The 5 lessons Kung Fu Panda taught me about running a business.

What’s not to like about a film that centres around a rather portly and clumsy panda and his quest to become a fully-fledged Kung Fu Master? It’s full of action, humour and of course, the ultimate triumph of the underdog. 

So, what has this tale got to do with running a business? Here’s my take on it: 

Lesson number 1 the film extolls the virtues of being true to yourself and winning because of who you are rather than who you think you should be or who others think you should be. 

Lesson number 2 is about the strength of operating as a team. A former coach of mine used to speak about the sum of the whole being greater than the sum of the individual parts and we see Po and his crew - Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, and Crane - embody this premise as they seek to defeat Kai Lung and restore peace to the valley. 

Lesson 3 comes from Po himself as he realises that his power comes from within and not from the Dragon Scroll.  

Lesson 4 – find your motivation (your why) and you’ll be away with the mixer. Po’s is food, mine is to positively impact as many business owners as possible so that they can change the world. 

The final lesson for me is that famous quote from the movie, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift and that’s why they call it the present”. I hold onto this as I take action every day and it helps me let go of mistakes, successes, and desired outcomes so that I can concentrate on what I’m doing right this minute. 

Which films have provided useful lessons for you? 

What difference do those lessons make? 

Caro x