Sunday, March 30, 2008

Tip#143: You Can Choose Alternate Endings, Part 1 - 3 Movie Tips


There are 2 ways to deal with your challenges in life. They can continue to bring you down or you can choose the alternate ending you desire. All you have to do is choose.

As mentioned in the previous blog tip#141 my challenges in the past 3 months have put me in a new place in my life and career. I've stepped into unknown territory and recently was feeling a little trapped.

What I found extremely synchronistic is that movies, once again, reminded me of what I needed to know. Within days of each other I was compelled to watch 3 movies: Awakenings,Cast Awayand I Am Legend. The films helped me see how the heroes of each story chose to escape their trapped situations.

Awakenings (1990)

In the movie Awakenings,Robin Williams plays Dr. Sayer who breaks out of his introverted shy feelings about people. In his personal life he is always shown in solitude, living life almost like a hermit. But with a patient's help, played by Robert DeNiro, he finally pushes himself to develop a relationship beyond work. Read more in previous tip#142.

Cast Away (2000)

In the movie Cast Away,Tom Hanks's character is trapped for 4 years on a deserted island. One day the tide brings him something he can use as a sail to escape from the island. He takes with him his new found resilience knowing he can persevere anything and no longer let time rule his life. Read more tips about Cast Awayhere: Tip#96: The Ultimate Gift

I Am Legend (2007)

In the film I Am Legend,Will Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville the last human being living in New York City after a virus wipes out the human race. What inspired me was seeing the special edition DVD of this movie that contained a second disc with an alternate ending. Without giving away too many details you now have one version where the movie hero lives and another where he dies.

In my opinion they both work as a complete story and yet the outcomes for the hero are completely different. This is a powerful mirror for making choices in your own life.

Movies Are Metaphors

All these movie heroes chose alternate outcomes for their challenges. They could have chosen to continue living a limiting life but found the courage to make a significant change. In the case of I Am Legendon DVD you get to choose the alternate ending of Robert Neville's fate.

This is a great metaphor for making choices in life and is what helped remind me that I was doing just that with my own challenges. I chose to remain optimistic and to persevere. And so with the warm spring weather coming in I can feel my positive choices blossoming into an exciting new phase in my life and career.

So remember that you have the power to choose alternate endings or alternate outcomes of your challenges. Let your favourite movie heroes inspire you to choose a more positive reality to the one you are not happy with.

Find the courage you have buried within you to step into the unknown. Making the choice in your heart and mind is the first step.

Related Tips:
Tip#143: You Can Choose Alternate Endings, Part 1 - 3 Movie Tips 
Tip#969: You Can Choose Alternate Endings, Part 2 - The Magic Story - X-Men: Days Of Future Past: The Rogue Cut
Tip#759: Expand Your Mind with Time Travel Movies, Pt 2 - X-Men: Days of Future Past
Tip#840: Activate The Power of Your Mind, Part 4 – Top 20 Movies for Quantum Physics & Quantum Realities
Tip#682: What if You Could Go Back in Time? - Back to the Future Trilogy
Tip#867: Expand Your Mind with Time Travel Movies, Pt 3 - Terminator Genisys

Emmanuel Lopez
Silverlining Specialist & Motivational Wingman
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2008

No comments: