4 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Wonder Woman
DC and Warner Brothers’ new Wonder Woman film has broken records and inspired movie goers across the world. The movie stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman and Chris Pine as Steve Trevor. The script was written by long-time comic writer Allan Heinberg, who has previously worked on Wonder Woman comics, and directed by Patty Jenkins.
From the get-go, Wonder Woman was already diversifying itself from the barrage of superhero movies being churned out in recent years — it was a live-action superhero film with a female lead AND a female director.
While most viewers might see the movie as pure popcorn entertainment (and there’s nothing wrong with that), entrepreneurs and business leaders can get a lot more out of it if they pay attention. You might be surprised at the insight and lessons hidden away in some of the scenes and themes of the film.
Here are just a few of the things you can learn from this amazing Amazonian warrior and apply to your own journey as an entrepreneur.
(Just a warning: there are some spoilers for Wonder Woman below. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you might want to bookmark this article and come back after you’ve watched this amazing film.)
Always keep learning.
One of the very first things we see in the film is the Amazon warriors of the island of Themyscira training for combat. In fact, a good portion of the beginning of the film is focused on young Diana wanting to learn to fight. She might be small but she has a warrior’s heart and is eager to train and practice like the other women. Deep down, Diana knows the only way she will be able to face the challenges life will bring is by learning, pushing herself and becoming better.
The very same is true for entrepreneurs. The only way you can be prepared for the challenges of starting and running a business is to learn, practice and train. Learn new skills and continue to hone them. Seek out strong mentors as Diana did with General Antiope, her aunt and a fearless leader who trains her to be a warrior. Learn everything your mentors have to offer, even if it doesn’t seem to apply to you at that moment. You never know when that knowledge will be needed.
Have the right tools.
Before she leaves Themyscira with Steve, Diana goes to the Amazon’s vault and equips herself with a set of armor, a powerful sword and the magical Lasso of Truth. She knows she will need these tools to defeat Ares, the god of war, and understands the importance of being as prepared as possible.
Do you have the right tools to defeat the various challenges you’ll meet on your path to success? If you don’t, you’re taking a very large risk. This isn’t to say you’ll fail, but you’ll have a much harder time overcoming those challenges. Make sure you evaluate each situation and know what tools you’ll need to take it on. While you might not have a magic lasso (does anyone?), you can arm yourself with resources like computer software, specialized equipment, capital, talented employees and strong partnerships.
Take risks and do what’s right, even if everyone says not to.
One of Wonder Woman’s most powerful scenes takes place when Diana, Steve and their team reach Belgium’s Western Front. Here, they find the Allied forces locked in combat with the Germans. A No Man’s Land sits between the two armies and the soldiers warn the team that there’s absolutely no way to cross it without risking their lives. Steve pushes to move on, but Diana refuses to ignore the people on the other side who need to be saved.
Instead of listening to everyone telling her it’s impossible, Diana makes a decision. She raises her shield and marches across No Man’s Land, deflecting bullets with every step. The others soon join her and they quickly liberate the village on the other side of the German lines.
As an entrepreneur and risk-taker, you will have people telling you something’s impossible. You’ll hear that making certain investments is crazy, that starting a business in this economic environment is a sure-fire way to fail, that now’s not the time to try to expand. While you should always take into account the advice of others, don’t let their words make you afraid.
Never make a decision out of fear because people are saying what you want to do is crazy. Instead, approach it logically. Do you have the skills and tools to accomplish the task? Diana knew she could save the village. If you have the same confidence and, after analyzing the available information, you believe the risk is worth taking, do it.
Be part of a team.
While Diana is the one to lead the charge across No Man’s Land and also defeats Ares in the end, she doesn’t do it alone. She and Steve battle together for most of the movie and he brings along his team — Sameer the spy, Charlie the marksman and Chief the smuggler. From far away, they’re supported by Steve’s loyal secretary Etta Candy. Even before she leaves, Diana has the help and friendship of Antiope, her mother Hippolyta and the other Amazon warriors. She’s never truly alone, even when she’s fighting by herself.
In the end, the world is saved by the combined efforts of everyone involved. Diana understands the power of a team, which is why she will join another group of superheros in the upcoming Justice League movies. She knows the only way to defeat evil is by working with others. At the end of the film, she emails Bruce Wayne to thank him for a photo of her and Steve, showing that she knows strong allies are only a quick call away.
Do you have a team? While there are some aspects of being an entrepreneur that are going to fall solely on your shoulders, you should always have strong friends, mentors and employees you can call upon when you really need help. Today, your support network doesn’t even have to be local. Diana and Bruce Wayne live across the world from each other, yet they know they can depend on each other for help.
You can do the same. Even if your mentor has moved to another country, there are a multitude of ways to keep in touch, whether through a traditional phone call, Skype, a chatting app, email, or another mode. Distance is no longer an excuse for being distant. Use today’s technology to keep in touch with those who support you and to support others on your team.
These are just a few things Wonder Woman can teach entrepreneurs through her solo film. There’s no doubt she will have more wisdom and lessons in the sequel and the other Justice League movies.
