Tip#284: Failure Is Not An Option – Apollo 13

Being in a crisis is the ultimate test for you to unleash all your dormant strengths within you. You just have to believe that failure is NOT an option.

I've recently experienced the strangest series of synchronicities revolving around the movie Apollo 13. I was first inspired by someone's enthusiasm for the film and wanted to finally see it. But it wasn’t easy.

Here's what happened:

• Bought a new DVD of Apollo 13 but wouldn't play on my DVD player. First time this has happened. Cleaned it several times and player couldn't even read the disc.

• Exchanged DVD with another new disk. It played for several minutes and then started to pixelate and freeze. Again, cleaned the disk several times but kept starting and stopping.

• At this point felt there was a deeper meaning. Not meant to watch it now? Or maybe I'm meant to see the movie with someone.

• Decided to see movie at my money/wealth guru friend's home a few days later. Happily, it played for about 90 minutes and then started to freeze just like before. My friend said this has never happened before on his DVD player.

• We tried to fast forward beyond the frozen section of the movie and ejected the disk several times, cleaning it and still couldn’t get past the frozen chapter. That chapter was number 13.

• We had just seen the scene with the famous quote, "Failure is not an option." So we were determined to somehow finish the movie!

• My friend and I persevered and kept a positive mindset just like the events in the movie. It was incredible how synchronistic our challenges were in trying to finish this movie with the events of the characters of Apollo 13 trying to get the astronauts home.

• Amazingly, after pausing to build our positivity, the DVD began to play again. It continued to pixelate and freeze periodically but we made it to the end. It was the most excruciating viewing of a DVD I've ever had experienced and yet we made it home. Just like the astronauts in the movie.

Apollo 13

This may be the most unusual blog entry on how a movie motivates because the lessons of Apollo 13 were being played out in real time while trying to watch this movie! Everyone from the 3 astronauts of Apollo 13 to the people at mission control became heroes for demonstrating a positive attitude, optimism, teamwork, perseverance, resilience, adaptability and resourcefulness.

Flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) was inspiring with his indestructible optimism and astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) was amazing as a leader who’s intention and vision got his entire team home.

So whenever you are faced with a crisis remember the power of positive thinking. Remember to focus your mind on moving forward with optimism and determination. Remember you are never alone and that there is always a solution. Failure is NOT an option!

NOTE:
One last meaningful coincidence. This blog entry demonstrates the incredible connections with the number 13. It extends even more to my tip#13 where I wrote about how I first met someone under a series of 13's. That person was the one I ended up watching Apollo 13 with! (cue Twilight Zone theme)

Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009