Great Fictional Quotes for Business

My daughter shared an infographic of great quotes with me created by Cornerstone OnDemand. It is 42 fictional quotes from the big and little screen that were not only powerful in the scene, but often inspire us on a more personal level. The infographic grouped the quotes into 5 different categories. All of them are great quotes, but these were my favorites under each category and why.

Leadership

“Your title gives you claim to the throne of our country, but men don’t follow titles, they follow courage.” – William Wallace, Braveheart

Why? Leadership is much more than a title. Many business owners are finding that out as they seek to develop their next generation of leadership for their companies. True leadership is earned and it is much more than just knowledge of the business and a title.

Entrepreneurship

“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” – John Keating, Dead Poets Society.

Why? Entrepreneurship by definition is coming up with a new idea and turning it into a profitable business. When those ideas become profitable businesses they truly can change the world. When you have a new idea write it down, share it with someone. Don’t waste it, put it into motion.

Teamwork

“Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Why? We talk a lot about the power of well-defined Mission-Vision-Values in a company. Your company will never achieve its full potential until everyone is clear on what you’re trying to achieve, where you want to go and what the values are that everyone in the company embraces.

Perseverance

“It ain’t about how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done” – Rocky Balboa, Rocky

Why? Life is going to have setbacks. Your business is going to have setbacks. But when you face adversity with a mindset of learning and a focus on how to keep moving forward, progress happens. The degree of success may vary, but ultimately improvement is inevitable. Rocky! Rocky! Rocky!

Innovation and Marketing

“Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple.” Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Why? Most overnight successes take a number of years. One of our clients is celebrating his 20^th anniversary this month, the company is successful on many levels, but what is inspiring about the business is they are always working to get better. They are lifelong learners; willing to try new ideas and be innovative in their industry.

The “2% butterscotch ripple” and the percentage adding up to over 100 made it effective for marketing because it is quirky and memorable, two attributes that work for marketing. Does your marketing stick out from the crowd?

Giving Back and Living Life

“Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.” Aragorn, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Why? This past week my daughter’s school had a community service day. The junior high students spent a day volunteering their time at various locations around the city. It was everything from gardening, to sorting clothing, to preparing food, and more. It was a powerful experience for the students (and parents) to step away from a normal school day and give back by helping those who are in need.

As a business owner or leader, if you want to do something to build comradery among your team, seek out an opportunity to do something that allows your team to give back and step away from their daily routine in the process. I trust you will find it provides a reward that no amount of direct praise can duplicate.

Here is the Infographic of the 42 Fictional Quotes. Check it out.