Good, Bad, and Ugly

In 1966, the third installment of the “Man with No Name” Trilogy reintroduced the anti-hero character that made Clint Eastwood a household name. The storyline is simple. A bounty hunter and a Mexican outlaw join forces in an attempt to outwit a third bounty hunter as they all search for a fortune in Confederate gold buried in an unmarked grave.

In the spaghetti western series, Clint Eastwood is known by different names. In “A Fistful of Dollars” he’s Joe. In “For a Few Dollars More”, he’s Manco. In the final installment of the “Dollars Trilogy”, he’s called Blondie. But in each installment, Eastwood is a quiet, unassuming drifter with an intense stare, whose actions speak louder than his words (which are few). His signature hat, Poncho, cigar, and pistol became integral parts of the series.

Always the opportunist, Eastwood saw problems as opportunities and was purposeful in their pursuit. In “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Blondie is working with Tuco, a Mexican outlaw, in a money-making scheme. Tuco was a wanted man. Blondie would turn Tuco into the local sheriff, collect the bounty, and later free Tuco so they could replicate the process in the next town.

After a botched escape attempt, Tuco and Blondie are at odds with each other, until they learn of a $20,000 bounty in gold coins buried in an obscure cemetery. The duo joins forces to outwit a ruthless bounty hunter named “Angel Eyes” who has his sights on securing the bounty for himself. The search for buried treasure has begun.

Sergio Leone, the brilliant director of the Trilogy, inserts the characters in the chaos of the American Civil War, adding a sense of realism while highlighting the horrors of war in the 1800s. Throughout the movie, the best and worst of humanity are on display, with Eastwood in the midst of it.

The climax of the movie is when all three men arrive at the cemetery. All three men square off for what is perhaps one of the most climactic gunfights in Western lore. It’s at the end of this gun battle that Eastwood utters perhaps the most famous line of the movie:

“You see, in this world, there’s two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.”

A common theme in all three movies is that life is comprised of good times, bad times, and times that are ugly. Eastwood’s character has to make the most of each situation he finds himself in, dealing with the challenges and obstacles before him, and finding a way to keep moving forward toward the prize.

Each problem Eastwood’s character overcomes opens the door to the next opportunity, as well as the next challenge that awaits.

Such is life.

In life, there will be good times, bad times, and times that are ugly.

We will all experience the good, the bad, and the ugly at different times in our lives.

Even in good times, problems and challenges can arise that threaten to distract, disrupt, or derail us. Just like in the “No Name” Trilogy, we find ourselves thrust into a circumstance or situation not of our own choosing, but it places demands on us nonetheless.

How we respond to these problems and challenges says a lot about us.

Problems, rightly used, can propel us into our Purpose.

It is there we find fulfillment, satisfaction, and significance.

So, how do we respond to the good, the bad, and the ugly?

There are times when we, like Clint Eastwood in the “No Name” Tilogy, will find ourselves in the midst of chaos not of our own making. These “I didn’t ask for this, but I got it anyway” moments can and do happen.

In the movie, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Blondie and Tuco found themselves unwilling participants in the Battle of Glorieta Pass during the Civil War. The treasure they sought was on the other side of the bridge the Confederates and Yankees were fighting for control over. The duo came up with an innovative solution to the problem. They blew up the bridge. With nothing to fight for control over, both sides retreated.

Problems, rightly used, can propel you into your Purpose.

It’s often said that how we respond to a crisis will define us. Notice it is NOT the event itself that defines you, but rather your response. World War II didn’t define Winston Churchill. It was his response to the Nazi assault on his nation that garnered the attention and respect of his nation and the rest of the Western world.

How you respond to the good, bad, and ugly will reveal the REAL you. It will unveil to you, and those who are watching, who you truly are on the inside. Your preparation, or lack thereof, will be on display for all to see.

Boxing great, Joe Frazier, said it well. “You can map out a fight plan or a life plan, but when the action starts, it may not go the way you planned, and you’re down to reflexes. That’s where your roadwork shows. If you cheated on that in the dark of the morning, well, you’re going to get found out now, under the bright lights.”

Life is a drama played out on a stage. Others are watching you, whether you realize it or not, and your decisions not only create your outcomes, but they influence others who are following your lead. What you’ve refined to reflex, and what you didn’t, will show up when the going gets tough.

Ask any martial artist and they will tell you there is purpose in the pain. Every athlete who competes at a world-class level will tell you the same thing. Whether it is in the gym, in the pool, on the mat, or putting in the miles in the early morning hours, preparation places a demand on us – and that involves pain.

But painful experiences can reveal to us that we are capable of saying, doing, and becoming more. We experience positive growth, boost our resilience, and strengthen our mental and emotional resolve, creating a better version of ourselves in the process.

This elevates our potential, as we discover and develop new talents, hone new skills, and enhance our capabilities. Problem-solving also enhances our creativity and our ability to innovate, inspiring us with confidence. It boosts our tenacity and strengthens our resolve, motivating us to persist until we succeed.

Problems, rightly used, can propel us into our Purpose.

Remember, it’s in the bad times (and the ugly times) when we often learn and grow the most. It is through the bad times and the ugly times that we are tested, tried, and improved. Just as heat separates impurities from molten metals, the problems we face in difficult times create an environment where our flaws and imperfections are revealed and can be purged from our lives.

We would not be who we are today were it not for the challenges you and I have already overcome. Zig Ziglar said the one who solves the most problems is the one who focuses on possibilities, not the problem itself. Problems are a fact of life, but rather than focusing on the problem itself, zero your attention on the possibilities the problem presents.

In the first installment of the “No Name” Trilogy, Clint Eastwood finds himself in a town run by two highly influential families, both vying for domination and control. His comment to the bartender epitomizes the possibility mindset we need to take to problems:

“Baxter’s over there. Rojo’s there, me right in the middle…Crazy bell-ringer was right. There’s money to be made in this town.”

Eastwood’s character looked beyond the challenges of two warring families fighting for sole control of San Mateo and saw how he could use the problem to his advantage. He took turns working for the Roho’s and Baxter’s, enriching himself even as they fought one another.

That’s what successful people do. They use problems to their advantage.

Growth happens in Bad times. Transformative growth happens in Ugly times.

Why?

Because it is in those trying, difficult, challenging times we discover that we are capable of saying, doing, and becoming more. We find another gear we didn’t know was on the stick shift and continue to move forward. We expand our potential, unleash our innovation and creativity, strengthen our resilience, and expand our reach, influence, and adaptability.

Problems, rightly used, can propel us into our Purpose.

A famous quote by Og Mandino sums up today’s teaching, so let me leave you with this:

“The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult. I will persist until I succeed.“ (The Greatest Salesman in the World, Scroll III)

To paraphrase Client Eastwood’s quote from the “No Name” Trilogy:

“Problems over here. Problems over there, and me, right in the middle. That Black Belt Leader was right. There’s a whole LOT of opportunity here. “