self-pity and the need to blame others. Louie controlled his own life – on the Olympic training track, adrift in the Pacific for 47 days, and in a prisoner-of-war camp.
Set your vision and expectations - When Louie’s B-24 crashed into the Pacific Ocean, there were only three survivors. After several days with no rescue in sight, the chances for survival became grim. Louis and co-pilot Allen Phillips continued to fight for survival. The other surviving crewmember, Mac, slowly gave up and slipped away.
What we visualize and expect sets the direction of our lives. Maybe you blew a big presentation today. The job interview that you rocked never resulted in an offer. We are disappointed on a daily basis. Get over it. Each disappointment is only a step forward to where we want to be. Continue to hold that ideal picture of yourself and who you want to be. If you don’t stop, you will get there.
Lose the selfishness - Life as a POW brought many horrible days to Louie and his fellow POWs. Louie never lost focus of his mates. Sometimes, we get so wrapped-up in our own problems and issues that we forget others. We live and look at things in a vacuum. It’s good to get out of our own heads and focus on others once in a while. By doing so, we serve others, get away from our own problems, and give our spirit a much-needed boost.
Revenge is rarely the answer - persevere through forgiveness – At the end of the movie we learn that post war Louie returned to Japan where he located and forgave his captors.
It is true – hard times will make you better or bitter. Louie shows us what happens when a person chooses to forgive.
Had Louie not chosen to forgive his captors, he may have physically left the prison camp in the 1940s, but he would have still remained enslaved to them for the remainder of his life. I bet he never forgot though. Never. Forgive but never forget.
My favorite line in the move is made by one of Louie’s fellow POWs. He says, “We beat them by making it to the end of the war alive. That’s our revenge."
Survival and success is sweet revenge. Be resourceful, hardworking, always have a contingency plan, seize opportunities, have unimaginable perseverance and resiliency, and know that hate and revenge cloud success.
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