The inspiration behind Oscar-nominated film Lion says leaders won’t know what opportunities they’re missing if they don’t take risks
A best-selling author and inspirational speaker has taken to the stage at the 2018 National HR Summit, discussing the importance of resilience in the workplace – and beyond.
Saroo Brierley – who inspired the Oscar-nominated film Lion – addressed a crowd of senior HR figures and industry delegates this morning.
Recounting his incredible story of finding his birth town against the odds, Saroo explained that losing hope in the face of a major challenge doesn’t always have to mean the end of a journey.
“People asked me if I ever wanted to give up and of course I did – but that didn’t mean giving up forever,” he said. “It meant getting calm, collected and poised – it meant tackling this situation next time around from a different angle.”
Eventually, Brierley was able to pinpoint his hometown – despite searching an area with a radius larger than 1,000km – and reconnected with his biological family.
His experience let to a best-selling book and eventually the highly-acclaimed blockbuster Lion, starring Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel.
Brierley also urged leaders to take a chance in both their personal and professional lives, saying he had been reluctant to launch his search initially out of fear of failure.
“I took that chance hoping that I would find something and you know what, I wish that everyone would take a chance at some point in their lives,” he said.
“If you don’t ever take a chance then you probably won’t ever know what’s on the other side of the wall. The odds were against me but great things can happen when you take a chance.”
