“That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run.”
You know that scene when Forrest runs across the country? He just decided to go for a run. He felt like running a little more, and a little more, and then boom – he’s running across the country.
That scene really touched me.
It was all about Forrest making a decision, and then literally, running with it.
He was authentic and real in what he wanted to do. Forrest made up his own mind, and took action. He didn’t ask anyone else. He just did what he wanted. And he felt good doing it.
Sometimes as entrepreneurs, we are faced with our own identity challenges.
Why not challenge ourselves to – GO GUMP – and play as authentic as possible?
Here are 4 takeaways you can learn from Forrest Gump:
1) Be the real you. Get comfy with who you really are. People want to do business with someone who speaks from their heart. When you put a mask on and try to be someone who you are not, people will see right through it. Be true to yourself.
2) Stand up for what you believe in even if it’s controversial. Your audience will view you as distinct, unique, and real. They will believe in you and form a community around you. You could be their leader.
3) Don’t be afraid to tell your story. Use it to distinguish yourself. Trust your skills and expertise. Be willing to pave the way and be the first to do something even though it has never been done before.
4) Have courage and take action. Taking action in spite of fear is what courage is about. It’s about facing obstacles and challenges and going through with things anyway. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Don’t wait for the perfect time to have all of your ducks in a row. The stars will never be perfectly aligned. The most successful entrepreneurs take massive action and make decisions as they go.
So what is the first action you want to take? Need a little nudge? Read this quote from Steve Jobs.
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”