10 Movie Quotes for Successful Living

Quote #1: "We are men of action; lies do not become us."- Wesley, The Princess Bride

Why don't lies become Men or Women of Action? Because we only lie when we are afraid to face the consequences of telling the truth. But Men and Women of Action understand that no matter what consequences the truth may bring, they can face them bravely and emerge from the other side untarnished, and all the more honorable for having remained true even when it was difficult. It's also just good sense ... the truth has a way of finding its way out eventually anyway, and the consequences of a lie exposed are almost always exponentially worse than the consequences of the truth told early. Honesty and forthrightness always serve well, and refusing to fib also provides excellent incentive for generally upright living.

Quote #2: "I know you can fight. But it's our wits that make us men." - Malcolm Wallace, Braveheart

Sometimes we're confronted by people who, for whatever reason, seem to go out of their way to tear us down, to belittle our accomplishments, or to otherwise make us crazy. Rather than lash out in kind, however, it's good to remind your Inner Warrior that there may be better ways to resolve conflict than by fighting. Often the better man is the one who rises above, rather than the one who lands the best shot.

Quote #3: "Every man dies. Not every man truly lives." - William Wallace, Braveheart

When we're facing what seems to be a truly great challenge, or a decision that appears to carry a great deal of risk, it can be motivating to remember that we're all only here for a little while and then we're gone. We all have dreams we want to accomplish, and whenever we pursue them, we're guaranteed to run into setbacks. But by living life courageously and refusing to give up in the face of adversity, we give ourselves the greatest chance of living a full life, free of regret for roads not taken.

Quote #4: "- What is best in life?
- To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." - Mongol General, Conan; Conan the Barbarian

Okay, so Conan actually stole that line from Genghis Khan, but it's still a great movie quote. In today's world, it's still meaningful when applied to setting goals and battling everyday problems that we all face. It's all too common that we set our sights too low, that we fear dreaming "too big", and so even when we have success in life, we can be left feeling unfulfilled. Rather than hoping for a marginal victory, setting big goals inspires our Inner Warrior to great and mighty deeds, and once success starts rolling in, nothing seems impossible. Feel like your drowning in credit card debt? Don't just hope to get everything paid off someday; dream of paying cash for everything you ever need ... crush that debt, imagine it being driven before you, to the despairing wails of your creditors! When you imagine yourself delivering such complete and utter destruction upon those things that are holding you back in life, it's difficult to remain unmotivated.

Quote #5: "Enough talk!" - Conan, Conan the Destroyer

It's far easier to sit around and talk all day about what we want out of life than it is to go out and get it. At some point, though, we just have to stop flapping our gums, get up out of our La-Z-Boys, and start the doing. It is no coincidence that Men and Women of Action are very often also Men and Women of Few Words. Talk is cheap, and rarely can words overshadow results.

Quote #6: "What we do in life echoes in eternity." - Maximus, Gladiator

Being future-minded can help a great deal in staying motivated in the midst of the day-to-day grind. When you've set a goal not just to Achieve Victory, but to Crush Your Enemies (see Quote 4), it can be tough to keep your vision when faced with the mundane. But when you think about the legacy you want to leave behind, the way you want to be remembered, the things your children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren will know about you, it becomes a lot easier to turn off that TV and go do the sit-ups you said you'd do.

Quote #7:"We mortals are but shadows and dust." - Proximo, Gladiator

After you've Crushed Your Enemies a few times, it's very easy to become prideful and to look on others with disdain. But we all know, as they say, pride goeth before the fall. Remembering that we are all, at the end of the day, destined to meet the same end is good protection against the temptation to think ourselves better than those around us. True humility is a rare but powerful and admirable trait, and there's not much more humbling than realizing we are, after all, merely "shadows and dust".


Quote #8: "There is no normal life, Wyatt. There's just life. Ya live it." - Doc Holliday, Tombstone

It's easy when facing setbacks and trials to feel sorry for ourselves and to wonder why we can't have a normal life like Someone We Know Who Always Has It All Together. The simple fact, though, is that no one has it all together. Plato once said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle". It's impossible to know what those around us are dealing with from day to day, but it's a safe bet to make that everyone is dealing with something tough at one point or another. Remembering that there is no "normal" life takes away the excuse that life isn't being "fair" to us, and makes it that much easier to get back up and press on towards the goals we've set for ourselves.

Quote #9: "It's a trick. Get an axe." - Ash, Army of Darkness

Sometimes in pursuit of our goals, we run into a deal that promises to get us there faster, but that just doesn't feel quite right. Maybe it's an investment tip from our executive buddy who's dumping all his stock, or it's an accounting error that works in our favor. Maybe it's a miracle weight-loss pill. Maybe it's an opportunity to win a promotion by taking credit for someone else's work. When a goal seems achievable through less-than-honorable means, it's extremely easy to start justifying those means ... perhaps as "good fortune" or maybe as someone "getting what they deserve" for some previous action. Whatever the case, any goal we set for ourselves in life should be possible to accomplish without moral compromise, without endangering our health, and without coming at the expense of another. Whenever we're faced with such "good fortune", rather than entertaining ideas of taking advantage, it's time to grab the axe and dismember all such thoughts before they get out of hand.

Quote #10: "Come get some." - Ash, Army of Darkness

No matter how well we plan and prepare, life is going to throw us some curveballs. Rather than sitting around worrying about what unexpected trouble may arise, or fretting about the trouble tomorrow may bring, picturing yourself as an indomitable hero puts you in the right mindset to handle whatever may come. Often we adopt defensive thoughts when facing adversity; we do our best to "cope". But saying "Come get some" to our troubles draws out an aggression that motivates us to achieve victory ... and not just victory, but the utter crushing of our enemies. No more "Don't hurt me" or "Not the face"; "Come get some" says that whatever life throws at you, you're going to give it more than it bargained for. Bankruptcy? Come get some. Cancer? Come get some. Even when we don't feel brave or strong, sometimes just faking it is a good enough start.

So there you have it. Ten movie quotes to (hopefully) motivate and inspire you to live the successful life you're dreaming about.