Behind the scenes: 11 Lessons to take the Reins of Your Life Back
Sometimes hidden in plain sight are words that fill
you with lessons your heart somewhere already knew. From the most ambitious
business players to the most lethal survivalists, there is something to learn
from every character. Here are the 11 deadly lessons spoken through the words
of the characters of House of Cards:
1. IT’S
OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES AS LONG AS YOU LEARN FROM THEM.
Or in the words of Ryan Price, “People learn from
their mistakes, don’t you agree?”. As humans, we are not immune to making
mistakes, but we certainly have control over the aftermath. Instead of
inflicting unnecessary pain and stress over yourself, take a deep breath and
take a step back. Analyse. Learn. Practice. Grow.
So long as you owe
up to your mistake and reframe it as an opportunity to learn, you will always
grow.
2. LOVE
ISN’T COMPLICATED.
Maise Blackwell said it best, “… Nothing ever is
complicated. We make it that way. Love is the easiest thing. When you promise
your love to someone, you also have to keep your promise of being there for
them…”.
It is often
easy to lose yourself in complicated relationships in the name of love. Coming
from a character that lost herself in a similar way, it’s saying something,
isn’t it? Love isn’t about violating boundaries, spending unhappy times with
your partner, or feeling drained. Love is supposed to work while you hold hands
with your partner to sail through the occasional bumps along the road.
Uncomplicate
love by saying what you want to, stop the judgements, and lift your
partner.
3. BEING
FAITHFUL IS THE BEST WAY TO PROVE YOUR LOVE FOR SOMEONE.
Another lesson shared by Maise Blackwell on love and
an important one, “Love isn’t meant to be shared between three people.”
If infidelity
has entered the relationship, the all too familiar feelings of anger and devastation
now loom over the head. Some mistakes aren’t meant to be looked over. Cheating
often shows a lack of respect towards one’s partner. And who would like to stay
in a relationship where the partner could stray?
4. IT
SHOULDN’T HURT TO BE A CHILD.
The lethal survivalist Annie Wintour put the feelings
of a child’s hurt in words when she said, “When adults are at war with each
other, kids have to grow up too fast.”
House of Cards
is filled with diplomatic mind games that until a generation ago from when the
story is set, involved children. From characters like Emma Swain and Ryan Price
whose fate was set as a generational employee, or Maise and Rose Blackwell,
from whom too much was expected since they were born, or even Wayne Hayes and
Annie Wintour were a victim of the games adults played.
Childhood is
supposed to be enjoyable, not a period of learning to hide the hurt. A child’s
defencelessness isn’t weakness, to violate it is.
5. BELIEVE
IN YOURSELF AND YOU’LL BE UNSTOPPABLE.
“You didn’t screw up. You learnt lessons. Some were
the hardest you’ve ever learnt, but you’re still standing and you’ll keep
standing as long as you’ve faith in yourself.”
-
Ryan Price
Everyone goes through silent battles. Battles that
leave scars. So long as you get back on your feet with faith in yourself in
your heart, you will be unstoppable. Conquer your limiting beliefs, face your
fears, and unlock your inner strength. People and battles can take away
everything, but never your trust in yourself.
6. YOUR
LIFE ISN’T YOURS IF YOU CARE WHAT OTHERS THINK.
Rose Blackwell lived her life on her terms until the
last page. So, when she said, “But if all you keep thinking about is what
people think, when will you start caring about what makes you happy? Don’t you
see, no matter what you do, someone will always have a horrid reaction to it?”
she meant it with all her heart.
If you always
keep looking over your shoulder, you are bound to miss the beautiful things
right in front of you. To rely on what others will think is to get into
trouble. Because it is, then, that we really start losing who we are. And like
everyone out there, we also have one life to live, make it one filled with
experiences, not regrets.
7. KARMA
HAS NO MENU. YOU GET SERVED WHAT YOU DESERVE.
While there were too many people in line to hand Wayne
Hayes just what he deserved, it took a while. But it was served. As Ryan Price
said, “I’ve been waiting for a long time to return [Wayne Hayes] the favour.”
Karma might be
delayed, but it never skips someone. Remember what you put out in the world
because things have a way of coming back around.
8. DON’T PUNCH ABOVE YOUR WEIGHT.
Unexpected as it was, Wayne Hayes turned the tide of
Sitciny in his favour. However, once he began biting off more than he could
chew, he signed his doom. Or, more straightforwardly, put in Ryan Price’s
words, “Arrogance will bite him to shreds.”
Bite off more
than you can chew and you’ll end up choking on it.
9. NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR SUCCESS.
None of the players in House of Cards apologized for trying to climb their way to the top. While most used unusual ways, which are
definitely not recommended, they didn’t hide behind the façade of sainthood to
justify their success.
After all, in
Maise’s thoughts, the truth of Sitciny was, “[But] morality bent to suit
yourself was the reality of Sitciny. If everyone wore the mask of sophistry and
preached morality here, they’d all be saints. But Sitciny was built on sins. It
was where hell and heaven mingled and emerged as authenticity. Vulnerable and
open to their deepest desires.”
If your success
was earned by hard work, you don’t have to apologize for it. Being humble and
grateful is important, but so is not making excuses for how you earned your
success.
10. NEVER
INTERRUPT YOUR ENEMY WHEN HE IS MAKING A MISTAKE.
Albeit knowing what his wife was doing was as good as
digging a hole for herself and others with her, Wayne Hayes sat back and
watched. A peep out of him would’ve alarmed Maise, so he let her continue on
her plan of doom. For Wayne, the satisfaction of her blunder was a million
times better after Maise had seen it through than it would’ve been if he had
interrupted her right at the beginning of trying to double-cross him.
When Maise
realised, “It was all Wayne. As always. He was good at putting up a show…
Yet he did nothing, said nothing, and showed nothing”, it was already too
late.
11. CHOOSE
YOUR BATTLES. BUT DON’T CHOOSE VERY MANY.
What’s worse than showing up on a battle unprepared?
Not knowing which battles to walk away from. In life, you might find yourself
at a crossroads where you have too many battles to fight. But Maise Blackwell
had a tip to give her fellow players, “Let’s not fight all the cases
ourselves and take all the hits.”
Ask yourself
two important questions before taking on any battle: Is this really my battle
to fight? And would I be able to live with myself in its aftermath?
With these 11 deadly lessons from House of Cards, it
is time to close the book. But with Quillinary, this is only turning the page
and we’ll meet again in the new chapter that awaits. Thank you for being on
this journey with all the characters from House of Cards.
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