Solo: A Star Wars Story is now in theatres. While box office numbers have not met expectations, critics and fans feel differently. Han Solo is perhaps the quintessential movie renegade, after learning his origin story there are a few things you can learn from this iconic character.
1. Have Confidence
Whether justified or not, something you’ve seen in Star Wars films, and especially in this latest is that Han Solo has confidence. He believes he has great ability as a pilot and aspires to be nothing short of the best. The confidence in this underlying skill set, breeds confidence in other areas. No other scene in the Star Wars canon illustrates this more than the one below.
The Lesson: Believe in yourself, if you don’t how can you expect anyone else to.
2. Be Hungry
What we do learn about the character from the film, that is relatively new is that Han Solo comes from extreme poverty. Borderline slavery to be exact. With no family he has to steal for an overlord simply to survive. In short, he’s hungry – literally and figuratively. It’s this hunger that drives him forward to achieve his goals, but also to take risks in doing so. It’s a palpable quality that people notice and take a liking to.
The Lesson: Hunger is infectious and admirable. If you really want something in life, “wanting” it isn’t enough. You have to hunger for it.
3. Anticipate
This lesson is quite obvious in the film, it is conveyed literally and figuratively. It applies not just to the hustling game, but virtually any competitive endeavor. You have to anticipate your opponent’s moves. Stay two to three steps ahead. A lesson which Han learns early and employs often.
The Lesson: Before you act, think ahead.
4. Have People
This lesson perhaps runs contrary to what Han Solo is presumably about, a lone wolf who can do it all by himself. But does he really? In the film he begins without people (will save the rest on that for the film). He does however begin to meet and acquire a surrogate family, namely his number one bro – Chewbacca. The film also shows how he gathers a supporting cast. One that really hits its stride when he meets a certain set of Skywalker siblings later on in the canon.
The Lesson: You can’t do it or go it alone.
