12 Jan Five Ways The Greatest Showman Movie Will Inspire You for 2018
If you are suffering from the January blues, need some motivation to boost you, or be inspired to achieve your goals, The Greatest Showman provides a fantastic 100 minute tonic!
Hugh Jackman stars as the famous circus founder Phineas T. Barnum in this uplifting movie focusing on how one man pursues and almost loses his dream.
Visualise Your Dream, and Live the Dream – the opening number of the movie shows Barnum as the ringmaster of his highly successful circus, the peak of his achievements with the artistes, the audience, and himself all having a fantastic time. But this scene also serves as the dream of the boy Phineas Taylor Barnum – his goal to be someone completely different, leading his show, essentially in control of his life, surrounded by happiness, and acceptance. This number, The Greatest Show is a brilliant example of a live affirmation – the dream and goal set out in the present tense and heightening all the senses and reasons we want to achieve it. The Greatest Show is essentially the young boy living his dream in his imagination as well as the adult Barnum living his dream in reality. But we know that visualising works – it enables you to create a plan to achieve your dream.
Create your affirmations based on your “Why” – what is most important to YOU and WHY do you want to achieve this goal? Use the present tense, consider all the senses, and most importantly consider how does it feel emotionally to be successful in living your dream.
Step Out from the darkness and into the spotlight and say “This is me”– There is a beautiful moment in this movie when Barnum encourages the “Bearded Lady” Lettie Lutz out from behind her cover and tells her she is beautiful, and invites her to be seen as she truly is. Lettie’s anthem “This Is Me” has such a powerful message for anyone who must overcome barriers in our society. Every individual is special and has a right to be in their own spotlight.
Download the song This Is Me or watch the official flashmob video whenever you need the boost to overcome barriers. However difficult the barrier, take that first step into your spotlight to show your talents and skills and what makes you unique. Be proud to say “This is me!”
Always remember your “Why” – don’t lose sight of it as you follow new goals – at the heart of Barnum’s “why” are his life-long love for Charity and his daughters. He wants to make them all happy, create a stable home, and allow them to achieve their dreams. As Barnum becomes fascinated with the Swedish singer Jenny Lind, he focuses all his goals on her and how she can ensure he is respected in high brow society. Barnum is desperate to be accepted by the society which has always eluded him, but in focusing all his attention on that goal, he gambles away almost his whole life.
Take time to examine your Life Plan and consider if you are spending too much time focusing on one goal. Identify what is most important to you. Set out your schedule and short term goals to focus on your priorities, and consider your “Why” for each goal.
Fake it till you make it – a number of the characters in this movie must “act” their role before they can “be” their role. A main theme of this movie is conveying how people can appear a certain way on the surface but the emotions they create in the experience are genuine. Although the show may be sold on a few white lies or exaggerated truths, the performers are real and have their unique stories to tell. The audiences buy into their humanity not the advertised “freaks”. Characters such as Lettie and Tom must fake their confidence, their performances, until the audiences accept them.
We all need to fake it till we make it to some extent – we gain confidence by trying. We gain acceptance by trying and succeeding.
And finally, Rewrite Your Stars and create your future – the sub plot of the love story of Phillip and Anne is as relevant today as in this period of history – around 1888 – but is timeless. The Romeo and Juliet story of young lovers who cannot be together because of social barriers. In this case, the barrier is the colour of their skin – the racial barrier. Their musical number Rewrite The Stars is such a motivational anthem for anyone who must face barriers to achieve their dreams. The lyrics tell us we have the power to take control and create our own future – we are not defined by predetermined destiny.
Take control of your life, your future. Set out your dreams as affirmations, write your life plan, and start working towards your goals!
*The Greatest Showman is currently showing at cinemas. The soundtrack is available on CD, and to download,and stream.