The Outlaw Josey Wales is an interesting Western that I have watched many times. It is full of success lessons for the discerning!
A Missouri farmer joins a Confederate guerilla unit to avenge the murder of his wife and son and winds up on the run from the Union soldiers who killed his family.
Throughout the film, Josey spits chewing tobacco juice on everything that moves or does not move like the dead bodies of his enemies. He hits insects, dogs and a snake oil salesman who claims that his product can do 'almost anything'. Josey tells him to use it to clean the tobacco juice off his white jacket.
He also uses spit as a distraction before shooting down his foes. Occasionally he spits accurately into a spittoon. Practice makes you competent! Daily practice makes you an expert.
Pursued by the Union redlegs and his former Confederate leader, Josey Wales heads out for Red Indian country to escape capture.
His opponents chase him across a big river on a ferry raft. Josey stays cool enough to take a nap as his pursuers begin to cross the river. He then stays calm enough to shoot through the rope that is pulling the raft laden with horses and men. He gives them a 'Missouri boat ride' as they are swept away downstream.
This incident provides another great success lesson which is to stay calm under pressure. Everyone thinks,shoots and does everything better when they do not panic.
The young guerilla colleague, Jamie, whom Josey rescued from the redlegs, was wounded and is dying. Josey looks after him telling him not to look at the wound:
"Don't look at it, boy."
Great advice. Don't brood over your problem. Be aware of it but then get enthusiastic about how you will feel when your problem is solved.
Soon after the river escape, two bounty hunters, Abe and Elijah, sneak up on Josey. Both are excited at the thought of the reward for capturing Josey Wales but Elijah (Lije) is also full of doubts and warnings. Elijah reminds me of Shakespeare's great lines in Measure for Measure:
"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt."
Abe has to keep telling Lije to shut up so that he can concentrate on capturing Josey and getting the reward money. We all need to concentrate without allowing doubts to take over our minds. However in this case Lije is the wise one and Abe loses his life and Lije's by not listening to his warnings.
In the film, Abe pulls his gun on Josey: "I've got him, Lije."
"It's him, Abe. It's him! We've got the Josey Wales, Abe! I've seen him ride side by side with Bloody Bill, Abe. We've got reward money coming. Watch it, Abe. He's mean as a rattler and twice as fast with them pistols."
Abe tells Josey to "Move on back; move on back!"
Lije comes up with more warnings: "Watch him, Abe! I've seen him do some things?"
"Shut up, Lije"
Abe explains why he isn't killing Josey immediately:
"Now, Mr Josey Wales.I'd just as soon shoot you now but it'd be harder to drag your body through the brush to where we can get a pound price for you. "
Lije wisely disagrees: "Shoot him now, Abe. Shoot him, now!"
"Shut up, Lije." Abe is trying hard to concentrate on Josey!
"Move your left hand down and unbuckle that pistol belt. Make it nice and slow so that I can count the hairs on that hand. See, Lije. You pull his teeth and he's harmless as a heel hound. Always wanted to face out one of these big pistol fighters they raise all the fuss about."
Abe is on a roll! Lije is still rightly concerned:
"Watch out! He's probably got another pistol."
"Shut up, Lije."
Josey's young dying friend distracts the bounty hunters with the possibility that there might be stolen gold under his blanket and both of the bounty hunters are soon shot. Lije was right Josey does, in fact, have an extra pistol in a shoulder holster!
Jamie wants to bury them but Josey is as practical and unsentimental as ever:
"Buzzards got to eat; same as worms."
Later in the film there is another example of successful self-defence. Josey is confronted by some Union Soldiers. He again uses the distract them first technique by asking them a question to engage their minds before he shoots them:
"Are you going to pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?"
I won't go any further in the film in case you haven't seen it but already there are some great success lessons in the story so far:
1) If you want to become a successful expert at something (even spitting) practice daily!
2) If you can stay cool under pressure and control the adrenaline surge that usually accompanies stress and danger you are more likely to deal with any problem (like pursuing soldiers) successfully.
3) Don't brood over a problem. Just take note of it and then imagine how you might feel if the problem had been successfully solved.
4) If you need to focus on a difficult task, it usually helps to avoid doubt and to shut up any distracting voices like Lije's. However, occasionally, it is wiser to listen to the distracting or sceptical voices!
5) Defend yourself successfully by distracting your opponent before you strike!
About the author
John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams.
They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.
The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now! - Acronyms, Stories, Pictures And Quotes... Easy To Remember And Use Everyday To Grab Your Life And Soar With The Eagles"
The book can be found at this URL: http://www.motivationtoday.com
The book uses acronyms, stories, pictures and quotations to help readers remember 36 laws that can gradually transform your life if you apply them.
Ezine editors / Site owners
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site but please include the resource box above.
I call the following seven belief lies of success, taking... Read More
Picture this scene: Little Johnny's mother places a large piece... Read More
So you want to expand your horizons by securing a... Read More
I receive several emails every week asking me about how... Read More
We own a home on the island of Puerto Rico... Read More
One of the first things most of us remember hearing... Read More
Each and every day, there are people all around the... Read More
Does the thought of failure send a cold shiver down... Read More
The purpose of man is in action not thought -... Read More
Get ready to sail the Seven C's - the Seven... Read More
Don't expect results over night - what??If you were to... Read More
In my private practice for the past 13+ years I... Read More
Routinely, I rise out of bed before the birds, and... Read More
Over the years many people have offered their models of... Read More
Reading is an integral part of our daily work lives.... Read More
Walt Disney coined a special phrase for persistence and determination;... Read More
Ray Winstone, the London East End barrow boy, who became... Read More
It goes without saying that we are unlikely to experience... Read More
What makes you unique? Answering this question will provide the... Read More
Most sports are full of lessons for the discerning. Tennis... Read More
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.... Read More
Two Immigrants Live The American DreamSome may call it a... Read More
What if?you could have it all? 6 Steps to Living... Read More
There is a saying that goes something like this: Getting... Read More
I am unashamed to copy the peak performance techniques of... Read More
Sussex limo Midway ..There are so many internet marketing schemes out there so... Read More
Bill is a man for the people, of the people... Read More
If you ask most people whether they would like to... Read More
The difference between success and failure is based on behavior.... Read More
(Excerpted From The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan - Pillar... Read More
Jack Nichlaus was asked if there are really talented golfers... Read More
I recently was made aware of two comparative statistics that... Read More
Your own pressing needs, your long-standing frustrations, would benefit tremendously... Read More
There is a close link between respect for another person's... Read More
When I was in college, I heard someone say something... Read More
Let me say this to get it out of the... Read More
Language constitutes our belief system. What we believe is true... Read More
What are your fears? Fear of failure? Fear of success?What... Read More
"Perseverance allows you to get back on track when you... Read More
George Burns' career could have ended as early as 1958,... Read More
The other day I went shopping at the local consumer... Read More
You must understand You are already a Success, and before... Read More
Lots of people network but few reap the rewards of... Read More
"If you can tell the world who you are and... Read More
You will have the greatest success if you read the... Read More
What the anteater and otter show us about success?It's been... Read More
They 'do it' by sharpening their FOCUS on the task... Read More
It goes without saying that we are unlikely to experience... Read More
Many among us, on many instances, have the habit of... Read More
Are you consistently chasing success? Once you achieve it, do... Read More
Success |