Life Lessons From The Pixar Lamp

A few weeks ago when we explored life lessons from Cinderella, we talked about how wishing won't get the job done when we have big juicy goals. Envisioning our goals is lovely. It does put gas in our motivational tanks. But, ultimately, we have to put our feet on the gas pedal and start moving. We have to lean into action. 

But there's another aspect of growth that's important to remember and it's that growth is iterative. We can't magic our way to the top of a staircase. We have to take each step one at a time. 

And we believe that Pixar's very first short, Luxo Jr., is a great place for us to explore this lesson. This 1986 short is the origin story of the Pixar lamp that we all know and love and the Pixar ball we've spotted in hidden throughout Pixar movies.

Join us as we explore the power of iterative growth with a frustrating/lovely reminder that the imperceptible movement we're making is actually where the best stuff is happening.

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This Week's Big Think

What is one thing that you are working on right now that you are iterating on and getting better at each and every day?

Like the Big Think? You'll love the Beyond The Big Think, our weekly PDF download that we share with our Patreon supporters: The Magic Family. Learn more at patreon.com/magicalmindsetmoments.

Resources From Today's Episode

Here are a few things to remember about iterative growth...

1. It's helpful to leverage what you know while doing something new.

The story and the score in Luxo Jr. are simple but strong. They support the new technical leaps that Pixar was making.

2. Starting small will allow you build momentum without burning out.

Pixar tackled a two-minute short with two lamps and a ball, not a feature-length film with numerous characters and settings. 

3. Don’t wait for something to be perfect to ship it.

You can’t move up a staircase without taking one step forward at a time. You’re not going to simply arrive at the top if you don’t take the first step, then the next, and then the next.

4. Let the hard stuff be hard.

Trying to hide from the truth is never a good idea. When things are hard, be honest and specific about what is most challenging. 

Luxo Jr. (1986) | Where The Pixar Lamp Got Its Start

Piper (2016) | The Pixar Short Released With Finding Dory