Movie Lessons: Soul Surfer teaches us to live life on purpose

It is time for another movie lesson. I didn’t realize it had been so long since our last one. To get the series started back up, I want to talk about “Soul Surfer“. The movie is a based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a pro surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack. I grew up at the beach and surfed until the courting by my golf clubs won out, but I’ve kept up with the sport thanks in part to my older brother, who is an excellent and avid surfer with the scars and stories to prove it. Therefore, this story was one I have followed since I heard about it in 2003.

The movie is a good one and worth a trip to the theatre. More importantly, “Soul Surfer” teaches us how to live life on purpose. Here are three fundamental lessons from the film:

Choose Your Waves:

You can do anything in life you want. The problem is you can’t do everything. Find your purpose (make sure it is bigger than just you) and choose opportunities that will help you serve it. Learn how to discern between things that are going to move you forward and the things that may just keep you busy.

Duckdive Challenges:

Obstacles will come your way and many times they will come in like a set of waves, one after another. Duckdiving enables you to dive under and avoid waves that could knock you down. You will need to learn a how to do this to challenges that come your way. In the movie, Bethany innovates in order to overcome. The key here is to focus on finding solutions and not let present circumstances keep you from reaching your dreams.

Be Courageous:

If you are living life on purpose, you will have plenty of opportunities to be afraid, doubtful, and dejected. Courage is the internal fortitude that pushes you to be persistent, regardless of your feelings. Some people think courage is this substance that you are born with or without. I think it is more like a muscle and can be developed. Each time you take a step in the midst of fear and doubt or you get back up one more time after you’ve failed, your courage grows.

One of the great lines of the film is when Bethany tells her dad, “I don’t need easy, I just need possible.” Living a life on purpose is about chasing what is possible. “Soul Surfer” reminds us of this and teaches us a few lessons along the way.