Over the holiday break, I checked out the movie, "We Are Marshall". It's an inspirational true story of the fatal plane crash in 1970 that killed 75 of the Marshall football team's players and coaches, and how Jack Lengyel, a young coach, comes in and rebuilds the Marshall football program and helps lay the foundation to restore it to future glory. It's a great story of leadership, hope, courage, and how to overcome devestating loss and grief.

As I watched the movie, I couldn't help but think about how each and every one of us has our own trials and tribulations that we must overcome, and how Jack Lengyel's courage and approach to leadership can be a role model for us on how to overcome tragedy and adveristy. Here's a couple of things that I learned from the movie:

1. Bad Things Happen To Good People

Everyday, bad things happen to good people. We all know someone, perhaps even ourselves, that has had something terrible happen to them when they didn't deserve it. We often ask "why?" and never really get a good answer. The reality is that these things just happen - to good and bad people.

2. Events Don't Define Us, It's How We Respond To Them That Does

As the movie goes on, most of the town members are against moving forward. They want to live in their grief and stay in the past. Jack's leadership and courage helps the town move forward, and they then rally behind him as they realize that they can determine how this tragic event will define them. Oftentimes, when we are faced with a similar situation in our lives, we need to have that courage to move forward and use the event to inspire us to become better than we were before.

3. Tragedy Inspires Us To Greater Things

Sometimes when bad things happen, it inspires us to greatness. It can be a wake up call, or just a call to reach down inside ourselves and do something great! If you look at the negative from a positive perspective, it will help you move forward and be a stronger person.

4. Sometimes It's Not About Winning

For the Marshall football team and the town, it was no longer about winning games, but more about just playing football and rallying around each other. Sometimes we need to change our focus and give ourselves credit for doing the best we can in the situation, even if we aren't at the top of our game.

I encourage you to see the movie if you haven't already, as it will inspire you! When you have a setback in your business, a tragedy or loss in your life, or something bad happen to you, keep Jack Lengyel and the Marshall football team in mind...they just might inspire you to greatness!