Redford and Newman on Industrial Market Trends? IMT turning into AMC? Not really, but I guess this is a little different.

I’m not really into self-help books or taking philosophy from Pooh or those sappy posters of waterfalls that are supposed to inspire you to “live life on the edge.” At all. (Though I would like to give this to bullying managers, this to inept coworkers, this to the lazy employees and this to the super-awesome engineers out there.)

But self-improvement is a good thing. And I like movies. And I am into things that occasionally remind me to get off my butt to live my life meaningfully, on purpose, with purpose. You know, proactive living, carpe diem and all that.

So for this week’s “Light Friday,” and as a sort of summer sequel to our bonus IMT at the Movies in this week’s e-newsletter, I feel inclined to share with you a blog I discovered recently (via Curt Rosengren’s The Occupational Adventure) and have since been enjoying.

It’s called Reel Life Wisdom, and it’s written by Doug Manning, author of a book by the same name and recipient of Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Reel Life Wisdom uses movie quotes as a point of departure for thoughts on various aspects of life, personal and professionally. Manning breaks it down into three main categories:

• SELF: Define Your Character — Reel Life movie quote reviews about proactive personal development

• LIFE: Build Your Story — Reel Life movie quote reviews about choosing a meaningful life

• LOVE: Connect to Your Supporting Cast — Reel Life movie quote reviews about developing meaningful relationships

Manning’s approach is fresh, and if you’re a movie buff like most of us at IMT, it’s even better. So here are a few examples (topic, movie, quote, review):

On values, from Munich: “Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values.”

Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film, about the group of agents deployed to assassinate those responsible for the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, “speaks indirectly to the importance of individuals staying true to their core values, no matter what,” Manning writes. “We begin by defining what we believe to be most important. We revisit these values anytime we are asked to make an important decision. Our values provide the firm foundation upon which we build a growing sense of fulfillment and contribution to our communities.”

Wouldn’t it be nice if all initially well-meaning executives (and politicians) went uncorrupted by greed and bureaucracy, instead following their core values from beginning to end?

On decency, from The Wizard of Oz: “Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking.”

This applies to everyone in the workforce — and everyone beyond it, really.

There are plenty of jerks in the workplace, of course. Many of them treat team members, partners and other professional colleagues in ways that are not only cruel, they are downright primitive, to say nothing of the fact that they kill productivity and increase turnover. Why is being decent to others so difficult? As IMT reader B.W. Nasca commented this week, “This is not brain surgery, folks. Treat others as you would want to be treated. Period.”

Couldn’t've put it any better myself. (Image credit: Warner Home Entertainment)

On communication, from Babel: “If you want to be understood — listen.”

This is the point of the multinational (super-subtitled) film. “We can understand each other, if we will only take the time,” writes Manning:

‘Babel’ helps us to see that the key component of real communication is taking the time to listen. Barriers like differing languages, differing assumptions, and differing cultural perspectives require us to shift the focus from ‘me’ to ‘we’ if we truly want to understand and be understood. There is no quick path to understanding another person’s point of view.

With travel and telecommunication, the world is becoming more interconnected, Manning notes. “However, despite our more integrated connectedness, our assumptions and fears keep us apart. We can do better. We can take the time to listen.”

Seeing as this is our weekly “Light Friday,” in which we highlight the often-absurd developments in business, industry, tech and the workforce…

On laughter, from Garden State: “If you can’t laugh at yourself, life’s gonna seem a whole lot longer than you like.”

We’re taking ourselves far too seriously, and the problem is far too common. When people laugh freely and often, Manning writes, “they have accepted the imperfections of themselves and the world they live in. A more carefree life begins with the ability to laugh at your own imperfect self.”

Understand that you don’t laugh because you feel good. You feel good because you laugh. So lighten up and laugh. (Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures)

As for the wisdom of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Manning had this to say on living a hectic pace:

Sometimes, life is like being Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on the run. You never really get time to rest as you rush from one experience to the next. Just when you think you’ve outrun the pursuing responsibilities, they show up once more on your horizon. The hectic pace of pursuing excellence in your personal and professional life can take its toll on your physical and mental well being. In order to maintain health throughout the course of your life, you must find a way to escape now and then. It is an act of responsibility to hide away. It makes you effective over a longer period of time.

The good news is we really don’t have to leap off a cliff as Butch and Sundance did to escape the forces seeking to hold them accountable for their decisions in life. All we must do is take well-timed, well-deserved breaks from our high-paced world. Manning writes:

Go for a walk. Stop and smell the roses. Visit your long-lost friends. Do something completely different. Reflect on all the richness in your life. Before you know it, your mind will be clear, your powder will be dry, and you can return refreshed to the excitement of pursuing opportunities in our fast-paced world.

Reel Life Wisdom also offers a number of themed movie-quote lists such as The 10 Worst Movie Quotes for a Job Interview and The 10 Smartest Movie Quotes for a Job Interview. But I recommend ‘ya browse through the site. If nothing else, perhaps you’ll get some ideas for your next Friday night movie at home with the family.

Any movie quotes (or movies themselves) that inspire you, professionally or otherwise?

Cheers.