Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

Get busy living or get busy dying and a message of hope was the central theme of The Shawshank Redemption. Unlike other prison movies, Shawshank presents a tapestry of life principles and metaphors for every student of life and success.

Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins, never surrendered his vision for the future, remaining hopeful in the midst of dire circumstances while enduring a life sentence for murder. According to Red, played by Morgan Freeman, at Shawshank, everyone is innocent and hope is just a shitty pipe dream.

During a pivotal final scene (posted below), Andy asked Red; “Do you think you’ll ever get out of here?  Yeah, when I’m old and gray, with a few marbles rolling around in my head. I don’t know if I could make it on the outside, I’m an institutional man”  Like Brook, an older character in the movie, Red became dependent on the security of prison life and cynical about the prospect of being paroled. “These walls are funny. First, you hate ’em, then you get used to ’em. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them.”

Institutionalization isn’t limited to the penitentiary. Many people become tolerant, dependent, and accustomed to the false security promised by the walls of their personal prisons. It could be the wrong career or job that’s going nowhere, a toxic relationship, or circumstances that seem out of their control. All too often, people become hopeless victims, accept their lot in life and just give up hope.

Andy was different than most of the inmates at Shawshank. He kept hope alive by dreaming and even visualizing his future — Zihuatanejo.  Never dwelling too long on the past, he stayed productive and made friends and alliances even with prison guards in order to advance his strategy and master plan. Andy learned how to overcome obstacles while making consistent progress including daily decisions that advanced him toward his prize.  Having hope for the future was cultivated by a plan of action and daily steps. Red noticed Andy’s meticulous nature, curious and observant, but never caught on to what he was planning.  Andy’s unwavering commitment and intention would eventually deliver his ultimate goal, freedom.

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” “the way a prisoner imagined the future affected his longevity.” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

In his final conversation with Red, Andy declared; “Guess it comes down to a simple choice; get busy living, or get busy dying.”  Choose to live, dream and hope or just give up and die a slow painful death. Whatever the circumstance, it boils down to our ability to choose our attitude in the midst of difficulties.

In a powerful scene, Andy had just returned after two weeks in the hole. He served time for broadcasting Mozart’s opera, ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ through a microphone to the entire prison.”The beautiful opera soared above the walls with two women singing. It was a bright ray of light in a drab prison yard. In a conversation in the mess hall with Red and the boys, Andy claimed he heard music. Tapping his heart and his head, he said, “The music was here . . . and here. That’s the one thing they can’t confiscate, not ever. That’s the beauty of it.”  Red’s reaction was typical of the hopeless, faithless attitudes of the scoffers in our life. Pointing his spoon directly at Andy, he asserted and revealed his limiting belief; “There’s no use for hope on the inside, it will drive a man insane.”  (By the way, there’s a happy ending for Red too)

In 1987, I chose to escape the prison of my job. I planned and methodically executed my exit strategy. Geology presents a perfect metaphor; “pressure and time”, exactly what was required to break free. Freedom isn’t free, must expend energy. With each passing hour, day and year,  I felt vibrant and alive as I envisioned and anticipated my new life in the future. Seven years later, The Shawshank Redemption premiered in October 1994, the month and year I escaped.

If you’re not happy or looking for significant change in your life, you know your circumstances will not magically change on their own. It’s okay to hope and dream but we have to make the decision to start. Plan and Plot your escape, execute your plan, and amazing, life-changing results will surely follow.  Don’t listen to the inmates, those who are satisfied with false security, and those who mock you and make attempts to keep you from accomplishing your dreams.   Find and follow the freedom lovers!  “Get busy living or get busy dying.”