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The 5 Most Important Life Lessons Harrison Ford's Son, Ben Ford, Learned From Him

Star Wars fans will gladly tell you all the ways Hans Solo, one of Harrison Ford's most famous characters, has inspired them time and time again, but the Hollywood actor's eldest son, Los Angeles-favorite Chef Ben Ford, can definitely share the best—and most true-to-life—tributes to him of all. 

 

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On Father's Day, the usually food-focused personality penned an Instagram tribute to his father whose own life he said inspired him to be the man that he is today, as well instilled the qualities he's proudest to have.

 

Giving the world a glimpse of what it was like growing up under the guidance of one of the industry's most respected veterans, here's everything Ben has said he appreciates the most about his father: 

Harrison, now 76 years old, was a blue-collar worker before fame came, but made sure that his work, no matter how humble, was meticulously and thoughtfully done; there was never a task too menial for a then manual laborer Harrison, and it was exactly this commitment to always do right that taught his son to respect his craft. Mediocrity and a so-so work ethic were inexistent in the Ford household. 

 

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Given the nature of Harrison's job as an all-around handyman, he needed to be able to depend on his own devices to get things done, a trait tested further when job opportunities were few and far in-between and he needed to find ways to sustain his young family. This showed Ben the importance of resilience and resourcefulness—the ever-important qualities of getting back up when things are at their most difficult. 

 

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Pragmatism has always been Harrison's approach to life, according to Ben, and he credits exactly that to his father who had coursed through life and maintained his footing after everything he'd gone through. Adapting his father's way of seeing things for what they are, tracking a course of action, learning from mistakes, and looking forward were all a part and parcel of Ben's first taste of, and continued, success. 

 

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Spoonfeeding his children was also never in the books for Harrison, and although "tough love" might be too much for others to handle, Ben quickly saw the value in this and came to thank his father for it in adulthood. Allowing Ben to figure things out on his own gave him the space to grow and mature, as well as discover his own strengths; without this kind of upbringing, Ben would be a totally different person today. 

 

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Courage, of course, was always part of the formula. As exciting as it was to turn from carpenter to silver screen actor, the unfamiliarity and riskiness of it all was something a young Harrison had to manage on his own and power through. But without pain, there can be no gain, Harrison proved—a pivotal moment that continues to be Ben's source of audacity for when big decisions and opportunities come his way.

 

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Classic Ford

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See Ben's full Instagram tribute to his father below:

 

 

Photos from @chefbenford