Summary

• Follow your heart like Gump did by doing what you love and finding happiness in every moment.
• Forrest Gump's insights show that everyone has wisdom to share, regardless of intelligence levels.
• Embrace new experiences, don't be afraid to fail, and take life as it comes with an open mind and optimism.

Along with being a beloved movie, the Forrest Gump lessons to live by adds to its legacy. A heartwarming tale with a wholesome message that will never become irrelevant, Forrest Gump is the perfect movie to watch when audiences are in the mood for a little soul-searching. The story about one man’s incredible and unexpected life journey is as significant now as it was when the film was first released in 1994. But it is the Forrest Gump lessons that show the power of the story.

While Forrest Gump is not a real person, he makes his mark in American history, and though he is not the smartest man alive, his experiences teach the audience a lot just by taking them on this journey. No matter what stage of life someone is in, everyone can take away something meaningful from Gump’s story. People can learn a lot when they see the world through his eyes. From dealing with the loss of a loved one to the attitude with which to approach a new situation, are several valuable lessons from Forrest Gump the audiences can hold onto.

15 Do What You Love

Forrest Did What Makes Him Happy

Forrest didn't think through everything he did because he didn't really need to; he followed his gut and he did what he loved.

Forrest Gump never did anything that he didn't want to do even if it was for a friend like when he opened up the business Bubba Gump Shrimp because it was his friend's dream. Forrest didn't think through everything he did because he didn't really need to; he followed his gut and he did what he loved.

He loved his friend, so he opened Bubba Gump Shrimp. He loved to run so he ran as far as he could, and he loved Jenny so he did whatever he could to help her and make her happy.

While some might see him as aimless, the truth is that he followed his heart in every instance. People wanted to be more like Forrest in the movie as he ran, not understanding why. However, this was just Gump doing what he loved until he was tired and ready to do something different.

14 Everyone Can Be Insightful

Forrest Gump Influenced Everyone He Met

Forrest Gump tells his story and has insight into his own slice-of-life story and a perspective that no one else would be able to have. Forrest's simple way of looking at things allows him to see them in a way few people do.

Everyone has an insightful perspective that they should be able to share, even if it's not expertly articulated. Everyone can have wisdom and a unique perspective no matter their vocabulary or intelligence, and that's worth listening to.

No one should be afraid to share what they think as long as they're not hurting anyone. Forrest Gump was a simple man, but he knew that it was okay to be open and let people inside his head, even if he wasn't sure how it could help others. He had so many insightful comments that he influenced many people throughout the years without even knowing it.

13 Don't Be Afraid To Try New Things

Forrest Gump Wasn't Scared Of Failure

Forrest Gump was never insecure about trying something new and wasn't afraid of failure, which is a great lesson. No one is perfect, especially when they're first trying something, but sometimes they can surprise themselves by being good at it or even just enjoying a new hobby.

Forrest meets several people throughout his journey and isn't afraid to start a conversation with them whether it's famous musician John Lennon or President Kennedy. He's also happy to try new hobbies like running or ping-pong and doesn't sweat it if it doesn't work out.

From starting a shrimp company with Captain Dan to investing in an Internet company when no one else knew what that was, Forrest Gump did things that most people could only dream of. The only reason he did it and others didn't was because he wasn't scared to try something new.

12 Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously

Forrest Wasn't Scared To Embarrass Himself

In his quotes, Forrest Gump shows he doesn't take himself too seriously and is not afraid of making a fool of himself, whether it's saying he has to pee in front of the President of the United States or telling his life story to a stranger on a bench. Forrest is always himself and isn't afraid of what other people think of him. It's a nice life lesson to remind everyone to be humble and that everyone makes mistakes.

No one is perfect, and there's no point in taking things too seriously. That kind of self-assurance is something most people would love to have. For Forrest Gump, he is a simple man and has no reason to ever feel embarrassed by what he does.

However, if everyone acted like that, and opened up to people around them honestly, it would free them to be themselves and not have to hide who they are. For Forrest, that was as a man who just wanted to be happy and content.

11 Stay Optimistic

Forrest Gump Believes Good Things Will Come

Even when things are tough, Forrest looks on the bright side of life even if other characters around him hate it, particularly Lieutenant Dan.

Throughout the entire movie, Forrest Gump is relentlessly optimistic. Even when things are tough, Forrest looks on the bright side of life even if other characters around him hate it, particularly Lieutenant Dan. It's difficult to be upset when someone else is so optimistic — a contagious feeling that's bound to help friends be more optimistic too.

Forrest Gump wasn't worried about terrible things that were happening because he knew he would always be able to figure it out. One of the ways Forrest influences history is through his carefree attitude as he inspired the popular bumper sticker "S*** Happens."

While Forrest could have easily given up, he refused to and set out to do anything he wanted when he wanted to do it, and he believed it would work out for the best. This includes his experiences in romance with Jenny, business, the military, and everything in between. No one could tell Forrest he couldn't do something.

10 Appreciate Life While You Have It

Forrest Lost A Lot Of People In His Life

One of the clearest messages that can be taken from Forrest Gump is that it’s important to appreciate life while living it. Gump’s story shows that people never know what’s going to happen in the future, and that also includes not knowing when someone's time will be up or if their life is ever going to be compromised. Gump’s friend Bubba, for example, dies when he’s still in his youth.

Although Gump suffers in a number of ways, he appreciates the life that he has while he has it. In one of the best Forrest Gump quotes, he says, "Mama always said dying was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't." While Bubba died, Forrest valued his friendship with the man by starting a company in his name.

Forrest also loved Jenny more than anything in life, and he lost her as well, but his memories of her remain strong through his stories. Forrest made his time with the people he loved count, and that is something everyone should consider.

9 Pain Can Be Channeled Into Something Productive

"Run, Forrest, Run"

Forrest Gump teaches that even the worst kind of pain can be channeled into something productive. After the love of his life, Jenny leaves him, Forrest is understandably heartbroken. But rather than wallowing in self-pity, he starts running. At first, Gump doesn’t run because he’s trying to change the world or become famous.

He simply does it out of heartbreak. Sometimes the things that people do when they're especially down can end up having positive consequences, even if they weren't planned. Forrest runs for a long time until he simply feels like going home, then turns around having worked through the pain.

By channeling his pain into his running, he helped an entire nation find purpose in his feats. He didn't do this to influence others. He just did it so he could do something productive with the pain that he was feeling inside, rather than wallow in his own self-pity.

8 You Never Really Know What You’re Capable Of

"I Don't Know If We Have A Destiny"

Forrest is an ordinary man with a below-average IQ, but he manages to achieve a lot more than most people would dream of. If someone had told the young Forrest that he would be famous for running such a long distance, he wouldn’t have believed them. He went from wearing leg braces to becoming a professional athlete.

The lesson here is that someone never knows what they are capable of. That’s why it’s always worth at least trying to pursue the things that matter. Forrest Gump never thought he would amount to much when he was young, but he tried. No one could have pictured him as a college football star, but he did it.

He became a war hero, met the President of the United States, became a ping pong champion, and ran across the world and back. This is something no one expected, but Forrest knew he should at least try because he never knew what he could do unless he started running and took that chance.

7 Truly Loving Someone Means Letting Them Go

Forrest Gump Knew He Had To Let Jenny Go

It is natural for people to want to hold onto the things that they love. But when a person truly loves another person, they also want the best for them and don’t want to hold them against their will. Truly loving someone means letting them go.

Forrest’s relationship with Jenny is tumultuous, but he never stops loving her. Although he prioritizes her, he never tries to pressure her before she is ready to commit to him. He lets her go so she can find herself and make her own mistakes.

Through it all, Forrest Gump ends up coming back around to Jenny anyway, although by this time, it is too late, and she has contracted AIDS, and he loses her forever. However, he allowed her to be herself and didn't force her into a situation that could have ruined both of their lives. In the end, he has a son from the relationship, and that is more than he could have hoped for if he kept pressuring her because then he could have lost her early on and never found her again.

6 Childhood Trauma Can Stay With You For Life

The Important Thing For Forrest Was To Keep Moving

Jenny is a tragic character. It is implied that her father sexually abused her during her childhood, and it takes her a long time to finally find happiness with Gump. The two are only married for a year before Jenny contracts an incurable illness in Forrest Gump.

When she’s finally old enough to leave her father’s house, Jenny makes a series of bad decisions. She has a low sense of self-worth and attracts partners who don’t treat her properly as a result. This teaches that childhood trauma can stay with a person for life and make it difficult to form normal relationships.

While this is a tough lesson to learn and one that is hard to understand how to deal with, Forrest Gump does what might be the best thing in letting Jenny learn how to live with herself before asking her to live with another person to care for as well. Jenny spends a lot of time figuring out what she needs to do in life, but once she finally starts to cope with her trauma, she has a short time of happiness before she dies.