30 Jul Five lessons Frozen has taught me about life and business

Like many parents of young children, I have watched the latest Disney blockbuster, Frozen, more times in the past few months than I care to confess (it’s that rare thing – something that both my 6 year old and 19 month old can enjoy). And when I was watching it for the seventy-millionth time, I got to thinking about the lessons I could take from it as I embarked on starting my own business.

Lesson One: “You can’t marry a man you just met”

I’m all for trusting your gut and intuition, but if you want a long-term relationship, it’s best to take a little bit of time to get to know each other. Of course, I’m happy to just date casually too if you’re not sure that we’ll be a good long term fit, and we can see where things go!

Lesson Two: “People make bad choices when they’re mad, or scared, or stressed”

Ah, yes, yes they do. And for me, this means prioritising self-care so I can be less stressed and make more intentional choices is a big priority.

Lesson Three: “Fear will only make it worse”

Fear is designed to keep us safe, but a lot of the time, it really only holds us back. When Elsa feared her power, she was trapped by it and held hostage. Similarly, I was scared for a long time to back my own business aspirations. But once you recognise and confront your fear, you can move on to bigger and better things. You might not be building amazing ice palaces, but it could be something nearly as cool!

Lesson Four: “Standing, frozen, in the life I’ve chosen”

Not happy with where you are in the life or the direction you’re going? Then change. Don’t let your own choices hold you back. If your doubts and fears are the only things stopping you, then be like Elsa and let them go. It’s highly unlikely that you’re going to set off an eternal winter and far more likely that you’ll revel and grow in your newfound freedom.

Lesson Five: Only you can save yourself

Anna was looking to Hans and then Kristoff for an act of true love to melt the ice in her heart and save her. But ultimately, she saved herself by being willing to sacrifice herself to save her sister, Elsa. Similarly, in business, you can’t sit around waiting for people to hand opportunities to you. You need to make your own opportunities, network, take responsibility for your own professional development, and be prepared to dig deep to find reserves of self-belief, no matter how deep they might be hidden.

So, there you have it, five lessons that I learnt from Frozen. What lessons have you learnt from children’s movies?