North Pole and Chinese combo

Most of us love visual arts. Some movies amuse us for a while and are then forgotten. Others stick with us and prove to be surprisingly durable over time, revealing depths not evident at first glance. For me, there is not one but two such deep and durable movies?- “The Polar Express” and??“Kung Fu Panda”.?

Had someone asked me the same question when I was 15, my answer would have been the romantic Sridevi-Rishi Kapoor starrer “Chandni” but to my great dismay, the cinematic romance died with them.

I am fairly conscious there is alot of google-able learning on each of these movies,??the trick for me in writing this post was finding the common thread in two very distinct adventures - one based in China and the other trailblazing across the North Pole.?

Let me start by stating the obvious, we all have heroic capabilities, if we only in act in the moment. Whether it’s about boarding the polar express, or just being unrelenting as Panda to be part of the warrior pack. Both movies are about taking the ‘leap of faith’ and getting on the path of ‘self-discovery’

So what are the ingredients of ‘leap of faith’??- surely we need a sprinkle of some ‘Belief’ and a few teaspoons of ‘Hope’ and ‘Courage’ and the stirring of ‘Will to Act’ and that would just about be perfect recipe for an awesome adventure.?

That said, you may not find a standing ovation at every heroic leap you take, but take a moment to humbly acknowledge it and be proud of it. It’s a great self-motivator. You have to be your greatest fan ( and your greatest critic, unless of-course, your bestie has already scaled that summit).?

So whether its validation or plain inspiration you are looking for, these are two great movies to see. It will reignite the hero in you.?

“Leadership.”

One of my favourite takeaways is the contrast of leadership displayed by Master Oogway and Master Shifu in Kung Fu Panda as also in the case of The conductor and Hero-Girl in The Polar Express.

I find so many parallels in real life when it comes to Master Shifu or The Conductor, and on very rare occasion do I get the privilege and the honour of meeting a Master Oogway or Hero-Girl.

Must I clarify, both Master Shifu and Conductor are supremely capable; disciplined and focused on their responsibilities. They know how to operate in a box. However in the moment of crisis, only the decisiveness of Master Oogway and Hero-Girl prevails. They are what we call visionary. The conviction of their mind; their speech and action. They have mastered the art of remaining calm and unflustered. A rare breed of leadership.

Withstanding their initial display of mediocrity, both Master Shifu and The Conductor evolve. As the old saying goes: one cannot fill a glass that is already full. Only when they empty their brimming glasses do they acknowledge their assumptions and in process overcome their limitations.?

Master Shifu evolves his style of teaching to adapt to a new student. And doesn’t not expect the student to adapt to his rigid teaching approach.

The conductor adapts and embarks on self-discovery as he challenges and supports the children and as he gives a peek into Santa Claus’s new idea for “re-bicycling” broken toys.

Flexibility in a leader is a ‘must have’ trait. Flexibility in her/his management approach. Flexibility to learn/ unlearn. Flexibility to seek help/ be decisive.

Flexibility is what it take to keep your glass half empty at all time and to respond to crisis without being intimidated by it.

Flexibility is seeing every challenge as an opportunity to grow.?

“Inner Peace.”

?As Peter Calhoun says, “An enlightened being has no castle walls to defend.”

When we learn to let others have their opinions and judgments, saying what they will without it disturbing our inner peace and concentration, we’ll learn the way of the Tao.??It’s truly an inside-out process. Not that I am anywhere close to mastering it myself, but I persist, in hope.

As you will see in these movies, nor Po,the Panda in Kung Fu Panda and neither the Hero-Girl in The Polar Express lack determination. Both show a heightened sense of awareness of their humble circumstance and a desire to prove useful to their compatriots and must I add, a degree of selflessness and a pursuit for great good. A hero might be guilty of hesitating but never be guilty of lack of determination and ingenuity.?

The pursuit of Inner Peace requires a degree of awareness of the surroundings and??a certain degree of conviction and acceptance that one has to do one’s karma, with pure intent - there can only be positive results.?

Inner peace comes from being purpose driven. It’s comes from selflessness.?

“Vision.”

I’ve would’ve listened to many CEO’s, senior executives present their organization’s vision, mission, and goals to audiences of employees – frequently with no enthusiasm and the excitement of reading a dictionary.?It’s even been true for leaders of religious organizations who present visions not even close to the spiritual promises of their faith.?

Visions should be vivid. A vision should generate enthusiasm on the part of everyone in an organization so that every employee understands, supports, and take actions to help achieve the vision.??

The Conductor presents the vision and the journey with excitement and enthusiasm. As also in the case of Kung Fu Panda, the desire and hunger of Po, the Panda to part of the Dragon Warrior team is so infectious and sincere. You want him to succeed.?

Let me end by sharing my favorite quotes from these movies:

“You must let go of the illusion of control..”?―?Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda

“I believe” ―?Hero Boy, The Polar Express

If you haven’t seen any of these movies, I hope this post will inspire you to give it one watch and share your insights with me.?