7 Inspiring Lessons You Can Learn from Tom Hanks By Susan Diamond

Lesson 6: Toy Story

In a departure from traditional films, Tom Hanks plays Woody in the animated film “Toy Story” which first came out in 1995. The gist of the plot centers around Woody and Buzz, toys who battle for the attention of their owner, a little boy named Andy. The popular movie went on to spawn sequels and make merchandising history with main characters Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) plastered on products from lunch boxes to action figures.

Lesson 6: People are fickle - deal with it. Times change, tastes change, and people change. It's important to be flexible. Yet a second message emerges from Toy Story. If you have a winning formula - stick with it. As true as it is that change is a constant in life, it's equally important to recognize what's working and use it to your advantage.

Lesson 7: A League of Their Own

It's the 1940's, wartime in America. The men are on the battlefield and women have been called upon to offer an alternative to Major League Baseball. Tom Hanks plays Jimmy Dugan in the 1992 fictional movie “A League of Their Own” about the first women's professional baseball league. Jimmy Dugan is a drunk (when he can afford it) who doesn't want to manage a woman's baseball team, but he does it for the money. The feisty cast of female characters show Jimmy that women can play baseball, and women have a great deal to teach a man about living with integrity.

Lesson 7: Your attitude can give someone else renewed confidence that changes their life. You never know what the stranger next to you has to endure. Be gentle, be kind, and reach out to your neighbor.