DON'T THINK. JUST DO!

I’ve seen TOP GUN MAVERICK 14 times in the movie theater:??9 of them were in IMAX, in the first two weeks.??Crazy, huh???I couldn’t get enough, so I kept going back for more!

What made me watch a movie 14 TIMES???Many of us have favorites that we’ve seen over and over:??The Godfather, Rocky, Titanic,?etc, but to be pulled to go back to the theater again and again, consumed me in a way that I had no control over:??I had to go back for more.

Jerry Bruckheimer, the executive producer, was present live at the first showing on opening day at the Chinese TCL Theater in Hollywood.??He stood in front of all of us and basically said,??“This movie was ready to be released two years ago but due to COVID restrictions and theaters being closed, we decided to wait and release it when you could see it live, vs. seeing it via stream.”??What a brilliant decision!??You have to see this one live.

I was taken by the movie.??It begged for large, bold, loud engagement. The IMAX quality of film and surround sound quaked my body as my chair shook and the sound penetrated my being.??It took me into the fighter planes, the danger, the difficulties of learning under pressure, and the magic of working together.??There was such a full mix of fun, challenge, love, and teamwork that each time I see it, I see more subtleties and nuances that I overlooked before.

But what was the real magic that kept pulling me back for more??There was a personal message that spoke straight to my courageous heart. I sense that when we see something with such truth, or hear it in a piece of music that speaks straight to the soul, or taste the luvv in a delicious meal – there is a through line that touches within.??It’s an essence that calls out and connects with the spirit of our being, personal and specific.??I know no one else who has seen the movie 14 times, but for me, I was compelled to return again and again to feel that personal connection that spoke to my essence.

Here are the highlights of the movie for me.

Being the example of courageous leadership.??There?was a point where the world’s top fighter pilots have been unable to complete their dangerous simulator tests in preparation for a very dangerous mission.??All of them would have died.??But then Tom Cruise,?Maverick, steals a plane and demonstrates that it can be done, survived, in less time than they thought possible.??Maverick put himself fully on the line,?being the example and showcasing what can be done when no one thought it could.??I luvv examples of leadership, and this was one of the most heartful and inspiring ones I’ve seen in a long time, one that has kept me returning for more of it. Our impact on each other, our example or what can be done, speaks volumes over telling others how.

Don’t think. Just do!??This was one of Maverick’s key principles he repeated over and over, attempting to instill in the already great fighter pilots as they prepared for an extreme mission that none of them had faced before.?Don’t think. Just do.??Wow, that’s a hard one to live by, but it ultimately saved his life in the movie, TWICE!??The scenes where that was demonstrated, the courage to do vs. think through reason --under life and death pressure -- so inspired me!??To courageously trust that deeper listening in the moment is what I desire for myself in my own leadership, and life.

The power of teamwork.??This was a group of skilled professionals, all with their own quirks and traits, being challenged and challenging to each other.??But Maverick was tasked with making them work as a team, and as they teased, tripped up, and inspired each other, I could feel the deep connections being made.??There is a magic to great teams that is beyond the actual team; an energy that emerges that pulls out greatness and fuel impossible results. This movie showcased the courageous heart and the magical spirit of teamwork.

We have many opportunities to get it right.??There always is a luvv component to a great movie.??In this one, Maverick and Penny have had several periods of being together in the past and Maverick would overstep his bounds and piss off an admiral and get sent away to overseas missions, breaking them up.??Clearly, he was learning about himself, the importance of close connections in his life with Penny and Iceman.??For me, my luvv connections are high-octane fuel to my life, and an area where ongoing learning through the mess-ups is required.??

Life is generous.??It’s filled with opportunities for us to learn again and again to get it right.??I felt this movie was made on the life principles that sustain us all.??In my book, it’s already a real classic.