The battle between John McClane & Simon Gruber
As a Die-Hard fan of action movies (yes, pun absolutely intended), I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the Die Hard trilogy. And among all the epic moments, there’s one line from Die Hard with a Vengeance that sticks with me:
Whenever the villain, Simon Gruber, assigns a twisted task to John McClane and his reluctant partner, Zeus Carver, he begins with the chilling phrase:
“Simon says—”
It’s simple, sinister, and strangely unforgettable.
Now, here’s the thing—we all have a John McClane inside us. That gritty, resilient part of us that fights to do the right thing, no matter how tough the odds. He’s the inner voice pushing us toward better choices, self-discipline, and small daily victories.
But—and you know this is true—we’ve got a Simon Gruber lurking within too. Not by choice, of course. No one dreams of being the villain. But temptation, procrastination, and self-doubt? That’s Simon’s playground.
There’s a constant tug-of-war happening inside each of us. John wants to get up early, go for that walk, say no to that extra drink, take control of life (It’s kind of ironic that John McClane, the so-called hero, was actually a grumpy, hungover cop with a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time—but hey, we’ll focus on the silver lining: he still showed up, fought back, and tried to save the day).
Simon? He wants to hit snooze. He whispers, “Just one more.” He tempts, delays, derails. And just like in the movie, he often seems more powerful.
But here’s what the Die Hard universe teaches us:
John McClane always finds a way.
Outnumbered, outgunned, exhausted—he still rises. Because when it counts, he’s resourceful, relentless, and real.
So if lately your resolutions are crumbling, if you’re waking up to regret more than results, chances are—you’ve been following the wrong voice.
If Simon says, “Sleep in,” but John says, “Lace up your shoes,”
Listen to John.
If Simon says, “One more drink won’t hurt, I am a good driver,” but John says, “You promised yourself better,”
Trust John.
Both Simon and John are just parts of you. You control the script. You choose the direction.
And come on—who wants the bad guy to win?
What kind of movie would that be?
From my book Ensemble – A collection of short stories & essays
Pic source – Pixabay
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