I agree that beauty is not just physical. Beauty has many
forms, and I feel that confidence, self-respect, and loving yourself are some
of them.
These are some other beautiful things to behold:
A child at play; while living in a safe
neighborhood.
Reading a book on a beach at 1 o’clock in the
afternoon.
Taking a nap in a hammock.
Walking in Central Park.
Seeing the sun come up while vacationing on the
lake.
Seeing the sunset on the beach.
However, all of those beautiful things, albeit free; still
cost money to be able to do and enjoy them.
Many of these things require that you have some form of
prosperity or relative financial cushion to enjoy creature comforts that can
easily be taken for granted such as taking a nap in the afternoon beyond the
age of five.
Instead of having some semblance of wealth, you will need to
actually have a few coins in the bank in order to have any sort of comfort
EVER.
That being said, I had to stop and think. Why Do I Save So
Much?
I remember reading an article in which they decided to pose this similar type of question to Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry who is worth an estimated $80 million.
She answered that the reason she saves is because she knows
the business she is in (showbiz) this Hollywood stint may all come to an end
one day. Specifically, she says that she saves because she never knows
“when this trip will end.” And that she wants to have enough savings
to make sure she is secure, comfortable, and financially independent when the
paychecks stop pouring in and the fame starts to wane. In addition, she carries
tons of life insurance.
I too carry tons of life insurance!
If it’s good enough for Halle, then it’s good enough for me.
Halle is a saver.
Here is why I am a saver too.
WELCOME TO THE GOOD LIFE
When I was a kid, my
mother told me that if you could not be a good loser, then there’s no way you
could be a good winner. – Halle Berry
There’s a place in me
that can really relate to being the underdog. – Halle Berry
I always had to prove
myself through my actions. Be a cheerleader. Be class president. Be the editor
of the newspaper. – Halle Berry
By the time I left
school, I had a lot of tenacity. – Halle Berry
If you think money will change who you are, then think
again. Money just gives us a bigger stage to project who we already are.
Will Smith said it best: “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”
Many people may not know this but Halle Berry was elected Homecoming or Prom Queen at her high school. It was predominantly white. Not believing that she had won, the other contestant asked for a recount. Halle agreed. Halle won again. She demanded another recount. Halle refused. Halle then graciously accepted her crown.
If you think about that, you can see from a young age that Halle has always had to work for what she’s got. Being PRETTY is not enough!
I actually was on my school newspaper. It was one of the
only times in high school that I did not feel like I was being judged and I had
some say in what was going on around me. I too have always had to prove MYSELF!
I get it. No one believes what they can’t see. Seeing is
believing.
However, I was actually working towards my goals – buying a
home, getting a bachelor’s, finishing a Master’s – all tangible things that
people can observe my actions and see me doing such as studying, house
shopping, and walking across the stage to accept my diploma.
It was not until AFTER I had done all those things that people started to take me more seriously and show me SOME RESPECT!!
It just would have been nice to get a little more of it while I was the UNDERDOG and working towards MY GOALS with people around me that had WAY MORE PRIVILEGE.
I paid WAY LESS than $50,000 for a degree.
I paid WAY LESS than $1 million for a home.
I did that because I knew what I could afford and that I
didn’t want to be in debt forever.
I wanted freedom. And that doesn’t come cheap. You have to EARN your freedom through work.
CAREER IS IMPORTANT
Career is important,
but nothing really supersedes my roles as a mother. – Halle Berry
I never wanted to be a
model. My modelling career was nothing but a stepping stone to my acting career
and that’s all I ever saw it as. A pointless rock in the river that has to be
stepped on in order to get to the meaningful oasis of acting. – Halle Berry
Throughout my career I
have been talked out of things I wanted to do, and when I look back, I think I
should have followed my instincts. – Halle Berry
What’s the worst that can happen? If it doesn’t do well I can put on my big girl panties, deal with it and move on. – Halle Berry
I have learned that having a CAREER and not just a JOB is
important.
A job is what you do to pay the bills.
A career is what you do when you have passion for something
and can skip to work.
I decided at the age of 15 to get my degree as a STEPPING
STONE towards a career. I ended up working in Financial services which is right
up my alley as you can tell from this blog. 😉
However, I have mostly done the things I wanted to do and
rarely let myself get talked out of those things. Maybe that is why I am so
happy.
The secret to happiness: Do the things that make you happy
and don’t do the things that make you unhappy. The End.
No matter what. Good or Bad. MOVE ON. Keep moving forward. It’s
like Ariana Grande says, “thank you, next.”
I knew if I wanted to make more than minimum wage that I had
to get some skills or education. Not knowing what trade to do I went for the degree.
I knew not to just drift or stand still.
I didn’t want to end up at 35 with no savings, no home, no
family, and no decent job.
I had no shame working as waitress to make ends meet until I
could do better. I was making about $2.39 an hour plus tips.
Now I’m making and saving more than 40% of my income.
All things come in time.
BEAUTY FADES
Let me tell you something – being thought of as a beautiful woman has spared me nothing in life. No heartache, no trouble. Love has been difficult. Beauty is essentially meaningless and it is always transitory. – Halle Berry
While being called
beautiful is extremely flattering, I would much rather be noticed for my work
as an actress. – Halle Berry
A person’s self-esteem
has nothing to do with how she looks. – Halle Berry
Your preaching to the choir. Tell me something I don’t know.
Beauty is transitory alright meaning it is not permanent. CORRECT.
As you age, you will change. It is inevitable. So you need to be able to do something more than stand still, look pretty, and to quote Miss Congeniality, “be on stage with nothing to do but convert oxygen into carbon dioxide.” Haha
So enjoy your life! And pass me some more pizza 😂
INNER PEACE
The first step is
clearly defining what it is you’re after, because without knowing that, you’ll
never get it. – Halle Berry
If you set out to do
something and you give it your all and it doesn’t work out, be willing to
modify your goal slightly. Have the ability to look in another direction. A
small shift could guide you to the real purposes of your life. – Halle Berry
There have been so
many people who have said to me, ‘You can’t do that,’ but I’ve had an innate
belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach. – Halle
Berry
I’m not afraid of
portraying anything on-screen. – Halle Berry
I’m just going to live my life and be who I am. – Halle Berry
If you are a wrestling fan, then you have heard of the moniker BE FEARLESS from the Bella Twins.
And that is how you should live your life. Be fearless. Be
relentless in your pursuits. But always try to do the right thing.
During an interview for the cover of the April issue of
InStyle, which hit the Internet on March 12, Ciara said, “If you want to get
somewhere in life, you’ve got to have a compass. You’ve got to know where you
really want to get to.”
I have a pretty strong professional and Morale Compass. I
try to, like Spike Lee says, “Do the right thing.”
If you read my last post on The Rock, then you know that
being who you are can get you far in this world, but nothing happens without a
dint of hard work.
Academy Award winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones said in
the book Rise and Grind that she informed her parents at a young age she wanted
to be an actress. They did not approve until she got them an appointment with
her school guidance counselor.
They informed her parents that Catherine would never be
satisfied with being an accountant as she is too artsy. Let her PURSUE her
passion. Since Catherine was a good child and student, they agreed to let her
pursue her dreams and would support her!
At that point my mouth drops open. You could hear crickets and a pen drop. I could not believe it. All that from a conversation. WELL DONE! Never underestimate the power of your words.
AGE AIN’T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER
I see women in their
30s getting plastic surgery, pulling this up and tucking that back. It’s like a
slippery slope – once you start you pull one thing one way and then you think,
‘Oh my God, I’ve got to do the other side.’ – Halle Berry
I’m not sad at all
about turning 40. – Halle Berry
I’m not a fanatic
about exercising. For me, it’s about moderation and balance. – Halle Berry
I think I am at my best when my hair is short. It’s easier to take care of and more of who I am. Women are conditioned to think we need long hair. – Halle Berry
I think it’s always
best to be who you are. – Halle Berry
Be who you are.
If you ever saw the 1997 movie Selena starring Jennifer Lopez, then you may remember the scene where Abraham Quintanilla (played by James Edward Olmos) says that he learned a very important lesson in life, which is that you have to be who you are.
That is not just wisdom in old age talk. That is the TRUTH.
Everything have that was GOOD came from me being WHO I AM. Whatever you do or whomever you are…OWN IT!!!!
SUCCESS AT LAST OR IS IT?
Don’t take yourself
too seriously. Know when to laugh at yourself, and find a way to laugh at
obstacles that inevitably present themselves. – Halle Berry
I know I’m only one
human being and I’m only making one tiny contribution and it’s nothing more
than that. – Halle Berry
I think there’s a
certain level of trust that I have with women. I’ve always been honest, even
when I haven’t had good times in my life or my movie bombed or I’ve had great
success. I’ve owned up to all of it. – Halle Berry
People win Oscars, and
then it seems like they fall off the planet. And that’s partly because a huge
expectation walks in the room and sits right down on top of your head. The
moment I won the Oscar, I felt the teardown the very next day. – Halle Berry
I repeat, whatever you do…OWN IT!
I’m told that I am sassy and dominating. I take that as the
compliment I know it is supposed to be. 😉
Well this sassy Miss started doing the following with her money:
Savings Year
Monthly Savings Amount
End of Year Total Savings
2013
$50
$600
2014
$100
$1200
2015
$150
$1800
2016
$250
$3000
2017
$333
$3996
2018
$1,111.04
$13,333.06
2019*
$1,211.09
$14,533.06
As of this writing, I am on track to save $15,000 for 2019.
I have already set a saving goal of $16,000 for 2020.
I always look to the future because it is coming one day after all. So I set savings goals for the coming years of 2021-2025 of $17,000+ each and every year. My ultimate goal is to save $20,000-$25,000 each year. That would allow me to save $100,000 every 4 to 5 years.
I also believe in donating money to good and charitable
causes like Halle.
This is what Halle told MainStreet: ‘Many people utilize
charitable giving as a great tax write off, and it is. But more than that, for
me, charitable giving is a financial investment in the human spirit. When we
invest in each other, we invest in ourselves. There is no single investment
that I have pursued that has brought a greater return, than helping someone who
needs it.’
Well said, Ms. Berry.
So now you know why I save so much and how much I save.
“Success isn’t always about ‘Greatness’, it’s about
consistency. Consistent, hard work gains success. Greatness will come.” –
Dwayne Johnson
Well unless you have been living under a Rock, then you have
heard of the name Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
One of the most successful wrestlers to come out of the WWE of all time.
The Rock is an inspiration to millions with his good
attitude, humility, and great sense of humor. One of the hardest working men in
show business today.
If there is a movies coming out, then The Rock either
auditioned for, saw the script, produced, or is starring in it. I mean the guy
has a movie coming out like every two weeks!
He recently made headlines in January 2019 for not getting
cast in Crazy Rich Asians?!!
As he worked with the film’s director, Jon M. Chu, in the 2013 sci-fi action film “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” with Bruce Willis.
Regardless, The Rock isn’t low on cash by any means.
He has an estimated net worth of over $150 Million.
On my continued journey toward studying the self-made, the
man du jour is Dwayne Johnson.
Full Disclosure: I located numerous interviews, read magazine articles, and reporting on The Rock. One of the best came from Wonderwall.
So here we go.
Get your popcorn ready cause this is a long one.
I’m about to open up The Rock’s wallet and give you a peek
inside.
Let’s smell what The Rock is cookin’ in his bank books shall we?
THE ROCK BEGINS: CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Dwayne Johnson, was born in California on May 2, 1972. Although he grew up poor in Hawaii, he is now one of the richest men in Hollywood, but the poverty he faced during his childhood is never far from his mind.
Case in point, On Thanksgiving 2017, The Rock revealed in a lengthy Instagram post that “there was a time back in ’87 when we couldn’t even afford Thanksgiving dinner and [were] praying someone would invite us over their house to eat.”
Due to his father’s work as a professional wrestler, the
family was constantly in flux and bouncing around from place to place.
Wrestling is in The Rock’s blood.
Wrestling is actually the Johnson family business — his
father Rocky Johnson was a star in the 1970s and ’80s, while his Samoan
grandfather Peter Maivia was famous in the 1960s.
As his mother was unable to keep a steady job because of this, they went through hard times.
HARD KNOCK LIFE
In another IG post, in May 2015, the wrestler-actor revealed on Instagram that “when I was 14yrs old we were evicted out of our apartment in Hawaii ’cause we couldn’t afford the $180 per week rent.”
In 2014, he told The Hollywood Reporter that a week before
they were evicted, he watched his mother’s car get repossessed. He reportedly
added to her troubles by joining a theft ring that targeted affluent stores in
Waikiki.
In addition, he stated in another interview that they were
so broke that his mother doesn’t remember walking out into incoming traffic
before he pushed her out of the way.
It was at that moment he decided to make changes in his life. He said to himself, “What can I do with these two hands?” That is when he decided to start working out.
“The successful men I knew were men who built their bodies.” – The Rock
He also stated while growing up people thought he was a girl and that they referred to him as one “all the time.”
KICK ROCKS
“I’ll never, ever be full. I’ll always be hungry. Obviously,
I’m not talking about food.
Growing up, I had nothing for such a long time.” – The Rock
The Rock is now one the biggest movie stars in the world.
But before the A-list super-stardom and even before his WWE debut, Dwayne
Johnson was just a guy that was down on his luck.
He decided that he wanted to play football. He worked
tirelessly and gave everything he had to the sport. His hard work paid off.
Johnson was a promising football prospect and received
offers from many Division I collegiate programs. After finishing high school in
Pennsylvania, he went on to play college football. He decided on a full
scholarship from the University of Miami, playing defensive tackle. In 1991, he
was on the Miami Hurricanes’ national championship team.
The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Johnson started only once, appearing
in 39 games with a total of 77 tackles and 4.25 sacks. With muscles on top of
muscles, he was a sight to behold. He was a physical specimen from Day 1.
It was once quoted about The Rock, “He was a
jack-of-all-trades, but only a master at wrasslin’.
Ed Orgeron, University of Miami defensive line coach
(1989-1992), once had this to say about The Rock.
“His uncle was Jimmy Snuka, he came from a wrestling
family. So we knew about that.
“I remember one-day walking off the field, he hadn’t
had a good day and I said something like, ‘You know, Dwayne, you should just
become a wrestler.'”
Warren Sapp, NFL pro football 2013 Hall of Famer, said this of
playing football with The Rock.
“So we used to joke with him by saying, ‘When you get
done with football, you’re going to go into wrestling, right?’
“And he’d say: ‘Damn right, bitch.’
Everyone always had the same thing to say about Johnson, he
was charismatic, humble, and down-to-earth.
The Rock would go on to complete a bachelor of general studies degree. But his football career was coming to an end around the same time his academic career did.
WRESTLING WITH $7 BUCKS
“1995. $7 Bucks In My Pocket. I Knew Two Things: I’m Broke
As Hell and One Day I Won’t Be” – The Rock
In 1995, Dwayne Johnson signed with the Canadian Football
League’s Calgary Stampeders at a yearly salary of $35,000. According to The
Hollywood Reporter, after just two months, he got knocked down to the practice
team, which paid just $250 a week.
That had to hurt!
During that time, he reportedly shared a two-bedroom
apartment with three other players, “eating ramen noodles and spaghetti
and sleeping on a filthy mattress he had found ditched outside a
pay-by-the-hour sex motel,” wrote THR. When he was cut from the team not
long after that, he had just $7 to his name.
This is when he decided to become a wrestler. He begged his
father to show him the ropes. Get it 😉
Dwayne Johnson made his WWE debut in 1996, becoming the first third-generation wrestler in the league. (His father, Rocky Johnson, and his maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, were both professional wrestlers.) He quickly became one of the sport’s biggest stars. According to Fortune, during his second year in the WWE, The Rock made enough money to accomplish a childhood dream: He bought his first Rolex. (He smashed the $35,000 timepiece in the ring just a week later.)
I mean, wow!
“When You Walk Up To Opportunity’s Door: Don’t Knock It.
Kick That Bitch In, Smile and Introduce Yourself” – The Rock
Dwayne Johnson officially transitioned to Hollywood in 1999,
the year he played a version of his father, wrestler Rocky Johnson, on
“That ’70s Show,” where he got to act out with Topher Grace as Eric
Forman.
The following year, he channeled his wrestling alter ego
(complete with cocked eyebrow) to portray an alien gladiator on an episode of
“Star Trek: Voyager.” A month later, he hosted “Saturday Night
Live” for the first time. Each of these television appearances — as well
as a few others — helped him prove his acting chops and win fans outside of
the wrestling world.
The people’s champ was becoming the acting champ.
Things started really moving steadily from there for The
Rock.
In 2000, Dwayne Johnson released his memoir “The Rock Says…,” which debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list.
Keep in mind, Writing isn’t generally a high-paying
gig—unless you happen to be the top-selling author.
Fun Fact: While this gains the coveted “NYT BESTSELLER” status for the authors, it doesn’t net a lot of money. There are weeks in the year where you can make the NYT list with as few as a couple of thousand sales.
According to Career Trend, Given the royalties of a standard
contract, an author selling 20,000 books priced at $25 would earn $65,625 the
first week on the “New York Times” best-seller list. This is not
quite the millions superstar authors bank, but if the book continues to sell,
these earnings add up to an impressive income.
Then The Rock hit pay dirt. He booked a starring role in a major Hollywood film.
In 2001, Dwayne Johnson made his feature-film debut as The Scorpion King in “The Mummy Returns.” He reportedly banked $500K for his brief appearance in the action-adventure sequel to 1999’s “The Mummy.” His work in the film was so popular, he scored his own spinoff.
THE BUSINESS OF BEING THE ROCK
The Road To Success and Greatness Is Always Paved With
Consistent Hard Work. Outwork Your Competitors, Be Authentic And Above All
Else. Chase Your Greatness” – The Rock
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson rose to fame thanks to his exploits in the pro wrestling ring and got his first big break in the movie business as the Scorpion King in 2001’s “The Mummy Returns.”
He holds the Guinness World Record for highest paid for a
movie debut, as he received a $5 million-dollar paycheck for his role.
In 2004, Dwayne Johnson left the WWE to focus on his Hollywood acting career. The following year, he earned raves for his performance as a gay cowboy bodyguard and aspiring actor in “Be Cool.” Further signaling his transition from professional wrestler to serious actor, he was credited as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson instead of just “The Rock” for his work in 2006’s “Gridiron Gang.” With 2008’s “Get Smart” — at the urging of his agents at CAA — he officially changed his stage name to Dwayne Johnson.
CAA, short for Creative Artists Agency, is also one of the
biggest entertainment agencies in the world.
GIVING BACK
“I Like To Use The Hard Times in The Past, To Motivate Me
Today” – The Rock
In 2006, Dwayne Johnson and then-wife Dany Garcia, who fell
in love while they were students at the University of Miami, donated $2 million
to their alma mater to help fund a renovation to the school’s alumni center. In
2007, they donated $1 million to the college’s Football Facilities Renovation
Fund, which was reportedly the largest donation ever from a former student to
the university’s athletic department. The University of Miami renamed their
football locker room in his honor: It’s now the Dwayne “The Rock”
Johnson Football Locker Room.
If that is not karma coming full circle, then I do not know what is! From getting cut from a football team to having a university athletic department named after you. Totally badass!!!
PERSONAL DIFFERENCES
In 2008, Dwayne Johnson and college sweetheart Dany Garcia
divorced after 10 years of marriage and one daughter, Simone. The same year
they split romantically, Dany became her ex’s manager. “I was already
deeply involved with his agents, I was already commenting on scripts. It was a
very natural conversation, where he just said to me, ‘I would love for you to
do this full-time,'” she told Marie Claire in 2017.
PERSONAL DIFFERENCES ASIDE, KEEP ON TRUCKING…ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK
In 2010, Dwyane Johnson portrayed star police officer Christopher Danson in “The Other Guys.” He reportedly earned $9 million for his role in the action-comedy…. even though (spoiler alert!) his character gets killed off just 15 minutes into the movie.
Dwayne Johnson executive produced the 2010 documentary
“Racing Dreams.” The film, which centers around young drivers chasing
the kart racing championship title, marked The Rock’s debut as a producer.
I mean, does this guy ever stop working?!!! Now he’s a
producer.
In 2011, Dwayne Johnson parted ways with CAA, whose agents
had urged him to distance himself from the wrestling world. He signed with WME
and legendary agent Ari Emanuel (on whom Jeremy Piven’s “Entourage”
alter ego, Ari Gold, is based), and officially returned to the WWE that
February.
You see that. He trusted his instincts and listed to himself, not just the advice of his management team. Others may help you along your journey, but ultimately you make the final decision. ALWAYS!!!
He appeared in a number of big WWE events over the course of
the next few years and, according to some reports, banked $3.5 million per year
for his efforts. Apparently, he was worth every penny: “We set
pay-per-view buy-rate records and attendance records each time,” he gushed
to Fortune of his big return to the WWE. In April 2016, the league confirmed
that WrestleMania 32 set a new attendance record for the WWE with 101,763 fans
in the crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Would you look at that?
Setting records. Smacking down candy asses. Being eye candy.
Raising eyebrows and rising paychecks.
That is my description of The Rock!!
FAST AND FURIOUS MONEY
“Let Actions Do Your Talkin For You, (Unless You’re Telling A Good Dirty Joke)”
In an Essence magazine article, he was asked what he was wearing while talking over the phone. His answer: A thong. Backwards. 🤣Your boy has got jokes!!!
The Rock is now taking life a quarter mile at a time.
In April 2011, Dwayne Johnson made his film-franchise debut as Luke Hobbs in “Fast Five.” At the time, the fifth installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise had the top opening weekend of any film ever to open in the month of April, though that record has since been beat. He went on to appear in the next three films in the series and has become such a fan favorite that he and Jason Statham scored their very own spin-off movie, “Hobbs and Shaw,” which is scheduled for release in the summer of 2019.
SEVEN BUCKS PRODUCTIONS
In 2012, Dwayne Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia co-founded their own production company, Seven Bucks Productions — a nod to that time the wrestler-actor found himself with just $7 to his name after getting the boot from the Canadian Football League. The company has produced several of The Rock’s recent films including “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Baywatch,” “Rampage” and “Skyscraper” as well as the TV shows “Ballers,” “The Hero” and “Wake Up Call.”
One of my personal favorite television shows I have ever
seen The Rock do was the show “Wake Up Call.”
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: At 23, I Had Only $7 In My Pocket
— Then I Turned My Life Around
According to Business Insider, “In TNT’s new show “Wake Up Call,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson lends a helping hand to everyday people who are facing enormous challenges in their lives. From dysfunctional homes and dead-beat dads to sports teams that don’t gel and businesses struggling to survive.”
MILK DOES A BODY GOOD
Dwayne Johnson starred in a commercial for the “Got Milk?” campaign that debuted during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, 2013. He appeared in more advertisements for the campaign later that year.
He’s steady cashing them checks!!!💰 Cha ching! 😂
Dwayne Johnson made his reality TV debut on the TNT
competition series “The Hero” in June 2013. He hosted all eight
episodes of the short-lived show. The following year, The Rock returned to the
network with the eight-episode series “Wake Up Call,” which tracked
his efforts to help average Americans transform their lives. His third stab at
reality TV, “The Titan Games,” is scheduled to debut on NBC in
January 2019. According to an official synopsis, the competition series (which
is in the vein of “American Gladiatiors”) is inspired by the
wrestler-actor’s “desire to motivate global audiences to reach their potential
both mentally and physically.” Hopefully it fares better than its
predecessors!
You can say that again. He’s been cancelled more times than checks!
BLOOD, SWEAT, AND RESPECT
“Blood, Sweat and Respect. First Two You Give, Last One You
Earn” – The Rock
According to Fortune, movies in which Dwayne Johnson appeared made $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office in 2013 — more than any other actor that year. To be fair, he starred in four movies that debuted in 2013: “Snitch,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Pain & Gain” and “Fast & Furious 6” (pictured).
My absolute favorite film in The Fast and The Furious franchise is Fast Five. It earned over $500 million in box office receipts. It set the stage for the billion-dollar franchise. This was a huge record at the time in 2011 for the film and The Rock most certainly helped put butts in those theater seats!
In 2014, The Rock starred in Hercules. It was a big budget film that cost $100 million USD to make. It grossed over $244 million at the box office, but was not the money maker studios would have liked.
To be fair, I saw the film. I thought it was excellent.
Solid performances by The Rock and the whole cast. My absolute favorite was Ingrid
Bolsø Berdal. She was outstanding in the film. She was the Legolas of the film.
You know the role that made Orlando Bloom famous in The Lord of the Rings
franchise.
You know how it goes: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the Darkness bind them.”
Or DC Comic Universe’s The Arrow.
Like Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games, she too uses a bow and arrow. You know it is always the coolest party people that use the infamous bow and arrow and that is because it takes REAL skill.
“With Drive And A Bit Of Talent, You Can Move Mountains” –
The Rock
In May 2015, Dwayne Johnson starred as a rescue helicopter pilot in “San Andreas.” He reportedly banked $25 million — the biggest paycheck of his career so far — for his role in the disaster flick. There are reports that the box office hit will get a sequel, though no moves have been made yet on the project.
Alas, as of this writing, it doesn’t look like the movie
pulled in enough dough to make that happen.
“Ballers” debuted on HBO in June 2015. According
to Variety, Dwayne Johnson makes $650K per episode of the series — more than
any other actor makes on TV aside from the five main stars of “The Big
Bang Theory,” who each bank $900K per episode of the CBS sitcom.
As of this writing, The Big Bang Theory (TBBT), will be
ending and going off the air in Spring 2019. This stems from Jim Parsons’
decision to leave the series at the end of the season if the show were to be
renewed for a thirteenth season. The series will conclude with an hour long
finale consisting of two back-to-back episodes on May 16, 2019.
In October 2015, Dwayne Johnson announced that he’d signed on to promote Ford’s service departments. Since then, he’s appeared in several ad campaigns for the motor company.
In November 2015, Dwayne Johnson reportedly donated $1,500 to a shelter puppy who’d been named after him. The 4-month-old pooch required expensive medical treatment for a heart murmur.
THE BRAHMA BULL GETS INK AND INKS A DEAL WITH UNDER ARMOUR
“Success at anything will always come down to this: Focus &
Effort, and we control both.” – The Rock
The tattoos are beliefs of his ancestors from his father’s side and mothers sides. His black culture, his Samoan culture, all cumulates in a belief that the spirit of his ancestors is protecting his family. These tattoos represent great struggle and about overcoming them.
The tattoo on his body comes down to 3 things; his family, protection of his family, and about having a true warrior spirit forever.
Dwayne Johnson launched his partnership with Under Armour in January 2016. The first item from his collaboration with the athletic brand, a duffle bag, sold out within 24 hours. Since then, he’s released everything from clothes and wireless headphones to sneakers through his Project Rock collection for Under Armour. On May 28, 2018, The Rock’s Project Rock 1 shoes for Under Armour sold out in 30 minutes.
NO FREE APPLE iPHONES OR APPS
Remember in my last post, when I talked about Taylor Swift putting Apple iTunes on blast about free music? No? That’s ok. Here’s the link 😉
Well, now The Rock is working with Apple.
In May 2016, Dwayne Johnson launched an iPhone app, The Rock Clock, that’s essentially an alarm clock that wakes up users with exclusive inspirational video messages from the actor-wrestler. Users can also sync their alarms with The Rock’s so that they too can rise and shine at 4 a.m. every day to start their daily fitness routines. “Our goal was create a free, direct, uncomplicated, cool, motivating app to help us all get after our goals every morning,” the superstar explained on Instagram.
And remember this? iPhone 7 | The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day | Apple. If you look closely, you will see that fannie pack pic of him while he ‘s driving the Lyft car!!! 😂And in the video his manager calls him DJ. I would love an uncle DJ that can treat me to an ice cream anytime!
AND YOUTUBE
In July 2016, Dwayne Johnson launched his own YouTube
channel. Original series on the channel include the cooking show “What The
Rock Is Cooking” and “Millennials: The Musical,” a collaboration
with “Moana” co-star Lin-Manuel Miranda.
In January 2017, Dwayne Johnson launched Seven Bucks Digital
Studios, a branch of his Seven Bucks Productions focusing on developing new
original online content.
In April 2017, Dwayne Johnson returned to the role of Luke Hobbs in “The Fate of the Furious.” The eighth installment in the beloved “Fast & Furious” franchise opened worldwide to more than $541 million. At the time, it was the largest global opening of any film ever. (“Avengers: Infinity War” broke the record the following year.)
In July 2017, Dwayne Johnson starred in an ad campaign for
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Siri titled “The Rock x Siri Dominate The Day.”
In September 2017, Dwayne Johnson and ex-wife Dany Garcia
launched Seven Bucks Creative, a creative ad agency within their production
company, Seven Bucks Productions. In March 2018, the company released its first
campaign: two videos promoting The Rock’s Project Rock collection for Under
Armour, naturally!
In December 2017, Dwayne Johnson headlined “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” The reboot of the original 1995 family action flick “Jumanji” was a surprise sleeper hit, becoming Sony’s highest grossing film of all time domestically. It trucked along at the box office for months, becoming the first movie since 1998’s “Titanic” to open in December and top the box office in February. All in all, the film was so successful, Sony ordered another installment in the series for late 2019.
RAKING IN THE DOUGH BY THE TRUCKLOADS
In February 2018, before writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber had even penned a script, Universal and Legendary teamed up to win a bidding war for “Red Notice,” which Rawson describes as “a big international heist picture, that is tonally in the vein of ‘Ocean’s 11’ meets ‘True Lies’ by the way of ‘Thomas Crown Affair.'” The two studios agreed to finance the film at $160 million based on a pitch meeting and the fact that Dwayne Johnson is attached to star. (According to Deadline, the deal is the largest for a studio movie in Hollywood so far this year.) The Rock will reportedly bank $22 million plus backend to play “an Interpol agent who is tasked with catching the most wanted art thief in the world.”
In mid-July 2018, Forbes released its list of the world’s 100 highest paid entertainers. Dwayne Johnson came in at No. 5 behind Floyd Mayweather, George Clooney, Kylie Jenner and Judge Judy. “The former wrestler tallied the highest ever acting take-home in Celebrity 100 history, thanks to giant upfront paychecks and a cut of profits on blockbusters including ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.’ A huge social following allows him to negotiate an extra seven figures atop his standard contract for promotion, helping nearly double his 2017 earnings,” wrote Forbes. So how much exactly he is taking home in 2018? A whopping $124 million.
At this point, he is making money hand over fist. Just genius right there with his negotiations. I have no words.
Dwayne Johnson’s generosity is practically legendary. In
late July 2018, he took to Instagram to share a video of himself surprising his
longtime stunt double (and cousin) Tanoai Reed with a new truck. “Not only
does Tanoai represent our family and my career with relentless commitment and passion.
He also represents an entire Hollywood stunt community that is truly the
backbone of our business,” The Rock wrote in the caption. Giving thanks
where it’s due? That’s good business! Over the years, the wrestler-actor also
bought a Lamborghini Gallardo for one of his cousins, a Cadillac Escalade for
his dad, a Cadillac truck for his mom, a Honda Civic for another cousin, a
Lexus SUV for yet another cousin, a Ford F-150 for an uncle and another Ford
pickup truck for his longtime housekeeper.
As of August 2018, Dwayne Johnson is the most followed male
entertainer on Instagram with 112 million followers.
As of this writing, he now has over 136 million followers on
Instagram. He is the king of Insta!!!! He is the undisputed, follower for
follower, heavyweight champ of IG!
Two snaps for you Dwayne!!! You Rock!!
He’s the seventh-most
followed celebrity behind Selena Gomez, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, Ariana
Grande, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian West and Kylie Jenner. According to Forbes, The
Rock “insists on a separate seven-figure social media fee” for every
movie in which he appears.” Basically, his social media accounts are worth
millions in marketing and advertising dollars.
And that ladies and gentleman is how The Rock built his empire.
Here is his formula: Blood, Sweat, and Respect + Hard work and Consistency = Success.
Those willing to do more than the bare minimum. We are talking captains or titans of industry and business mavericks, that buck the trend, throw caution to the wind, and are all in.
Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, LeBron James, Phil Knight, and Walt Disney, to name a few, embody the characteristics of what it takes to dominate in one’s field. They are outliers. If you dare to dream and be an outlier yourself, then you are in great company.
WHAT IS AN OUTLIER?
A person or thing that is atypical within a particular group, class, or category. – Merriam Webster Dictionary
Simply put, you are different than the rest. You stand out. An outlier is the proverbial diamond in the rough or needle in the haystack. The 1 out of a million.
We all know how it worked out for Aladdin in the end.
When everyone else goes right, you go left and turn down the street.
You have tunnel vision. All energy is focused on a single task until it is completed or you are an expert. The rejection of noise and naysayers are a must.
A great definition of focus is this: To follow, without halt, one aim: There’s the secret of success. – Anna Pavlova (Prima Ballerina)
WHO ARE OUTLIERS?
The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique. – Walt Disney
We will take the examples above and expand on those individuals that have either been born great, achieved greatness, or had greatness thrust upon them. (To revise Humphrey Bogart’s famous words: Here’s looking at you, William. Shakespeare that is.)
So, who are these mavericks you say? Just keep reading.
Steve Jobs
Photo: Forbes.com
Steve Jobs was the CEO and co-founder of the most valuable brand in the world: Apple. The first ever trillion-dollar company in the entire world. He pioneered revolutionary technologies. Thanks to his genius and willingness to dare to be different, we now have a computer in our pockets.
He decided to buck the trend and paid no dividends for Apple shareholders (this changed in 2012), as he thought that money could be better spent to expand the company.
Forbes, in 2011, estimated Jobs’ net worth to be around $6 billion to $ 7 billion dollars prior to his passing.
Bill Gates
Photo: Forbes.com
Bill Gates is a business magnate who is the founder of Microsoft. He took the road less traveled by famously dropping out of one of the most elite and prestigious universities in the world: Harvard.
Mr. Gates devoted every minute of his time to computer technology. He would read trade magazines and stay informed on the latest in tech. Becoming an expert in the field and later launching Windows in 1985. It became the top operating system for PC’s.
Forbes lists Gates’ net worth at $96B.
LeBron James
Photo: Forbes.com
LeBron James started playing basketball at a very young age. He loved the game so much that he played and practiced non-stop. By the time LeBron was 14, he had ESPN covering his high school basketball games because he was just that good.
He was drafted in 2003, to play professional basketball with the NBA. It is estimated that he spends $1.5 million dollars a year just on his health care and personal training to keep his body in the best athletic shape possible. He would go on to win the first ever championship for Cleveland. Ever. He recently built a school and is offering college scholarships to those students.
Forbes estimates James’ net worth at $440 million. That’s a lot of M’s just for going hard in the paint. It pays well to be the best.
Phil Knight
Photo: Forbes.com
Phil Knight is a business magnate and the co-founder of Nike. He ran track for the University of Oregon under the infamous track coach Bill Bowerman, with whom he co-founded Nike. Bowerman is famous for coaching 31 Olympic athletes including the legendary Steve Prefontaine.
After attending Stanford Graduate School of Business, Knight decided to become an entrepreneur. His business plan paper became the catalyst for his company. He traveled to Japan to see about good running shoes, which would go on to become Nike.
Forbes estimates Knight’s net worth at $31B.
Walt Disney
Photo: Forbes.com
Walt Disney was a pioneer in the American animation industry. He always loved to draw. He had a paper route with a grueling and exhausting schedule as a kid, which contributed to his poor grades at school.
None the less, he continued to draw. He had $40 dollars in his pocket when he moved to CA to start his career. After, getting fired from a job in animation at one company, he decided to start his own.
People laughed at him for wanting to draw a talking mouse. An old legend states he was rejected 302 times to get financing to start Disney World. He ended getting the last laugh as Disney is the biggest and most diversified mass media and entertainment conglomerate in the world.
At the time of his death in 1966, he was estimated to have a net worth equal to $1 billion in today’s dollars (adjusting for inflation).
HOW CAN BEING AN OUTLIER MAKE YOU RICH?
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. – Henry David Thoreau
People are willing to pay for unique. Something that is one of a kind. The rarer the better.
Do something so good that people can’t wait to see you.
“Make sure it’s mean so them fiends keep on coming back” – Who Dat (Song by J. Cole)
Keep them wanting for more.
They say the riches are in niches.
Mae West wrote on taboo subjects in the 1920’s. She made a mint in real estate and oil. This is what she thought of all that hoopla she made way back when.
I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it. – Mae West
Figure out what you are good at and make it happen.
When you start out you have to take what you can get, but when you blow up, you can name your price.
Remember that song Back Then by Mike Jones. Yeah, it can be something like that.
GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. – Robert Frost
Many people have made a fortune off being different.
Success depends in a very large measure upon individual initiative and exertion, and cannot be achieved except by a dint of hard work. – Anna Pavlova
Let’s see some numbers for clarity and perspective.
Only the best can become NFL players. Here is what the best can make.
Rookie Salaries in the NFL
Source: FootballNextLevel.com
Highest Paid Players in NFL
Source: Spotrac.com
These are just salaries for one profession. There are many others.
CEOs are making bank. In addition, so can authors, producers, actors, musicians, professors, doctors, and more can as you can garner success in many other fields.
How hard are you willing to work to make success happen?
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says success takes no less than everything you’ve got. You don’t need directions on the road to success, just point to the top and go! Here are a few more of his words of wisdom for motivation.
I'm always asked "What's the secret to success?". The secret is, there is no secret. Be humble, hungry and the hardest worker in the room.
