Life Lessons We Can Learn From Peaky Blinders
Peaky Blinders, a popular Netflix show, is about one of the most powerful street gangs in the early 1900’s run by Thomas Shelby and his family. If you haven’t seen the show, it is a British period drama series that centers around the crime gang and their ambitious leader, Tommy, and his desire to legitimize their business whilst growing in great power along the way.
After watching this show, I can most definitely report that this show is my favorite show of all time. I was absolutely blown away by the theatrics, the character development, the writing, and the costumes. I think you can tell how much I loved the show as I’m devoting an entire blog article to it.
I will say that watching this show has not only provided me with entertainment, but I also have learned a few life lessons that I thought were worth sharing. Who knows?! This may even become a new series. (Stay tuned!)
What can we learn from Peaky Blinders? What life lessons does this show have to offer?
If there’s a few things to know about Thomas Shelby is that he is ambitious and incredibly cunning. The way he presents himself, the way he thinks, and the way he goes about business is very admirable in my opinion.
It’s not what he does but the manner in which he does it.
Thomas Shelby is a First World War veteran that served in France. Since his return, he rarely smiles and his demeanor has changed to be quite serious and formidable due to his PTSD. Although he is a very serious man, something that I enjoy about his character is that he is a man of few words, but his words mean something.
He chooses his words very wisely, and because of this they carry much weight.
This can teach us that our words matter. Our words hold so much power, especially when they are quite limited and spoken only when necessary. I, a natural rambler, admire when someone is concise in their speech. I believe this to be a great skill.
And although we don’t have to take things to the extreme like Tommy, we can be more careful with our words and how we choose to say them.
Tommy is also very clever and strategic with business and social endeavors. He is always many steps ahead of everyone else and you can see that he is always thinking, always strategizing his next move. I understand this is a fictional character, but what I find most attractive in a man is their mind. There are a lot of very smart and intelligent men and women in the world, but it’s this specific way of thinking that inspires me and is also extremely hard to come by.
Now, unfortunately, cleverness is more often a gift than something that is learned, but what we can take from this is that Tommy is always leveling up. He is always working towards something and has a goal in mind. He is a problem solver and seems to have a plan for everything, even when hit with the unexpected. This we can do in our own lives. We can find ways to take the unexpected and turn it to our benefit. We can adapt and find solutions to our problems. We can level up our situations and reach our goals with intention and very well strategized plans.
Something else that I love about the Shelbys is that family is everything. When it comes down to it, no matter what, family is most important and they would do anything to protect each other.
Speaking of family, the way the Peaky Blinders dress (especially the Shelbys) is exceptional. Even with limited economic means, they still dressed well. To them, it mattered to look the part. In order to be taken seriously, they needed to be well-dressed and presentable at all times. You almost never saw them wearing anything else other than their tailored suits, leather gloves, long wool coats, and their Shelby engraved pocket watches.
What impresses me is that even when they didn’t have all the money and resources as they did later in the series, they still showed up as their best selves. In fact, who they were never changed. Their circumstances may have, but they didn’t (in a good way).
The lesson in this is that whoever we want to be, we can be. We simply need to dress and play the part. I’m not saying that we must become something we’re not, but dress for the job you desire. Show up and put your best foot forward, no matter your circumstances. Life will soon catch up to the person you’re showing up as.
My final lesson has been a later revelation in the last few seasons of the show and that is Thomas Shelby has no limitations. What is so admirable about this is that having no limitations is possible for each and every one of us. We have the power to let something stop us. We also have the power to keep going, to find a different way, and become who we’re meant to be.
Only you have the power to limit yourself. No one else. Unless you give them that power to do so.
Now that I’ve written an entire essay about Peaky Blinders, it’s time for me to summarize my findings from the show.
And that is:
Your words matter. Choose them wisely.
Think strategically and achieve your goals.
Prioritize your family and close friends.
Dress as your best self.
Remember you are unlimited.
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this blog article and if you’d like me to review other shows/movies for the lessons we can learn from them, please let me know!
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Photograph on previous page was taken from Google and is said to be by Robert Viglasky/BBC/Caryn Mandabach