3 Key Takeaways from Monster University

(photo sources:http://kosheronabudget.com/monsters-university-review/)



1. Strengths, Teams

Different from traditional cartoons, Monster University is not going to tell you " if you try very very hard, with strong determination, you are going to succeed, you are going to do what you want.", without considering what your strengths are. Indeed, it resembles what Marcus Buckimgham said that you grow the most in your strengths, not your weaknesses. If you try very very hard to improve your weakness, you can just improve it from worst to not so bad, but can't never be excellent, just like the case of Mike.

In the end, Mike knew he can't be a scarer even though he read lots of books and theories. Even though he tried very hard, he can't be a successful scarer as Sulley. That's talent, that's strength.

I also like the movie because it tells us "team will achieve much more than individual." and our strengths can supplement each other to make thing happens, just Mike and Sulley worked together to scar adults. It won't succeed if there was just either one of them. Eventually, Mike found ways to contribute his strengths - being coach, to help Sulley to be the most successful scarer in the company.

2. Find your position

Echo with the previous point, there is not only one way to be a successful scarer, to meet your goal. Remember when the teammates of Oozma Kappa were upset because they thought they were not for suitable for being a scarer, Mike brought them to Monster Inc. to see real scarers. And then the teammates realized those scarers were just like them and they could find their ways to scar people for sure.

You don't need to have the typical characteristics of a scarer such as scary and giant for being a successful scarer, you should develop strategies to scar people based on your strengths. And being scarer is not the only way either, just like Mike realizing he was good at teaching and guiding people how to scar more then scar people by himself. And that's the way he contribute to Monster Inc.

3. Is going to university important?

Mike and Sulley were expelled from school even though they are good and talented students. It makes me think of some people saying "you can still be successful without studying in university, like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Eward Snowdwn" when the public examination (HKDSE) results were released. It is as if they were trying to comfort students "can't get into university doesn't mean you failed. Cheer up!".

Is it true? I think students know the answer themselves. For me, I think university at least serves as a place that provides students chances to meet different people and have diverse exposure, which is going to be useful for them to figuring out what they want to do in their career.

Think about how Mike and Sulley became scarers, think about the amount of works and the effort they put all along. Do you think your determination and motivation are so strong that can sustain yourself to work hard for going to a distant path to achieve the goal?

Determination and hard work are the necessary but not sufficient factors for being successful.