He knows no fear.

He knows no danger.

In fact, he knows nothing.

Our much-loved British secret agent Johnny English may appear aloof and display absurd antics to the disbelief (and often mockery) of his co-workers and the audience, but beyond his reckless folly, English displays some very practical secret agent skills - skills that we all can use in our everyday life. Here are five of them:

1. MIND OVER MATTER

Frustrated by the lack of progress in your fitness regime? Feel like throwing in the towel after months of exercising and not getting the results that you want? Or trying to master a new skill but feel like you are getting nowhere? Look to Johnny English.

The secret agent retreated to a monastery in Tibet after a botched mission, and had a tough time during his so-called training with the Tibetan monks. But he soon learnt and mastered the art of mind over matter when he had to endure a kick to his groin - a skill that proved to be very useful in his new mission fighting against the villain. The ability to keep going even when we are exhausted or afraid is a mental process that takes time to cultivate. So keep at it, that breakthrough could be just around the corner!

2. UNDYING LOYALTY AND SENSE OF DUTY

Although there were times when English was maligned as being a threat to the secret service and traitor to his country, he remains fiercely loyal to his country and will stop at nothing to defend it, often putting his own life at risk. Undying loyalty to country can be contentious; most will even question English’s peculiar methods. We can all agree, however, that his spirit and passion in defending his country and loved ones are commendable qualities that we can use when faced with adversity.

3. NEVER-SAY-DIE ATTITUDE

Regardless of how many times he has been ridiculed, misunderstood or framed, English believes in his decisions and never gives up on his mission, even when everyone is against him. We may face similar situations in school or at the workplace -- being misunderstood or made fun of -- but we must remember to ‘never say die’. More than just proving others wrong, it is about building personal resilience and having a persistent mindset towards achieving your goals.

4. CONFIDENCE IN ALL SITUATIONS

Photo: 2018 Universal Studios

Despite the odds stacked against him, whether it is a disgruntled superior or a billionaire super-villain about to take over England, English displays unflinching (almost stupendous) levels of confidence in dealing with them and manages to single-handedly save the country despite many personal setbacks and (hilarious) failures along the way. Likewise in real life, personal setbacks and failures are inevitable but that should not stop us from bouncing back and moving forward with confidence, even if the circumstances may seem difficult.

5. RIDICULOUSLY STYLISH

Photo: 2018 Universal Studios

Clothes make the man. And English gets it. He may not be the best-looking secret agent at his secret service organisation but he is always well-dressed for the job. From infiltrating enemy territory, to fighting off bad guys, to attending a luxurious ballroom party, English makes sure he is always dressed to kill.

Dressing appropriately or ‘swee swee’ (colloquial local term meaning pretty, good or proper) for the occasion, and paying attention to how we present ourselves not only make us feel good, it actually elicits confidence, which changes the way we perceive things. 

Johnny English Strikes Again opens in cinemas on Sept 20. @media screen and (min-width: 769px){ .article-detail_body img { width: 600px; } } @media screen and (max-width: 767px){ .sponsor.sponsor_layout .col-md-5:nth-child(2) { margin-left: 70px; } .sponsor.sponsor_layout .col-md-5:nth-child(3) { margin-top: -20px; margin-left: 40px; max-width: 70%; } }