Authors – Dr. Ajayya Kumar, Mohamad Abou-Zaki & Ghassan Khoury
Some stories are immortal. They span beyond geographies, languages and time. They are enthralling works of sheer brilliance which, beyond the cinematic experience they give us, hold valuable insights for every viewer. No matter where the viewer comes from or what his or her background is, they leave them thinking. Just like the 1959 epic Ben-Hur does.
Adapted from Lew Wallaces 1880 novel, Ben-hur is a tale of Christ, but not just that: it’s a fascinating movie made more than 60 years ago, adapted from a novel written in the 19th century, about a story set in biblical times, that offers lessons for a modern-day entrepreneur living in 2021s. Lets take a look at some of those lessons
- One wise decision leads to another
As the Roman empire ruled the world, Judah Ben-Hur, a man from an Aristocratic Jewish family in Judea was punished for a crime he did not commit and was sent to the galleys.
Three years later, as a slave rowing on the ship of Roman Consul Quintus Arrius, he was known for his strength and self-discipline. One day, after he was summoned to the chamber of Arrius, he found him fast asleep. Smouldering with hate and the desire for vengeance against Romans, he contemplates murdering Arrius and making an attempt to free himself from slavery. But Judah doesnt let his desire for revenge get the better of him and he does nothing. He knows that by killing the consul would he neither make it alive out of the ship, nor would he achieve his ultimate goal of finding his mother and sister who were arrested along with him. Later during the battle with the Macedonians, he saves the life of the Consul and it eventually leads to his freedom and finding his family.
Judahs discipline and farsightedness are qualities which would come in handy for any entrepreneur. Impulsive decisions arent good during an entrepreneurial journey. So think twice about that decision you are going to make, consider its far reaching consequences and then make the move (or not).
2. Maintain a strong sense of purpose
Judah had only one purpose in life – to find his mother and sister. He doesnt diverge from it even when he is adopted by Arrius as his son, is offered wealth and a Roman citizenship which would ensure a safe and secure life for him. On his way back to Judea, he gets another tempting offer from an Arab Sheik named Ilderim. Judah, an adept charioteer, is offered the chance to drive the quadriga of the Sheik and defeat Messala, the Roman tribune who sent him to the galleys, in the race before the new governor. The Sheik reminds him that people get killed in the arena and no rules apply, hinting that he could have his revenge against Messala. But Judah is more concerned about finding people who may be alive, than taking the life of his enemy. So he declines the offer and continues his journey.
As he reaches Judea, he finds that his old mansion is managed by his loyal steward and his daughter. They have little hope that his family is alive. No one survives four years in the dungeon, the steward says. But Judah reminds him that no one survives three years in the galleys either, yet he did. It is this kind of strong sense of purpose and hope that motivates Judah to overcome all his struggles and hardships and allows him to make wise decisions.
This is the kind of spirit every entrepreneur needs. At every turn of your journey, you may find things backfiring or getting harder and harder. But what you need is to keep your eyes steadfast on your goal and constantly remind yourself why you are doing this. Have faith in yourself and your purpose. Keep telling yourself that you are working towards a larger mission and it’s not yet time to call quits.
3. Help may come from surprising quarters, so be patient
After Judah is sentenced, he marches along with other slaves to the galleys. The walk is long and tiring, and they stop at Nazareth for water. The soldiers forbid people from giving water to Judah and knock off vessels from the hands of those who try to do it. Judah collapses to the ground, but then he feels water being sprinkled on his face. A man has knelt beside him and is providing him with water unmindful of the commands of the soldiers. Judah drinks the water as if he got his life back. Seeing this a soldier charges towards them, but the man who gave Judah water stands up to him. The soldier feels something strange inside him and backs off. The man is none other than Jesus. Judah doesnt know it yet though. All he knows is that without those sips of water his life would have ended. As the march resumes, he looks back at the kind man with gratitude and a bit of wonder.
Later when the Consuls ship is about to attack the fleet of Macedonians, Arrius asks the soldiers to lock the rowers. Usually if the ship sinks, the fate of the rowers is to sink with the ship, shackled to its hold. But the Consul, who has a strange liking for Judah, asks one of his soldiers to unlock just Judah. This later saves not just the life of Judah but also of Arrius.
In life you need not believe in miracles, but believe in fellow human beings. Of course, it doesnt mean you should blindly trust everyone. But there may be times when everything seems over. Be patient. Build good relations. Because you never know who might surprise you by lending that helping hand.
4. Treat your coworkers with compassion and strike the right balance at the workplace
When Judah meets the Arab Sheik Ilderim at an oasis, Ilderim is seen shouting to his charioteer not to whip the horses. Dont treat my horses like animals, he screams. Judah, who had his own stable before he was sentenced, and treated his horses with love and care, concurs with this. Later during the race, all the other charioteers, including Messala, are seen whipping their horses hard, torturing the poor creatures to win the race for the men. But not Judah. With his affection and empathy, he wins over the horses who now see him as one of them, like Ilderim. Eventually, they win the race as a team.
This scene is one of the finest examples of how you should treat your co-workers. Establishing yourself as the boss and giving them a hard time might do well to boost your ego, but it does no good to your organisation. You will simply demotivate people and push them to leave your company at any cost. So, treat people with respect, give them the appreciation they deserve, drive your sense of purpose and goal into them too, and work together as one team.
That said it is also important to remember that, sometimes even if you have the finest people with you, you might find things wobbly. When Ilderims driver repeatedly loses control of the chariot, Judah points out that the problem is not with the horses, but with their alignment. In the final race in which they succeed, not a single horse is replaced, but their alignment is restructured, and they have an efficient charioteer.
Sometimes, this is what you need in your business too. If things aren’t working, dont immediately quit on your people. Find out what they excel in and in which position they shine. Do a little restructuring, it might do wonders on your business.