May 26, 2023

1 Quote

“Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, but they become legend.”

- Legends of the Fall

1 Way It Applies to Life & Business

Legends of the Fall is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love this quote and it made me smirk a little the other day when I heard the familiar, gruff voice of Gordon Tootoosis, who plays One Stab, a Native American elder member of the Cree Nation, friend of the Ludlow family and narrator of the epic 1994 film.

I have heard the intro to that movie more times than I can count (Google “Legends of the Fall full Trailer), watching the movie over and over on the VHS my parents eventually bought for me as a teen with a Brad Pitt obsession.

I was 13 years old when I first saw the movie while visiting my Grandma Rita in her apartment that was situated above the bakery she owned and ran in the quaint and affluent town of Millbrook, New York.

My sister, Katie, and I sat huddled on the wood floor looking up at the old box TV, mesmerized — a little scared…and a little awestruck at the same time by the movie that we had popped in for something to do (because it had horses on the cover).We had tired of helping in the Bakery and were old enough to entertain ourselves upstairs on our own.

At the time, the intro sounded mystical and set the tone for the dramatic storyline perfectly (I eventually got the soundtrack too 😉). This day, hearing it 28 years later, it made me smirk because I identified with it. At 13, I hadn’t considered hearing my own, inner voice, much less living by it. I mean, how could I possibly think straight with Brad Pitt grinning at me as he tipped his cowboy hat in greeting on a prancing stallion in the rain anyway?

Today, hormones in check, I think I, and many other entrepreneurs like me, really do hear their own inner voices with great clarity, just like this quote. Maybe more so even than most others. We hear the voice, see the vision, and actually take steps towards birthing them into reality.

The crazy part though…I believe that’s up to each of us. It’s a choice.

The voice become a vision, and then an idea that we fight to bring into the world. That’s hard work for certain. The part that makes some people “crazy” is what happens from there.

The idea, that is now here in our world, needs constant supervision, nurturing and management — like a child. It’s enough to drive a person truly nutty! This is the part where some keep going to become “legend,” AKA successful, and some give up and either stay at the 9-5 job that they hate or go back to one, too afraid or not willing to accept the “crazy.” Either they push through — or they don’t.

We must ask ourselves: How far will I take my passion? How long will I grind for my goals? What am I willing to give up for success? Am I willing to go against the norm to follow my inner voice?

There are no right answers to these questions but if you take the time to listen to what your inner voice is saying, you already know the answers — and your truth.

The mistake many make just before giving up is thinking that they have to do it alone. Brad Pitt made that mistake. He ended up alone…and didn’t he get eaten by a bear?!?!

Don’t make that mistake. Seek out community support and make an effective action plan.