8 movies for the bold and ambitious

One leadership motivation tool that never gets dull is the movie that documents the true story of someone who overcame brutal challenges to become a legend. Here are a few of our favorites:

Lincoln – The Steven Spielberg film shows Lincoln as compassionate but shrewd and relentless when push came to shove.

Moneyball – The story of how the general manager of the Oakland A’s made people see in a different way what it takes to succeed in a cutthroat industry.

He Named Me Malala – A look at the events leading up to the Taliban’s attack on a Pakistani schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai, for speaking out on girls’ education. The inspiring aftermath includes her speech to the United Nations.

Apollo 13 – This movie shows how calm leadership can rally people around to solve a seemingly impossible problem.

A Man for All Seasons – The tale of Sir Thomas More’s absolute refusal to bend to a faulty principle—even at the cost of his life.

Papillon – The true story of a man sentenced to a life of imprisonment on notorious Devil’s Island. He refused to give up on his dreams of escape, no matter how many years passed and no matter how harshly his jailers broke him.

All the President’s Men – Watch how Jason Robards as editor Ben Bradlee wields very tough love on his tireless reporters. It’s a great lesson in how to be hard on people without breaking the skills that make them achieve.

King in the Wilderness – This documentary about the civil rights leader’s last chapter is a reminder that stories of heroism often don’t end with their most triumphant headlines.