4 True-Story Movies About What it Takes To Succeed

by Lewis Robinson

Finding the courage to follow your passion and become an entrepreneur is a dream for many. Pursuing that dream even when everything that can go wrong does takes something special. If you have hopes of being one of the big successes in your field, it takes more than just intelligence and know-how. These four films, all based on true stories, illustrate the internal skills you need to set you apart from the crowd.

1. Joy

 Whether you have your eye on a career in B2C or B2B marketing, this movie has a lot to teach you about the level of resilience and self-confidence it takes to succeed. Based on the true story of multi-millionaire Joy Magano, the film follows her rocky road to success as the inventor of the Magic Mop. As the primary caregiver of her mother, father, grandmother, ex-husband and two children, failure is not an option for Magano. Coming up with a multi-million dollar idea is only the beginning of her journey. She must battle the foibles of her large family, betrayal from those closest to her, unscrupulous business partners and her own insecurities to secure her success.

2. Moneyball

On the surface, Moneyball is a movie about baseball. Brad Pitt gives a quiet but impressive performance as major league manager Billy Beane as he desperately tries to pull the failing Oakland A's out of a cycle of losses and bad luck. Against the advice of everyone around him, including those who have more experience, Pitt's character makes the bold decision to utilize a new form of statistical analysis to chart his team's course. For prospective entrepreneurs, the movie teaches important lessons about trusting your gut and being willing to take a chance on something new.

3. The Pursuit of Happyness

This is a beautiful film with a heart-wrenching performance by Will Smith that was good enough to get him an Oscar nomination. It tells the true story of Chris Gardner, a highly intelligent salesman who simply cannot catch a break. As the movie progresses, Gardner suffers an unimaginable number of setbacks and obstacles including his wife leaving him with their five-year-old son to care for and becoming homeless. Gardner's dogged pursuit of a better life despite incredible odds will eventually lead him to a highly successful career at Goldman Sachs and the life he has always dreamed of for his son. The tenacity it takes to reach his goals and his refusal to give up even when all seems lost has something to teach any entrepreneur.

4. Jerry Maguire

So, who knew that a movie about a jaded sports agent could be so heartwarming? Jerry Maguire tells the story of the titular character as he struggles to find success in the unscrupulous world of sports management. He recognizes that the way the business is run is heartless and cruel, but he doesn't have the courage to change it. That is, not until he meets irrepressible wide receiver Rod Tidwell and good-hearted single mother Dorothy Boyd and her precocious son. Maguire learns a lesson that would benefit any business person; real success is all about playing from the heart, even in a cutthroat business.

Books, seminars and higher education can give you the business skills you need to possess to become an entrepreneur; however, they won't teach you about the internal fortitude you need to succeed. These four films put forth the idea that it takes something from the gut and from the heart to make it big.

Maguire finds success when he couples his skills with the ability to act from the heart. Gardner achieves his dreams only through near-heroic levels of perseverance. Beane leads his team to great wins by having the courage to take a chance on something new. Magano's success is fed by her intense drive and willingness to fight for what she deserves. These are true stories of highly successful business people who dug deep within themselves to find the resources they needed when others may well have given up.