Success Lessons From Josey Wales

The Outlaw Josey Wales is an interesting Western that I have watched many times. It is full of success lessons for the discerning!

A Missouri farmer joins a Confederate guerilla unit to avenge the murder of his wife and son and winds up on the run from the Union soldiers who killed his family.

Throughout the film, Josey spits chewing tobacco juice on everything that moves or does not move like the dead bodies of his enemies. He hits insects, dogs and a snake oil salesman who claims that his product can do 'almost anything'. Josey tells him to use it to clean the tobacco juice off his white jacket.

He also uses spit as a distraction before shooting down his foes. Occasionally he spits accurately into a spittoon. Practice makes you competent! Daily practice makes you an expert.

Pursued by the Union redlegs and his former Confederate leader, Josey Wales heads out for Red Indian country to escape capture.

His opponents chase him across a big river on a ferry raft. Josey stays cool enough to take a nap as his pursuers begin to cross the river. He then stays calm enough to shoot through the rope that is pulling the raft laden with horses and men. He gives them a 'Missouri boat ride' as they are swept away downstream.

This incident provides another great success lesson which is to stay calm under pressure. Everyone thinks,shoots and does everything better when they do not panic.

The young guerilla colleague, Jamie, whom Josey rescued from the redlegs, was wounded and is dying. Josey looks after him telling him not to look at the wound:

"Don