Inspiring Movies

This week's article is one person's list of the top 25 inspriational movies.  I haven't seen all of them but some of the most inspiring one's I could think of were on the list.  I love that each of these has a small quote so if you don't have time to watch the movies at least read the quotes to be inspired! 

Enjoy!

 25 Inspirational Movies

You know the movies.  The ones that make your heart grow ten times bigger, or the ones that give you the strength of ten warriors on your side.

These are the movies that inspire us.

They make the blood rush through our veins.  They make our soul sing.  They make us want to get up and give our best … until there’s nothing more to give … and then give some more.  They move us.

They make us laugh, they make us cry, they make us think.  But mostly, they remind us why we are alive and what’s worth living for.  They remind us that every day, is another day, to get up, venture into the world, and make a difference.  Our difference.  Whether that difference is to conquer a personal demon, or to make a difference in somebody’s life, or to make the world a better place.  It’s our story that we write each day.

Everybody, every day, has their own adventures, and their own unfolding story, but we’re all in this together.  And that’s why we identify with the movies that inspire us — to make the most of what we’ve got … to live more, learn more, laugh more, and love more … and, above all, to keep our spirit strong, and to go the distance.

Here are 25 motivational movies that inspire us to go the distance, and make the most of the journey of life along the way …

1. 300

No retreat, no surrender.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Children, gather round! No retreat, no surrender; that is Spartan law. And by Spartan law we will stand and fight… and die. A new age has begun. An age of freedom, and all will know, that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it!” – King Leonidas (Gerard Butler)

2. Braveheart

If it’s worth it, fight for it.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live… at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take… OUR FREEDOM!” – William Wallace

Watch ta clip – Braveheart in Defiance of the English Tyranny

3. Coach Carter

The power to shine is in every one of us.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Timo Cruz (Rick Gonzalez)

4. Dead Poet Society

Carpe Diem — seize the day!

Inspirational movie quote:

“They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they’re destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because, you see gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? – - Carpe – - hear it? – - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” – John Keating

Watch a clip – Dead Poet’s Society – Carpe Diem

5. Don Juan DeMarco

Love conquers all.

Inspirational movie quote:

"There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same – only love." — Don Juan DeMarco (Johnny Depp)

6. Freedom Writers

No excuses!

Inspirational movie quote:

“I don’t want excuses. I know what you’re up against. We’re all of us up against something. So you better make up your mind, because until you have the balls to look me straight in the eye and tell me this is all you deserve, I am not letting you fail. Even if that means coming to your house every night until you finish the work. I see who you are. Do you understand me? I can see you. And you are not failing.” – Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank)

7. Good Will Hunting

Love something more than yourself.

Inspirational movie quote:

“They don’t know about real loss, because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself.” – Sean (Robin Williams)

Watch a clip – Good Will Hunting – They don’t know about real loss.

8. Hitch

Find the things that take your breath away.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away.” – Hitch (Will Smith)

9. Into the Wild

Find the beauty in all things.

Inspirational movie quote:

“I will miss you too, but you are wrong if you think that the joy of life comes principally from the joy of human relationships. God’s place is all around us, it is in everything and in anything we can experience. People just need to change the way they look at things.” – Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch)

10. Lord of the Rings

Step up to the plate and write your story forward.

Inspirational movie quote:

“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.” — Gandalf (Ian McKellen)

11. Marley and Me

Do you make people feel rare, pure, and extraordinary?

Inspirational movie quote:

"It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. Sometimes it takes a dog with bad breath, worse manners, and pure intentions to help us see. Ask yourself, how many people in the world can truly make you feel rare, pure, and extraordinary?" –John Grogan (Owen Wilson)

12. Million Dollar Baby

Be relentless.

Inspirational movie quote:

“To make a fighter you gotta strip them down to bare wood: you can’t just tell ‘em to forget everything you know if you gotta make ‘em forget even their bones… make ‘em so tired they only listen to you, only hear your voice, only do what you say and nothing else… show ‘em how to keep their balance and take it away from the other guy… how to generate momentum off their right toe and how to flex your knees when you fire a jab… how to fight backin’ up so that the other guy doesn’t want to come after you. Then you gotta show ‘em all over again. Over and over and over… till they think they’re born that way.” – Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman)

13. Mulan

Be YOUR best, despite the odds.

Inspirational movie quote:

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." — The Emperor (Pat Morita)

14. Peaceful Warrior

Love what you do.

Inspirational movie quote:

“The warrior does not give up what he loves, Dan. He finds the love in what he does.” – Socrates (Nick Nolte)

“The accident is your training. Life is choice. You can choose to be a victim or anything else you’d like to be.” — Socrates (Nick Nolte)

Watch a clip – Peaceful Warrior – The warrior does not give up.

15. Rocky

Go the distance!

Inspirational movie quote:

“Ah come on, Adrian, it’s true. I was nobody. But that don’t matter either, you know? ‘Cause I was thinkin’, it really don’t matter if I lose this fight. It really don’t matter if this guy opens my head, either. ‘Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody’s ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I’m still standin’, I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren’t just another bum from the neighborhood.” – Rocky (Sylvester Stallone)

Watch the clip – Rocky – Training and going the distance.

16. Rocky Balboa (Rocky 6)

Keep bouncing back, keep moving forward.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning’s done.” – Rock Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)

Watch the scene – Rocky Balboa – It Ain’t About How Hard You Hit.

17. Rudy

Every underdog has his day. Prove it to yourself, nobody else.

Inspirational movie quote:

“In this life time, you don’t have to prove nothing to nobody, except yourself. And after what you’ve gone through, if you haven’t done that by now, it ain’t gonna never happen.” – Fortune (Charles S. Dutton)

Watch the Clip – Rudy – Rudy and the Janitor.

Watch the Clip – Rudy – Rudy succeeds with sack.

18. Runaway Bride

It’s not gonna be easy, but it’s gonna be worth it.

Inspirational movie quote:

"Look, I guarantee there’ll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you’re the only one for me. " — Ike Graham (Richard Gere)

19. Stand and Deliver

Want it and work for it.

Inspirational movie quote:

“There will be no free rides, no excuses. You already have two strikes against you: your name and your complexion. Because of these two strikes, there are some people in this world who will assume that you know less than you do. Math is the great equalizer… When you go for a job, the person giving you that job will not want to hear your problems; ergo, neither do I. You’re going to work harder here than you’ve ever worked anywhere else. And the only thing I ask from you is ganas. ‘Desire’.” — Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos)

20. The Bucket List

Find the joy and make it contagious.

Inspirational movie quote:

“You know, the ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls got to the entrance to heaven, the guards asked two questions. Their answers determined whether they were able to enter or not. ‘Have you found joy in your life?’ ‘Has your life brought joy to others?’” — Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman)

Watch the clip – The Bucket List – Two Questions.

21. The Empire Strikes Back

Just do it.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’.” — Yoda

22. The Mighty Ducks

Stick together, win together.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Neither do hockey players. Have you guys ever seen a flock of ducks flying in perfect formation? It’s beautiful. Pretty awesome the way they all stick together. Ducks never say die. Ever seen a duck fight? No way. Why? Because the other animals are afraid. They know that if they mess with one duck, they gotta deal with the whole flock. I’m proud to be a Duck, and I’d be proud to fly with any one of you. So how about it? Who’s a Duck?” – Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez)

Watch the clip – Ducks fly Together.

23. The Notebook

Awaken your soul and reach for more.

Inspirational movie quote:

“My Dearest Allie. I couldn’t sleep last night because I know that it’s over between us. I’m not bitter anymore, because I know that what we had was real. And if in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I’ll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I’ll be seeing you.” — Young Noah (Ryan Gosling)

24. The Pursuit of Happyness

Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something.

Inspirational movie quote:

“Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right? … You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period." – Christopher Gardner (Will Smith)

Watch the clip – The Pursuit of Happyness – You want something.  Go get it.  Period.

25. Vision Quest

It’s the moments that matter.

Inspirational movie quote:

“I was in the room here one day… watchin’ the Mexican channel on TV. I don’t know nothin’ about Pele. I’m watchin’ what this guy can do with a ball and his feet. Next thing I know, he jumps in the air and flips into a somersault and kicks the ball in – upside down and backwards… the ... goalie never knew what ...It ain’t the six minutes… it’s what happens in that six minutes.” – Elmo (J.C. Quinn)

What are the movies you draw from for insight and inspiration when you need it most?

Lessons From a Janitor

As I drove into work this morning I noticed a few flags being flown at half mast.  I wondered who had died.  A few moments later my radio reminded me of the reason,  that today is the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor incident. 

I remembered an interview of a Pearl Harbor survivor I saw several years ago.  The reporter asked the survivor if he was a hero.  He said, "No, the heroes are all out there."  He pointed out to the ocean, and with a tear in his eye he continued, "Freedom isn't free."  I am sure he was remembering friends he had lost in the fight.  Even though it was long ago I saw this, it has really stuck with me as an appreciation for those that serve our country and a constant reminder that freedom isn't free.

This week's article shared great wisdom learned from a true hero a medal of honor winner.

From Wikipedia...
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."^[1] Due to the nature of its criteria, it is often awarded posthumously (more than half have been since 1941).^[


The wisdom of this article applies to those in the military and those that are not.  It is linked here.  The article is pasted below...

LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP: From a Janitor

Wharton Leadership Digest, December 2001

By Colonel James E. Moschgat, Commander of the 12th

Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph

Air Force Base, Texas

William “Bill” Crawford certainly was an unimpressive figure,

one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the

U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Crawford, as most of us

referred to him back in the late 1970s, was our squadron

janitor.

While we cadets busied ourselves preparing for academic

exams, athletic events, Saturday morning parades and room inspections, or

never-ending leadership classes, Bill quietly moved about the squadron mopping

and buffing floors, emptying trash cans, cleaning toilets, or just tidying up the

mess 100 college-age kids can leave in a dormitory. Sadly, and for many years,

few of us gave him much notice, rendering little more than a passing nod or

throwing a curt, “G’morning!” in his direction as we hurried off to our daily duties.

Why? Perhaps it was because of the way he did his job-he always kept the

squadron area spotlessly clean, even the toilets and showers gleamed. Frankly,

he did his job so well, none of us had to notice or get involved. After all, cleaning

toilets was his job, not ours. Maybe it was is physical appearance that made him

disappear into the background. Bill didn’t move very quickly and, in fact, you

could say he even shuffled a bit, as if he suffered from some sort of injury. His

gray hair and wrinkled face made him appear ancient to a group of young cadets.

And his crooked smile, well, it looked a little funny. Face it, Bill was an old man

working in a young person’s world. What did he have to offer us on a personal

level?

Finally, maybe it was Mr. Crawford’s personality that rendered him almost

invisible to the young people around him. Bill was shy, almost painfully so. He

seldom spoke to a cadet unless they addressed him first, and that didn’t happen

very often. Our janitor always buried himself in his work, moving about with

stooped shoulders, a quiet gait, and an averted gaze. If he noticed the hustle

and bustle of cadet life around him, it was hard to tell. So, for whatever reason,

Bill blended into the woodwork and became just another fixture around the

squadron. The Academy, one of our nation’s premier leadership laboratories,

kept us busy from dawn till dusk. And Mr. Crawford...well, he was just a janitor.

That changed one fall Saturday afternoon in 1976. I was reading a book about

World War II and the tough Allied ground campaign in Italy, when I stumbled

across an incredible story. On September 13, 1943, a Private William Crawford

from Colorado, assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, had been involved in some

bloody fighting on Hill 424 near Altavilla, Italy. The words on the page leapt out at

me: “in the face of intense and overwhelming hostile fire ... with no regard for

personal safety ... on his own initiative, Private Crawford single-handedly

attacked fortified enemy positions.” It continued, “for conspicuous gallantry and

intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, the President of the

United States ...”

“Holy cow,” I said to my roommate, “you’re not going to believe this, but I think

our janitor is a Medal of Honor winner.” We all knew Mr. Crawford was a WWII

Army vet, but that didn’t keep my friend from looking at me as if I was some sort

of alien being. Nonetheless, we couldn’t wait to ask Bill about the story on

Monday. We met Mr. Crawford bright and early Monday and showed him the

page in question from the book, anticipation and doubt in our faces. He starred

at it for a few silent moments and then quietly uttered something like, “Yep, that’s

me.”

Mouths agape, my roommate and I looked at one another,

then at the book, and quickly back at our janitor. Almost at

once we both stuttered, “Why didn’t you ever tell us about it?”

He slowly replied after some thought, “That was one day in

my life and it happened a long time ago.”

I guess we were all at a loss for words after that. We had to

hurry off to class and Bill, well, he had chores to attend to.

However, after that brief exchange, things were never again

the same around our squadron. Word spread like wildfire

among the cadets that we had a hero in our midst-Mr. Crawford, our janitor, had

won the Medal! Cadets who had once passed by Bill with hardly a glance, now

greeted him with a smile and a respectful, “Good morning, Mr. Crawford.”

Those who had before left a mess for the “janitor” to clean up started taking it

upon themselves to put things in order. Most cadets routinely stopped to talk to

Bill throughout the day and we even began inviting him to our formal squadron

functions. He’d show up dressed in a conservative dark suit and quietly talk to

those who approached him, the only sign of his heroics being a simple blue, starspangled

lapel pin.

Almost overnight, Bill went from being a simple fixture in our squadron to one of

our teammates. Mr. Crawford changed too, but you had to look closely to notice

the difference. After that fall day in 1976, he seemed to move with more

purpose, his shoulders didn’t seem to be as stooped, he met our greetings with a

direct gaze and a stronger “good morning” in return, and he flashed his crooked

smile more often. The squadron gleamed as always, but everyone now seemed

to notice it more. Bill even got to know most of us by our first names, something

that didn’t happen often at the Academy. While no one ever formally

acknowledged the change, I think we became Bill’s cadets and his squadron.

As often happens in life, events sweep us away from those in

our past. The last time I saw Bill was on graduation day in

June 1977. As I walked out of the squadron for the last time,

he shook my hand and simply said, “Good luck, young man.”

With that, I embarked on a career that has been truly lucky

and blessed. Mr. Crawford continued to work at the

Academy and eventually retired in his native Colorado where

he resides today, one of four Medal of Honor winners living in

a small town.

A wise person once said, “It’s not life that’s important, but

those you meet along the way that make the difference.” Bill was one who made

a difference for me. While I haven’t seen Mr. Crawford in over twenty years,

he’d probably be surprised to know I think of him often. Bill Crawford, our janitor,

taught me many valuable, unforgettable leadership lessons. Here are ten I’d like

to share with you.

1. Be Cautious of Labels
Labels you place on people may define your relationship to them and bound their potential. Sadly, and for a long time, we labeled Bill as just a janitor, but he was so much more. Therefore, be cautious of a leader who callously says, “Hey, he’s just an Airman.” Likewise, don’t tolerate

the O-1, who says, “I can’t do that, I’m just a lieutenant.”

2. Everyone Deserves Respect

Because we hung the “janitor” label on Mr. Crawford, we often wrongly treated him with less respect than others around us.  He deserved much more, and not just because he was a Medal of Honor winner.  Bill deserved respect because he was a janitor, walked among us, and was a

part of our team.

3. Coutesy Makes a Difference
Be courteous to all around you, regardless of rank or position. Military customs, as well as common courtesies, help bond a team. When our daily words to Mr. Crawford turned from perfunctory “hellos” to heartfelt greetings, his demeanor and personality outwardly changed. It made a difference for all of us.

4. Take Time to Know Your People

Life in the military is hectic, but that’s no excuse for not knowing the people you work for and with. For years a hero walked among us at the Academy and we never knew it. Who are the heroes that walk in your midst?

5. Anyone Can Be a Hero

Mr. Crawford certainly didn’t fit anyone’s standard definition of a hero. Moreover, he was just a private on the day he won his Medal. Don’t sell your people short, for any one of them may be the hero who rises to the occasion when duty calls. On the other hand, it’s easy to turn to your

proven performers when the chips are down, but don’t ignore the rest of the

team. Today’s rookie could and should be tomorrow’s superstar.

6. Leaders Should be Humble

Most modern day heroes and some leaders are anything but humble, especially if you calibrate your “hero meter” on today’s athletic fields. End zone celebrations and self-aggrandizement are what we’ve come to expect from sports greats. Not Mr. Crawford-he was too busy working to

celebrate his past heroics. Leaders would be well-served to do the same.

7. Life Won't Always Hand You What you Think You Deserve

We in the military work hard and, dang it, we deserve recognition, right? However, sometimes you just have to persevere, even when accolades don’t come your way. Perhaps you

weren’t nominated for junior officer or airman of the quarter as you thought you

should - don’t let that stop you.

8. Don't Pursue Glory, Pursue Excellence

Private Bill Crawford didn’t pursue glory; he did his duty and then swept floors for a living. No job is beneath a Leader. If Bill Crawford, a Medal of Honor winner, could clean latrines and smile,

is there a job beneath your dignity? Think about it.

9. Pursue Excellence

No matter what task life hands you, do it well. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “If life makes you a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper you can be.” Mr. Crawford modeled that philosophy and helped make our dormitory area a home.

10. Life is a Leadership Laboratory

All too often we look to some school or PME class to teach us about leadership when, in fact, life is a leadership laboratory. Those you meet everyday will teach you enduring lessons if you just take time to stop, look and listen. I spent four years at the Air Force Academy, took dozens

of classes, read hundreds of books, and met thousands of great people. I

gleaned leadership skills from all of them, but one of the people I remember most

is Mr. Bill Crawford and the lessons he unknowingly taught. Don’t miss your

opportunity to learn.

Bill Crawford was a janitor. However, he was also a teacher, friend, role model

and one great American hero. Thanks, Mr. Crawford, for some valuable

leadership lessons.

Dale Pyeatt, Executive Director of the National Guard Association of Texas,

comments: And now, for the “rest of the story”: Pvt William John Crawford was

a platoon scout for 3rd Platoon of Company L 1 42nd Regiment 36th Division

(Texas National Guard) and won the Medal Of Honor for his actions on Hill 424,

just 4 days after the invasion at Salerno.

On Hill 424, Pvt Crawford took out 3 enemy machine guns before darkness fell,

halting the platoon’s advance. Pvt Crawford could not be found and was

assumed dead. The request for his MOH was quickly approved. Major General

Terry Allen presented the posthumous MOH to Bill Crawford’s father, George, on

11 May 1944 in Camp (now Fort) Carson, near Pueblo. Nearly two months after

that, it was learned that Pvt Crawford was alive in a POW camp in Germany.

During his captivity, a German guard clubbed him with his rifle. Bill overpowered

him, took the rifle away, and beat the guard unconscious. A German doctor’s

testimony saved him from severe punishment, perhaps death. To stay ahead of

the advancing Russian army, the prisoners were marched 500 miles in 52 days

in the middle of the German winter, subsisting on one potato a day. An allied

tank column liberated the camp in the spring of 1945, and Pvt Crawford took his

first hot shower in 18 months on VE Day. Pvt Crawford stayed in the army before

retiring as a MSG and becoming a janitor. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan

officially presented the MOH to Bill Crawford.

William Crawford passed away in 2000. He is the only U.S. Army veteran and

sole Medal of Honor winner to be buried in the cemetery of the U.S. Air Force

Academy.

: Co. James Moschgat can be contacted at

james.moschgat@randolph.af.mil

. A profile of William Crawford is available at

http://www.homeofheroes.com/profiles/profiles_crawford.html

Honor citation can be found at , and his Medal of http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/36division/archives/moh/mohcraw.htm

Note