I get inspiration from time to time from movies.  I’m not a great movie watcher.  I like classics and the stuff I grew up on.  Recently though I got inspiration from a strange movie.  My family wanted to rent We Bought a Zoo.  (Apparently the only movie title ever with a spoiler in the title.)  I sat and watched it because it was a family thing. Anyway, the line that inspired my thoughts and eventually this post, was uttered by Matt Damon’s character Benjamin Mee.  “You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”

I made a lot of personal connections to this quote.  The first thought I had was about my first time riding on a zip line.  To zip, you usually have to climb some sort of tower or tree.  In my case it was about a 40 foot climb to a small platform atop a huge sycamore tree.  Getting there was a battle for me in itself.  Jumping seemed the most irrational thought that I ever had.  But 20 seconds of insane courage later I was flying through the air.  Ten seconds more and I was upside down; loving life.  At the time I never thought it would be a metaphor for every pivotal point in my life from there on.  It practically changed my life.  It has allowed me to take chances with confidence.  It has allowed me to become a leader and not fear making decisions.

This is one of those quotes that I will and have kept in my mind.  Probably not going to tell many people that I am motivated by a kids’ movie but, it is always there.