Sometimes the most powerful creative lesson comes from an unexpected place: a beloved children's film about a girl who refuses to let reality get in the way of her dreams.

In a candid essay, a comedian reflects on how A Little Princess inspired them to embrace the "idiot confidence" needed to pursue standup comedy. The protagonist's ability to will reality to bend to her desires became a blueprint for survival in the notoriously brutal world of performance—a reminder that when you're starting out, you need that same delusional belief in yourself, or else you'd give up before you even began. Sometimes imagination isn't escapism; it's fuel. Read the full story →

Today's takeaway: The films and stories we love as children often contain the wisdom we need most as adults—especially when chasing creative dreams.