Business success: Lessons from a galaxy far, far away

Toys. Clothes. Lunch boxes. Theme park rides. All these and more have contributed to Star Wars becoming the massive multi-billion dollar business it is today.

Yet under the impressive marketing ideas, and beyond tales involving spaceship battles, lightsaber duels and strange aliens on even stranger planets, at the heart of the franchise lies the real reason why George Lucas’ epic masterwork has endured for over four decades — simple stories with lessons for everyone.

With that in mind, and in conjunction with Star Wars Day on May 4th, here are five things the Star Wars saga can teach us about business.

Make hope work for you

From time to time, we all love gazing wistfully into the distance and to hope and dream of accomplishing great things.

Yet as many Star Wars characters — from Luke Skywalker to Ezra Bridger and Rey — have learnt over the course of the saga, for tangible results, you’ve got to turn hope into a strategy for success.

Granted, there are numerous ways to do this in the real world. But one of the best ways for business owners is to consider the future you want, and then put the processes in place to get there.

Strive for balance

In the world of Star Wars, Padawans (Jedi apprentices) need to be single-minded in their quests to become Masters.

Even so, neophytes are constantly reminded that power rings hollow without balance.

For entrepreneurs, finding balance means realising that even though you are the most vital component of your business, it is also necessary to pay attention to your mental and physical health and of those you work with. Yes, work and accomplishing your goals are important. But so too is your wellbeing.

Stay on target

Triumph in business doesn’t always follow a straight line. Entrepreneurs can sometimes find themselves facing daunting and seemingly insurmountable trials on the road to success.

Yet even when it seems like you’re getting hit from all sides by Imperial fighters, Star Wars teaches us that it pays to disregard the odds, keep your focus and stay on target.

Remember, whether you’re on a mission to blow up a Death Star or hit sales targets, commitment and perseverance are crucial.

Ethics is always the way

From clone troopers to Wookies, the best heroes in Star Wars always pride themselves on doing the right thing.

Yes, sometimes, as the bounty hunter Din Djarin found, being ethical can result in lost earnings. Nevertheless, whether you are leading a rebellion, romping through the galaxy with a mysterious alien kid in tow or looking to close a business deal, there’s never a reason to compromise on values.

Your reputation as well as that of your business are defined by the moves you choose to make. And if you want to convince customers, prospects and the public at large of your trustworthiness and legitimacy, there are no two ways about it — you have to be ethical. Always.

You can turn things around

We can all fall — even those who hold so much promise, like Anakin Skywalker.

But failure should never spell the end of the story. Throughout the Star Wars saga, in fact, disaster has often proved to be the trigger for redemption and a journey from the Dark to Light Side.

Picking yourself up and vowing to do better, however, doesn’t mean your mistakes are automatically erased.

But for direct sellers and entrepreneurs, it does mean that you’ve realised that failing is not losing. Rather, it’s an opportunity to make a change and move forward for the good of both you and your business.

Star Wars may be set in a galaxy far, far away (and a long, long time ago). But over the past 45 years, the saga has shown us that no matter who or where you are in the universe, goodness and the determination to overcome odds transcend space and time.

May the Force be with all of us.