Editor’s Note: A few weeks ago I was contacted
about a personal growth book based on the movie “Groundhog Day”.
Although I was a bit skeptical of a book based on a movie, “Groundhog
Day” is a great movie and the author was kind enough to send me a free
copy.
I’m still working my way through it, but so far I find the
message of personal transformation compelling. In this guest post,
author Paul Hannam explains the message of Groundhog Day that inspired
his book.
I have read hundreds of books and attended dozens of training events
where I am told the same message about personal transformation – you
have to change the way you see the world, not try to change the world
itself.
This has been the mantra from Buddha all the way to self-help books
like The Secret and The 7 Habits. It is supported by research from
positive psychology and by a wealth of biographies and personal
anecdotes. I completely agree with this message. Indeed I have trained
several thousand people on this core idea, both as a management
consultant and as a lecturer at Oxford University. Moreover, I believe
the best illustration and dramatization of this truth is found in the
movie Groundhog Day.
This one movie contains everything you need to know about positive
thinking, personal growth and happiness. And it’s very funny too. So on
the 15th anniversary of its release, and in the spirit of the Groundhog
Day ceremony on February 2, I would like to show how you can leave
winter behind and discover the joys of spring!
In the movie, the main character, Phil Connors is trapped in a
recurring day — a freezing February day in Punxsutawney. The town never
changes; the events and the people never change. Only Phil can change.
It is impossible for Phil to have any control over the external
world. Every morning he wakes up and it’s the same day again. He is
compelled to find how best to survive and prosper, and decide if this is
a curse or maybe a blessing.
Through the brilliance of this plot we can observe Phil as he deals
with his unique predicament. We can see how he struggles to find meaning
and purpose in his life. Each day he experiments with new thoughts and
behaviors and he learns what works and what does not work. Any change
that occurs must be inside of him because only he can change – all the
other characters repeat exactly what they did the day before.
This shines an intense light on Phil’s ability to change himself. As
he struggles through all his flawed strategies based on selfishness,
manipulation and instant gratification we learn how empty they really
are. Over countless days he learns that what pleasures he thought would
make him happy have failed to, and he has to accept that his old self
has completely run out of steam.
He is forced to place all his attention on changing the way he
interprets the world, on his personal reality, as his external reality
is fixed. Once he accepts he is truly stuck, possibly forever, he has
nowhere else to go and begins to rebuild his personal reality by
changing his attitudes, values, thoughts and feelings. He literally
recreates himself by focusing all his attention on inner change, on
becoming a more mature, loving and giving person.
He transforms his thoughts and this transforms every part of his
life. His journey proves that inner change is the key to our personal
growth and happiness better than any other example I can think of. Phil
literally transforms the worst day of his life into his best day, and
the only thing that changes is his thinking and his actions.
The genius of the time loop means that there are no other variables
that could be responsible for the change – the only changes in the town
occur because he has changed. What greater lesson in personal
transformation is there?
Written by Paul Hannam, author of The Magic of Groundhog Day – Transform your Life Day by Day.
Paul taught at Oxford University and over the last 15 years
trained thousands of people in the business and non-profit sector,
including courses on Leadership, Sales, Change and Personal Development.
He is also co-founder and President of Bright Green Talent an environmental search firm; Chairman and co-owner of Greenest Host , a web hosting solution that is 100% solar-powered; and co-founder and partner of Enso Ventures a venture fund and incubator for green businesses.
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