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

It's time for another movie lesson. 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. My childhood was spent at the beach, riding waves until my love for golf took precedence. However, I've stayed involved in surfing, thanks to my older brother who is a dedicated and talented surfer, boasting scars and stories. Therefore, this story was one I have followed since I heard about it in 2003.

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

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.

Duck dive Challenges:

Obstacles will come in waves, one after another. Duck diving enables you to dive under and avoid waves that could knock you down. You need to learn how to overcome challenges. 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:

When you live with purpose, fear, doubt, and dejection will come your way. Courage is the internal fortitude that pushes you to be persistent, regardless of your feelings. Courage isn't something you're born with, it's a muscle that can be developed. Each time you take a step amid 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.