The shows you watch influence how you think, and these 15 series each carry a lesson on ambition, resilience, charisma or leadership that can strengthen your drive to succeed. Think the shows you watch do not shape you? The argument here is that you are inspired by what you see, especially when you are young, and that your growth mindset is strengthened or weakened by what you watched growing up and what you watch now.
Some shows prove what you can achieve wherever you start. Others depict the reality of hard work and the battle between doubt and ambition. Here are 15 of them, with the lesson each one offers.
Watch the full video here, or skip to the breakdown below.
The 15 shows at a glance
- Succession (0:49)
- The Apprentice (1:32)
- Deadliest Catch (2:17)
- Suits (3:15)
- Mad Men (4:52)
- Top Gear (7:18)
- The Bear (8:35)
- Empire (9:52)
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (10:46)
- Billions (11:42)
- Shark Tank (12:48)
- Better Call Saul (13:38)
- Hell’s Kitchen (14:19)
- QI (15:01)
- Friday Night Lights (15:42)
1. Succession
It is a guilty pleasure and also an inside look at the ruthlessness, competition and networking that come with running a successful family business. It is partly based on the Murdoch family.
The characters are loved, hated, rooted for and chastised in a single episode. The lesson: to reach the very top you have to step on a few people without worrying where they land. So how far are you willing to go?
2. The Apprentice
You do not have to like the host to respect the ideas, business sense and determination of the contestants competing for a spot at his company.
The show highlights creativity and thinking on your feet. Whether a contestant was liked or hated, it was electrifying when one or two stood out by coming up with clever ideas and executing them smoothly.
3. Deadliest Catch
How does a reality show about fishermen set you up for success? It is set against the Bering Sea, following different vessels and crews who face crazy weather, massive waves and the constant risk of injury or death during the Alaskan king crab and snow crab seasons.
You come away determined, inspired by the human spirit and the sense that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when facing insurmountable obstacles.
4. Suits
Suits is both a slow burn and a rocket. People loved it at the start and for all 10 seasons. It is a glamourised version of reality, and the life-changing turns it shows probably will not happen to you, but a show does not have to be accurate to inspire.
Corporate law’s pressure shows the importance of winning, in court and in life, and you do not need a medal to be a winner. You need to make an impression. Each character carries a lesson:
- Harvey Specter: charisma and loyalty
- Mike Ross: intellect, and how right and wrong decisions affect you
- Jessica Pearson: control and composure as a leader
- Rachel Zane: pursuing your passion despite failing tests multiple times
- Donna Paulsen: loyalty, intuition and the value of soft skills
- Louis Litt: self-improvement and the effect of insecurity on your actions
5. Mad Men
Set in the 1960s and early 1970s in advertising on Madison Avenue, the show gives a taste of the creative electricity of that era. The show has the relentless drive, creativity and adaptability needed to thrive in a competitive environment.
Every character, from the CEO to the janitor, is wildly ambitious and willing to start at the bottom and work toward the top. Don Draper shows you can reinvent yourself and chase success whatever your past. Peggy Olson rises from secretary to successful copywriter, proof of perseverance, talent and the fight for gender equality at work.
6. Top Gear
Top Gear was one of the most watched shows of all time, and it was for everyone, even people who are not into cars. The presenters pushed boundaries in their challenges and had to be innovative problem solvers to beat terrain, off-the-beaten-track destinations and each other.
Jeremy Clarkson’s wit, Richard Hammond’s fearlessness and James May’s thoroughness and patience were all equally useful. The lesson is to lean into your core qualities rather than trying to change them, and put your foot on the accelerator.
7. The Bear
The older shows brought a grit and harsh reality that takes the glamour out of success while keeping it worth pursuing. The Bear follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a young fine-dining chef who returns home to run the family sandwich shop after the tragic death of his brother.
The series shows the chaos, creativity and camaraderie of a professional kitchen. Carmy is a talented, Michelin-starred chef and still struggles, because talent is not enough. You need a great team and thick skin, since you cannot cry in front of customers. Personal life will keep interrupting your career, and it is no excuse to fall. You carry all the burdens, sometimes at once.
8. Empire
Empire is similar to Succession: a family wrestles with relationships while fighting over a multi-million dollar music business. These shows do not teach the ins and outs of running a business, but they show how far charisma, confidence and social skills can go, even for eccentric people.
The family goes through deals that cost millions and betrayals by lifelong friends. Lucious Lyon shows that ambition can be ruthless and morally ambiguous, and that it can control you if you do not learn its power early.
9. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
On 19 November 1999, facing the final million-dollar question, John Carpenter used his Phone a Friend lifeline to call his dad. He did not need help. He wanted to tell his father that he knew the answer and was about to win.
The lesson is never to accept that the value of knowledge has faded. If you are not naturally clever in the way you want, work and study harder. You are not born with knowledge. You find it, store it and keep accumulating it, while staying calm under pressure and taking calculated risks.
10. Billions
Billions goes into the high-stakes world of finance and law, with an intense rivalry between a powerful hedge fund manager and a relentless U.S. Attorney in New York City. Both sides go to great lengths for their goals, with themes of power, wealth, morality and justice.
Beyond that, it teaches how important understanding human nature is to being successful.
11. Shark Tank
It was debated whether to include it. Aspiring entrepreneurs pitch ideas and products, which makes it a good way to see what it takes to start and run a business. The questions are tough, which shows the importance of preparation, clarity and knowing your business back to front, plus the power of networking and mentorship.
Keep in mind that the show sometimes puts entertainment ahead of realistic business practice. A great idea matters, but the show also wants entertainment value from the founder.
12. Better Call Saul
Most people know Breaking Bad, but its prequel spinoff is even better by the script’s count for unconventional inspiration. Saul Goodman goes from a struggling, morally conflicted small-time lawyer who always seems headed for the big time.
The character shows the pros and cons of using a need to prove yourself as your main drive. Solve problems creatively, smile warmly and bend the truth a little, and you reach new heights until your choices catch up with you. So make them wisely.
13. Hell’s Kitchen
Entertaining for viewers, shocking and embarrassing for contestants. Aspiring chefs face tough cooking challenges and dinner services while Gordon Ramsay delivers harsh, brutal feedback.
You need real tough skin to succeed. The real world will hopefully be less harsh to your face, but people will say and think things behind your back and you cannot let it slow you down. Filter out the valuable feedback, take it on and move on.
14. QI
QI is a British comedy game show where a rotating panel of comedians and celebrities answer obscure but intriguing questions. It rarely appears on lists like this, but it earns a place for three reasons:
- The value of humour and being quick and witty.
- How much progress you make when you are engaging and people like you.
- A reminder that an obsession with knowing, even niche and random things unique to you, will put you ahead.
15. Friday Night Lights
The show follows the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team, and their coach Eric Taylor, a great leader under the pressure of a football-obsessed town.
Whatever your age, your issues at home or the doubters around you, if you have a dream you quiet the noise and go for it. Success is not obvious, easy, fair or fully understood, and the pursuit can be selfish and relentless. Not many people will understand it, so find one who will. Find a mentor and hold on to them for discipline, inspiration and support.
Find the person who understands the pursuit, and keep them close.
Which shows would make your list?
The pattern across the 15 is that drama, comedy and reality shows all carry practical ideas: charisma, preparation, resilience, knowledge and mentorship. A show does not have to be realistic to inspire you, it only has to light a spark.
Which ones do you agree with or totally disagree with, and what would be your own 15?
FAQ
Which TV shows can teach you about success?
The list covers Succession, The Apprentice, Deadliest Catch, Suits, Mad Men, Top Gear, The Bear, Empire, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Billions, Shark Tank, Better Call Saul, Hell’s Kitchen, QI and Friday Night Lights.
What does Shark Tank teach about business?
It shows the importance of preparation, clarity and knowing your business back to front, plus the power of networking and mentorship. It sometimes favours entertainment over realistic business practice.
What can you learn from Suits?
The corporate law setting shows the importance of winning and making an impression. Its characters model charisma, loyalty, intellect, composure, soft skills and self-improvement.
Why does the list include The Bear?
It shows that talent is not enough: you need a great team and thick skin, and your personal life will keep interrupting your career. Success means carrying all the burdens, sometimes at once.
Do TV shows really influence your mindset?
The argument made is that they do, especially when you are young. Your ambitious, growth-oriented mindset is strengthened or weakened by the shows you watched growing up and the ones you watch now.
Keep reading
- 15 Truths about Success You Wish You Knew Sooner
- Richard Branson’s Most Valuable Lessons about Success
- What Teaching High School in India Thought Me About Success
