Falling With ‘Style’

Everyone is familiar with Toy Story, especially, the scene where Woody and Buzz finally fly to catch Andy and the moving van before it’s too late. They called it “falling with style.” This was because Buzz couldn’t technically sustain himself to fly. He wasn’t that kind of toy. Or was he?

I’d like to use that analogy when I talk about failure. Most people, like the toys in Toy Story, will tell you that you can’t fly. That you can’t be an author, it’s not realistic. That you aren’t meant to be an engineer, that’s a man’s job. That you can’t travel the world, because you have no money. I’m here to tell you that they are very wrong. About all of it.

If you want it. If you need it. If you dream it. You will have it. It is that simple.

Here’s how you get it. You fall, stumble, and fail. Sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? Here’s the catch (no pun intended), if you don’t know what failure feels like, then you won’t know true success or joy. Happiness comes from struggle. It’s true when they say you don’t realize how good you have it until it’s gone. Sometimes, it has to come to the extent of losing everything and being left with nothing. Only then do some realize that happiness and success isn’t defined by material wealth.

Let’s talk about Tom Hanks, aka Woody. Tom has had his fair share of struggle during his youth. At a mere age of five years old, Tom’s parents got divorced, and according to Tom’s friends, this affected him for the rest of his life.

“Tom and two of his siblings went to live with their dad, while his youngest brother went to live with their mother,” reveals a friend. “His father was a drifter, and moved Tom and the family 10 times in five years. There were times when he went months without even talking to his mother.”**

Tom has often described his childhood as lonely and that was something he struggled with for a very long time.

In his early 20s, Tom married Samantha Lewes right out of college, but they split in 1987.

“Tom says looking back, he got married for all the wrong reasons,” another friend says. “He was trying to kill the feelings of loneliness that had haunted him his whole life.”**

After his big break on Bosom Buddies, Tom’s acting career begun taking flight with Splash and Big. Following those films, Tom won back-to-back Best Actor Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He was a household name. But, all of his successes derived from his struggles and his ability to overcome them.

Tom’s friend related in saying, “But as much as Tom doesn’t like to talk about it publicly, he carries these emotional weights. He would be the first to tell you that stardom and millions in the bank don’t shield you from the problems so many other people have.”**

It’s important to note that struggle will always be there. Even after you have achieved absolutely everything you thought possible. Money cannot buy health nor love nor friendship nor happiness. Most things considered fulfilling cost nothing. Helping others and the satisfaction of making a difference. Acquiring true love via hard working and understanding. Finding peace and acceptance of yourself and all your faults. These are all inside jobs. No amount of external influence could give you those things.

It’s up to you and only you whether you pull yourself up or not. Don’t just lie there thinking that you are done. You are not finished, yet. Get up. It will hurt. You will cry. You will be angry. But, you will be stronger. You will be resilient.

If you can find that rising force inside you, then you will undoubtedly get to where you are going. Just remember, that though you may not be considered flying, you could be “falling with style.”

**Source: radaronline.com- "Divorce! Death! Drugs! Inside Tom Hanks’ Wild Real-Life Rags To Riches Story"