Precious real-life lessons from 'Rudy'

People go to the movies mainly for entertainment, but it doesn’t hurt to get practical tips on how to live life and deal with the challenges that knock one down along the way.  The 1993 film "Rudy," for one, tells the story of real-life Notre Dame football player Daniel “Rudy’ Ruettiger, who’s a short young man who builds his life around the dream of playing for the popular Fighting Irish.  Here are some lessons from this film.

Fight for your dream

There will be plenty of naysayers along the way, but that’s okay.  Rudy wasn’t supposed to play football if his own family were to decide, and he didn’t have the built of an athlete or the natural skills linked to sports. All he had was drive, but that sufficed.  Mockery from his family or teammates weren’t enough to block his way to winning and overcoming.

Build on your strengths

It’s important to know your strengths and work to get better at them.  Be a better teammate while at it: look for the strengths of others (not their weaknesses), offer constructive criticism, and hone that leadership ability.

Don’t stop at goal setting – work toward them

Rudy had realistic dreams all right: to wear the uniform, get on the field for a play during regular seasons, and “get his name in the tiniest print in the school archives,” according to the late film critic Roger Ebert.  It wasn’t about going to be a starting member of the team, but instead, suit up for a single game and get on that field just once.

But one practical, attainable dream doesn’t mean being half-assed about it: work hard, go through the often punishing process, and beat the odds. 

George Ammar subscribes to a healthy lifestyle by prioritizing fitness. As for movies, he is a fan of sports films such as "Rudy" and the "Rocky" series. For similar reads, visit this page.