Who would agree that movies that inspire and motivate us to do better and be better are the very best movies to watch?! And it's even more inspiring when those movies are based on real life situations. The 1993 movie, "Rudy" does not disappoint. If you have NOT seen this...you HAVE to! This incredible tearjerker tells the true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger and his immense desire for playing football at the University of Notre Dame. Use this real life story to FUEL your success! Here are FOUR lessons we can learn from Rudy.
1. Be DEAF
It would be impossible to count how many times Rudy was told, "no" throughout his life. This started at such a young age when he was so impressionable. It saddens my heart just thinking about it. He was told that he wouldn't go to college because he wasn't smart enough. He was told he would never get into the University of Notre Dame because he didn't have the grades. He was told he would never play college football, let alone for Notre Dame. Rudy had the ability to turn a deaf ear. He didn't listen to the answer "no". Instead he thought about what he could do better. How much harder did he need to work? He reached out to his priest for council, his class TA for tutoring, anyone who could offer him any chance of action and any glimmer of hope.
2. Be ANNOYING
There were multiple points in the movie that I thought what an annoyance Rudy was! This kid does NOT give up! To the point where you're wondering if he's off somehow? But really...I would argue that he was more persistent than anyone else who has ever worked toward that level of success without having the natural TALENT to back it up. And because he doesn't get that a "no" is really a no, he annoys every possible person of influence that could potentially give him his next opportunity.
Do we display this amount of tenacity in our career goals? Do we believe so strongly in our dreams that we will NOT stop trying no matter how many times we fail? Are we as willing to risk what others may THINK about us in order to get to the next level?
3. Be AROUND THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Location: Rudy didn't stay in the comfort of his home and hometown. He left everything he knew and everything belief that had been constantly fed to him and went where he needed to be. Once he arrived, he was willing to work for free to be in the environment he dreamed to be a part of. He would try to manipulate his way into volunteer groups that he wasn't eligible for just to learn as much as he could about the Notre Dame world.
Attitude: Rudy chose to remove himself from those who didn't believe in him. And because he had a crystal clear vision of his dream, the right people entered his life. And the one thing they had in common is they wanted to see him WIN! The janitor wouldn't let him off the hook. He offered Rudy tough love and never once told him that he couldn't achieve his goal. His teammates offered their spot on the roster for the final home game so Rudy could experience just one time what it would be like run onto the football field dressed for participation. And in the last seconds of the game, Rudy finally had his opportunity! His time on the field was less than 60 seconds, yet he was victorious and achieved his ultimate success. Could you imagine that feeling?!
4. Be READY
Friends, if you were given the opportunity...if it was your chance to enter the game...if after visualizing and hoping for what YOU believe to be success...if you finally had the opportunity, would you be READY?!
The last lesson we can learn from Rudy is hard work. You could call it smart work or call it taking massive action. Regardless...Rudy worked his ASS off! And when the going got tough, he DID NOT give up. He never lost focus even when hope was dangling by a thread. So when the opportunity revealed itself to him, he was ready.
