Reimagining success, and living your life the fast-and-furious way!
When we go to the cinemas to catch the latest films, we often have some pre-conceived notion or unrealistic expectation of what constitutes a stellar or spectacular movie. A blockbuster or box-office film may not necessarily be good, but they are always great in entertainment value. The CGI visual effects of action flicks such as ‘The Fast & The Furious’ truly captures our imagination with fast cars and sexy babes. Today, we continue to marvel at the many live-action films being released and rebooted over time. Since its first installment in 2001, Fast & Furious has generated over five billion dollars in total worldwide revenue to date. This literally eclipses many popular blockbusters including Harry Potter, Star Wars, and the Marvel movies. So why is ‘Fast and Furious’ so successful? And how can we emulate the success of this franchise, and make our own lives more successful?
Solid Cast & Script
Now we all know what makes a successful movie. There are fundamentally two ingredients to cinematic success – a solid script, and an all-rounded cast of actors. Just as in real life, whether at home or at work, success is founded upon family, friends and colleagues. A strong organization depends on cohesive teamwork, and a happy marriage lies with great communication and compromise. Greatness or excellence in life begins with a strong foundation filled with talented players.
Unity in Diversity
In addition to a solid script, a diverse cast of characters also play a major role in a film’s success. A multi-racial cast with diverse or different ethnicities often adds value to any movie. There is unity in diversity, so to speak – being in unison with a single-track mind amid our individualistic views or perception of success. It is not surprising that the Fast & Furious franchise has generated an incredible mass appeal worldwide among men and women, young and old – cutting across racial and ethnic lines. Cinema-goers expect to be entertained for the ticket price they paid for, even if it is only temporary – to escape the hustle and bustle of reality.
Action-Oriented Living
As the saying goes, “Action speaks louder than words”, our successes are often measured by our accomplishments. Just as with the series, the yardstick for success in life is how often we win than lose. Action speaks volumes for those who are tongue-tied for words. We continue to journey through life, and action becomes second nature to attaining success. Life is never mundane, and just like action blockbusters, it is filled with thrills and spills. Action sequences help shape our lives, and provides a fresh new perspective to the meaning of life. They add colour, excitement and never-ending challenges in our quest for ultimate success.
Consistency in Delivery
A key factor in delivering success each and every time is the quest for consistency. Reproducing success is not as easy as it seems. Just as with scientific experiments, it takes tons of effort to verify all the results. There is no immediate guarantee or instant gratification in delivering a successful result each and every time. Just as the great American inventor, Thomas A. Edison once said, “Success is one percent inspiration, and 99 percent perspiration!” What you see is often what you get! And that is exactly what you bargain for when you go watch Fast and Furious!
Dynamism in Character
A dynamic character is often looked upon as the pivotal centrepiece of a movie’s appeal and attraction. Sometimes it takes a cool and charismatic leader to lead towards success. In The Fast & Furious, Dom is seen as the classic “Robin Hood-styled thief with a heart of gold,” boosting cars to make a living, which sets the tone for subsequent sequels. All characters have their own pros and cons, as well as strengths and weakness. The flaws and imperfections also define their traits and attributes. Characterization is driven by the choices we make, whether in film or in real life. Reality is filled with such dramatic characterization which borders on fantasy. As the saying goes, “Life is often stranger than fiction.” To put things into perspective, our lives sometimes intertwine with fantasy. We thrive on living in an imaginary or make-believe dream world. Characters come and go, but their personalities continue to inspire our imagination. We also tend to imitate art in real life, with an insatiable appetite or lust for role-plays which often defy reality.
The Embodiment of Fun
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Indeed, life should never be boring to begin with. We should never be tied down to our work, or view our job as chores per se. Redefining and reinventing the workplace often spices up our occupation or profession. Work should never be mundane or monotonous. We should all learn to liven up our lives. Shake things up once in a while – loosening up your congested thoughts and restrictive mentality. Sometimes it works to have a little fun in our lives. Enjoy the little things in life whilst appreciating the bigger picture at the same time. Wake up your inner child or embrace the little kid in you, and you will be surprised how things can change for the better. Always find fun new things to do with your life, and you are guaranteed not to regret it!
An Unequivocal Passion
Great movies are often created with great passion. Movie-making involves much love and dedication as well. The sheer diligence and perseverance displayed by those within the film industry transcends the countless obstacles and challenges encountered throughout the entire process of movie production. As mentioned before, life is just like a movie. We often live our lives mimicking our favourite on-screen characters. When Paul Walker, one of the principal casts of Fast & Furious, met with a tragic death some four years ago, the whole world wept and mourned his passing. As an avid street racer, he was absolutely passionate about cars and racing. Ironically, his character in the movie also faced an eerily similar fate. It is passion that drives people to do the things they do. One can never have too much passion in one’s quest for success. Always remember, you can always aspire for excellence but never quite attain perfection. Passion driven, excellence inspired!
