Tony Stark is our favorite superhero that we all love to hate. And he is back! You can check him out in the new Spiderman Homecoming movie, in theaters now. Tony is an accomplished, innovative, and intelligent business man. These traits along with his laundry list of accomplishments, make him an inspiration. Unfortunately, his ego is can be off-putting. He is a self-proclaimed genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Let’s dive each one to see what lessons we should learn from the Iron Man himself.
- Genius: Tony Stark is a genius, but don’t let that intimidate you. He works very hard to educate himself, innovate, and problem solve. He has a thirst for knowledge. He is constantly leveraging his experiences to learn as much as possible. He then applies the knowledge in a practical application to gain the maximum benefit. This dedication is admirable and should be emulated by anyone wishing to become successful. Don’t be afraid to work hard for what you want.
- Billionaire: Yes, everyone I know would love to hold this title. Being successful is largely measured in financial wealth. Having the means to fund your next project is important. Without the appropriate capital, innovation can be difficult. Not many people can leverage family money or power in the same capacity as Tony. If you don’t have large sums of money at your fingertips, there are other tools and resources out there. Organizations like the SBA and WESST offer support, and in many cases funding sources for businesses. Spend some time researching how to obtain the resources you need to continue your passion.
- Playboy: Tony does love to indulge. This tends to get him in trouble. Most superheroes are portrayed to be upstanding, well behaved, and always doing the right thing. Tony does not live up to that stereotype. He likes to spend his money and lavishly flaunt his lifestyle. Now, is that bad? I think it depends. Every action has a reaction. If you want to flaunt and boast about your success, you need to be ready for the responses you will receive. This is not to say that you should not be proud or celebrate your accomplishments. You most definitely must take the time to reflect and appreciate what you have done. Additionally, you must be able to have the confidence in yourself and your abilities, or no one else will. I encourage you to do so as tactfully as possible. Remember where you came from and always remember who supported you along the way.
- Philanthropist: Tony does support his community and has found the right mix of team members (the Avengers) to help him serve. This is critical. If you want to do business, then you must find a way to serve your community. There is a saying, “if you want to get there fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”.