Life Lessons from Troy

Today, I am in the mood again to blog about another movie I love.  I had a rare opportunity last week to watch the 2004 movie “Troy” top billed by Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana as Hector and Orlando Bloom as Paris.  They are all great actors and Brad Pitt did justice in his portrayal of Achilles.  His well-sculptured body is a testament of a warrior demi-god.  He is so becoming of his character, Achilles!

Ladies, I am not here to talk about Brad Pitt (Achilles) and how he makes most ladies (me included, when I was young), scream with thrill.  I am here to talk about some life lessons I learned from this classic tale. 

Do not listen to your heart alone when making a decision; think. Paris and Helen were overcome with passion.  The result of their decision based on heart alone caused the destruction of a lot of lives and the destruction of Troy.

Honor.  After Hector 'accidentally' kills Patroclus (by mistaking him as Achilles) he is later to fight Achilles one-on-one. Although he felt that he would most likely be slain in the battle, he still goes out and faces his opponent for the “honour of Troy”. In our present world, we seldom see “honour” in action.  This is a good reminder that our values should include “honour” that we may live in a more upright and peaceful society.

Burn your dead.  Metaphorically speaking, forget about the past; bury your past. You can’t control the past, nor can you control the future.  You can only work on the present, so just forget your past so you can move on.

Do not pretend.   Achilles’ cousin, Patroclus, gets killed by Hector while pretending to be Achilles.  Do not pretend or you will end us as dead meat.  If you have problems and issues in life, ask for help. Attend support groups, seek counselors, talk to your family.  Courage is being able to admit that you can’t handle your problems and admitting that you need help.

Life is a challenge.  You need to have short term and long term plans. There’s a guy right in front of you with a spear in his hand; there could be a guy way up ahead with a bow. You need to be prepared for the challenges in life.  Do not get surprised with the challenges in life.  There are a lot; so be prepared.

Nothing is absolute; not even the walls of Troy. No one can predict what will happen in the future.  Financial analysts can give an indication of the future of stocks and other investments but they can be wrong.  All things fall; stocks, businesses, civilizations and even relationships. You should always have an exit strategy; a back door exit that will help you move out of a mess and create a new beginning.