If you see a movie that challenges your dominating premises and it does not resonate with you, then you label it an “art” film.
“It is made for Oscars and critics, not for me. I’m a man with a normal thought-muscles,” you say.
But if you see a movie that actually resonates with you, then it is not just an “art” film; it becomes a well-thought, well-researched, well-directed, well-planned movie with great actors and gets the “great movie” label.
More often than not, that’s how we think, isn’t it?
We don’t like movies that don’t resonate with us, because they burn our daylight, disturb us and make us feel under the weather. We feel that movies that don’t resonate with us are a great waste of time.
On the other hand, a movie that resonates with us, whether it’s Gladiator, Slumdog Millionaire or Argo, earns a place of great respect in our hearts.
Same way, a Business Book that tries to teach better business practices but does not confirm to its promises is a waste of time. But if a Business Book awakens a better businessman within, it’s the most awesome Business Book you’ve ever read.
The difference between the one that we like and the one that we don’t is their resonance with who we are.
Sure, you may go ahead and conclude that a particular movie is not good or a Business Book is a crap. However, let’s get clear on this: we don’t like and feel unhappy about the things that don’t resonate with us.
Should your resonance with a particular thing (and the conclusions that you have drawn based on that) be a cause of your happiness or unhappiness?
Or should there be an opportunity for things that don’t resonate with you to work towards (probably) making something better for you?
Isn’t it possible that things that don’t resonate with you at first might contribute in your success if you choose to be open to learn from those experiences as well?
