Marlin: I promised I’d never let anything happen to him.
Dory: Hmm. That’s a funny thing to promise.
Marlin: What?
Dory: Well you can’t never let anything happen to him. Then nothing would ever happen to him. Not much fun for little Harpo.
The exchange above is from Finding Nemo that is simple and powerful. Marlin is an overprotective father who is trying his best to keep his son safe and Dory is a friend who is helping Marlin find his son.
Dory has a simple and positive outlook on life that frustrates Marlin. During an exciting adventure where Marlin feels like he’s going to break a promise to his son, Dory’s comments provide great insight into his approach.
You can’t promise anyone, including yourself, that nothing will happen. And, if you have a goal of growing as a person, you need to do something. Learning doesn’t happen if nothing is happening.
Tags: Learn Every Day • motivation