7 Phrases from Pixar Movies that Contain Life Lessons

5 minutes

The value of family, friendship and fighting for what you want are just some of the positive messages we can find in Pixar movies. Read more to discover life lessons found in these films.

7 Phrases from Pixar Movies that Contain Life Lessons

Written and verified by the social educator Natalia Cobos Serrano.

Last update: 27 December, 2022

Many of us have grown up watching animated Pixar movies. We’ve no doubt fallen in love with the characters and learned a number of valuable life lessons from them.

Effort, persistence, the power of friendship and family are some of the most relevant values we see in Pixar movies. Continue reading to discover 7 phrases from Pixar films that contain powerful messages for life.

Phrases from Pixar movies with valuable life lessons

1. Toy story (1995)

“You’ve got a friend in me, you’ve got a friend in me.
When the road looks rough ahead,
And you’re miles and miles from your nice warm bed
You just remember what your old pal said,
Boy, you’ve got a friend in me.
–Toy Story–

This emblematic film from Pixar Animation Studios marked a turning point in animated cinema. Toy Story teaches a very important message on the value of friendship.

As philologist Jaume Duran points out, Toy Story delves into the concept that friendship means companionship and solidarity. But not just that… The true message of the film, says Duran, is that happiness means making others happy .

Therefore, the life lessons we can learn from Toy Story are that true friendship is when you wish the best for your friend, even if that means losing him or her.

2. Monsters, Inc. (2001)

“You and I are a team. There is nothing more important than our friendship.”
–Monsters, Inc.–

Sully and Mike, the main characters of this movie, are two best friends who couldn’t be any more different from one another. Monsters, Inc. is another Pixar movie that sends a valuable message: don’t judge others by their appearance.

The film, in essence, takes a stand against stereotypes and prejudices, making fun of the concept of “monsters.” At the end of the movie, we discover that these monsters, who supposedly exist to cause fear, find more satisfaction in making others laugh.

3. Finding Nemo (2003)

“When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming!”
–Finding Nemo–

This movie, which shows the power of family and friendship, speaks also of persevering and overcoming challenges. Marlin, with the help of his friend Dory, must face his fears and prejudices in order to find his son. And he won’t stop until he does.

Finding Nemo teaches that, no matter how wrong things go, you should keep fighting for your dreams and goals. No one said life would be easy, and we’ll always have failures and bumps in the road. However, we should never give up hope.

4. The Incredibles (2004)

“We are stronger when we are all together.”
–The incredibles–

Without a doubt, family is the great hidden superpower in this marvelous pack of superheroes from Pixar. While their day-to-day interactions may be difficult, The Incredibles teaches us that family is where we get our strength.

In the film, the characters argue and get angry, but they learn to work together as a family – as a team. In this way, the movie shows us that, despite the superpowers that each character possesses, their true superpower lies is their strength as a family.

More powerful phrases from Pixar movies

5. Ratatouille (2007)

“If you focus on what you left behind, you’ll never see what lies ahead”
–Ratatouille–

For starters, the premise of the movie, in and of itself, offers a valuable message. Even if others say you’ll never be able to do what you love, don’t let anyone stop you. The main character of this film is a rat who wants to be a chef. He rebels against his fellow rats to show that, with passion, you can do whatever you put your mind to.

At the same time, Ratatouille encourages us to keep our eyes set on the future, since the past can be discouraging. Thinking about past failures keeps us from focusing on the future and from advancing and improving.

6. Brave (2012)

“There are those that say fate is something beyond our command, that destiny is not our own. But I know better. Our fate lives within us, you only have to be brave enough to see it.”
–Brave–

Challenges can be frightening, and being brave isn’t always an easy task. This is something that Merida, the protagonist in Brave, knows very well. The film teaches us that, despite difficulties and obstacles, we can all decide which path to take in our lives. And, to do so, we need to be brave. In other words, we need to face our fears.

The movie sends the message that being brave is tough, yes, but it’s within our reach. And that, with hard work, dedication and self-confidence, we can come to be invincible.

7. Inside Out (2015)

“There’s always a way to turn things around, to find the fun.”
–Inside Out–

This movie teaches us that our emotions aren’t only valid, but also necessary. We must embrace sadness in the same way we embrace happiness. However, one of the phrases expressed by the character of Joy teaches a powerful lesson. Her words are especially valuable when it comes to solving problems and conflicts.

When we find ourselves in a difficult situation, negative and destructive thoughts can become overwhelming. Negativity can really weigh us down when we’re feeling frustrated and things aren’t going our way.

However, Inside Out teaches us that focusing on these thoughts won’t get us anywhere. Rather, we need to look at our problems from a new perspective.

What can we learn from Pixar movies?

The value of hard work and perseverance, the power of family and friendship, the importance of going after your dreams. These are just some of the strong values that Pixar Studios works into its animated films.

However, the message we always find behind every Pixar film is that the key to happiness is being true to oneself. Discover what it is that you want and what makes you happy, and don’t depend on anyone else to get it.