Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin’: Hidden Messages To Solopreneurs That Are Buried In Clint Eastwood Movies

The solopreneurial streak is wide, deep, and stubborn in many of Clint Eastwood’s movie characters.

Josey Wales, The Man With No Name, Joe Kidd, Monco, William Munny are characters who possess strong solopreneurial traits.

Clint’s 20th-century characters (like Harry Callahan, Walt Kowalski, and Robert Kincaid), don’t ride horses, but they have a difficult time existing within a confined space. They live by their own code.

Let’s look at what Clint’s characters can tell us about the solopreneur life.

Bounty hunter #1: “You’re wanted, Wales.”
Josey Wales: “Reckon I’m right popular. You a bounty hunter?”
Bounty hunter #1: “A man’s got to do something for a living these days.”
Josey Wales: “Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’, boy.”
— “The Outlaw Josey Wales”
Meaning: Yes, times are tough, but doing work that you despise isn’t much of a living.

“Every gun makes its own tune.”
— “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”
Meaning: There’s a solopreneur inside of everyone.

“You’re a legend in your own mind.”
— “Sudden Impact”
Meaning: You have to be kind of crazy to make it on your own.

“In this world there are two kinds of people, my friend: those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.”
— From “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”
Meaning: If you’re not the owner, then you’re just digging your own grave.

“I ride from sunup to sundown. You either keep up or you don’t.”
— “Two Mules For Sister Sara”
Meaning: If you want to be a solopreneur, get ready to work harder than you’ve ever worked before.

“If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.”
— “The Rookie”
Meaning: If you’re looking for guaranteed retirement income, then the solopreneur life isn’t for you.

“A man’s life in these parts often depends on a mere scrap of information.”
— “A Fistful of Dollars”
Meaning: Accurate information is everything to a solopreneur.

“Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
— “Dirty Harry”
Meaning: A little help! I haven’t figured this one out.

“A man’s got to know his limitations.”
— “Magnum Force”
Meaning: You can’t do it all. Get outside help when you need it.

“Ever notice how you come across somebody every once in a while you shouldn’t have f***** with? That’s me.”
— “Gran Torino”
Meaning: This is the attitude you MUST take with invoices that go past 75 days.

“It’s what people know about themselves inside that makes them afraid.”
— “High Plains Drifter”
Meaning: Don’t let fear cripple your dreams.

“Now, remember, things look bad and it looks like you are not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean – I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. Cause if you lose your head and you give up, then you neither live nor win. That’s just the way it is.”
— “The Outlaw Josey Wales”
Meaning: Fight like hell to make your business succeed. If you don’t, then it’s back to the cubicle for you.

“It’s a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he’s got and all he’s ever gonna have.”
— “Unforgiven”
Meaning: You’re killing yourself if you don’t break free from what’s holding you down.

“The old dreams were good dreams; they didn’t work out, but I’m glad I had them.”
— “The Bridges of Madison County”
Meaning: Even if your solo business does not survive, you’ll never regret having tried.

Are There More Hidden Messages For Solopreneurs?