I am one of the great sentimentals in life. I am deeply moved by the things I witness; sometimes inspired, sometimes saddened. One source of a huge emotional spectrum is movies. I love everything from the funniest comedy to the scariest horror movies, although I must admit that I am partial to historical dramas.

During the course of a single movie, and even more so if we watch a variety of movies in a row, we are exposed to and experience a variety of emotions. These emotions are not necessarily the same for everyone, but it is a sign of a good writer, actor and director who are capable of producing more or less the same emotional reaction in a significant number of viewers. A ‘comedy’ that pleased some but left others crying and others scared would not be of much to anyone. A great actor / director / comedy director is one who can consistently make significant numbers of people laugh and experience the thrill of joy.

As viewers, we all have our favorite scenes from our favorite movies. There is something in particular about this scene that moves us in some way. It strikes a chord with us and we form a kind of identity with what is happening. I am sure that all of you have experienced this and it is this emotional identification and its use for personal development that I want to focus on and discuss in more detail.

Many of you reading this will already be familiar with some of the basics of personal development. One of the main actions you need to take is to get a plan of where you want to go in your life and (preferably) write it down and review it regularly. For example, if one of your goals were to learn Chinese, you would write it on a card along with the actions you are prepared to take to realize that dream. Perhaps in the morning and late at night you read your card and allow the goal to seep through your conscious mind and into your subconscious mind. From there, your subconscious mind will start directing you as you pursue your goal.

Being aware of your goal is clearly important, but knowing how you intend to achieve it is no less important. You may want to learn Chinese, but are you studying it? It will be impossible to achieve your goal without some action on your part. Taking action is where people often stumble. I cannot say that I have met someone who does not have a dream. But very few pursue their dream. Why? Because acting requires time, commitment and energy that are diverted from other tasks that, at least in the short term, can be more pleasant. Learning Chinese would be great, but doing so means that you can’t spend time relaxing and having fun with your friends. Your time and energy are limited, and so is your commitment to something that doesn’t bring you immediate pleasure.

Moving toward our goal requires us to be something: energetic perhaps, or committed, or a combination of the two. Or maybe we just want to show features for the sole reason that attracts us and is its own reward. I think we all want to be happy, for example. Why? Well, for no particular reason except that we just want to be happy.

Movies are a great source of the kinds of emotions and characteristics that we want to emulate. We’ve all seen great scenes in movies depicting an energetic and courageous hero, or the unyielding heroine who remains committed to her cause despite tremendous difficulties. And almost all movies have a happy ending, right? Almost any emotion that we want to experience has been represented in a movie at one point or another. Core emotions are reviewed over and over again (love is a prime example), but movies are also becoming increasingly complex by portraying different emotions that we may not be exposed to as often as the more dominant ones.

Let’s back up a bit now and review your goals. Take a look at your list, no matter how long or short, and begin to consider the types of emotional states and characteristics that you will need to emulate to achieve your goals. The list at this point does not have to be exhaustive, as you will find that the actual experience of chasing your dreams is very educational in terms of teaching you what states of mind you need to be in. Chances are, regardless of the other emotions you need to feel and the characteristics you need to display, you will definitely need to be motivated and inspired. These are the two that we will focus on.

The next step is to search your memory bank for movie scenes that have made you feel motivated and inspired. A classic example is that of Dead Poet’s Society and Robin Williams’s “Seize the Day” speech. Who didn’t feel a chill down their spine when they heard those words? There are undoubtedly many other examples, so as you remember them, start making a list.

Once your list is complete, the next step is to choose at least one of those movies and rent it or (preferably) buy it (so you have access to it at any time). Set aside time to watch the movie when you are alone and can fully focus on it. If you have time, I encourage you to watch the entire movie as this allows you to put the particular scene in context. Do this at least once if possible and from then on you can focus only on the scene in detail.

To begin, observe the scene a few times and begin to become more aware of the emotions you are experiencing as you watch. What really moves you? Is it the words? The facial expression? The interaction between characters? Music? A combination of several things? Try to watch without any sound. Try again with your eyes closed, just listening to the dialogue. Do the same and focus your attention on the music that is playing. Look at it and put your full attention on the main character. Then review it as you reflect on the supporting character. Shift your focus from one thing to another as you watch and rewatch the scene over and over again.

As your awareness of the scene develops, begin to tell it as a story. Verbalize it and try to capture the essence of what attracts you so much. Write your account of the scene on a notepad and keep it for reference to review and improve as you continue to watch. Continue to analyze what motivates you so much when observing the scene.

When you start to feel like you’ve exhausted all of your knowledge, start a new exercise. Now imagine that you yourself are the hero of the scene. You are the one who is inspiring. Close your eyes and mentally repeat the scene in as much detail as possible. Include the music, the same dialogue and the same reactions on the faces of those around you, but now look at yourself as part of the movie. You are the main actor. Are you. Your face and your body, your words, your actions. Do this several times as you get used to the idea that you are participating in the movie. When you feel comfortable, start manipulating the film – get closer to take a close-up of your face as you say your words. Make the colors more vivid. Increase the volume of the soundtrack; Turn up the bass or focus on the lead violin if you like. Exaggerate the reactions of those around you. Continue to manipulate the images and begin working on the elements that you find most inspiring in “your” film. If you recognized that it was the words that inspired you the most, then play with them: make them boom, make them sharp, say them with your particular accent … make them your words. Keep experimenting until the scene, now with you in it, is the way you want it to be. Become aware of the emotions you experience while on the scene. Memorize those feelings.

This exercise is never really complete and you can keep coming back to it as many times as you want, but for now, repeat the same process but take on the role of another of the characters in the scene. See things from their perspective. Imagine that you are one of Robin Williams’ students motivated by this great teacher who has apparently come from nowhere. Start changing the images in a way that is more suitable to inspire you. You can do this as often as there are characters in the movie.

This technique can be used to encourage any emotional state or characteristic that you want to emulate. With time and practice you will begin to notice that you are changing. For an immediate burst of motivation, heroism, empathy, or whatever you want to create in yourself, you can quickly replay the scene in your mind with you in it reminding yourself that you are just as motivated, heroic, or empathetic as the main character in the movie. story. With a little practice, you will find that this becomes second nature and is something you can do very quickly and easily right before a big speech, a sporting event, taking a girl out on a date, or whatever action you want to take.

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