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Celebrities and Money, Self-Made Millionaires

How Dave Grohl turned passion into profits

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“I never took lessons to learn how to play the drums, and I never took lessons to learn how to play guitar, l just sort of figured it out. I think that if you’re passionate about something and you’re driven and focused, that you can pretty much do anything that you want to do in life.” – Dave Grohl

I am a firm believer in being passionate about what you do. If you’re going to do it for a living, then you may as well enjoy it. That’s how I feel about finances. I can’t stop talking about it. So, I write about it.

It’s funny because growing up I always felt I wanted to be a writer. From the time I was in the 5th grade I knew writing stories made me happy. It just so happened I was able to combine my two passions and got this blog up and running.

I also try to learn from those who have turned their passion into a successful career. One person that really stood out for me in the music world was none other than one of the legendary grunge music founders: Dave Grohl.

DAVE GROHL THE BEGINNINGS

Dave Eric Grohl was born on January 14, 1969 in Warren, OH. He discovered his passion for guitar at the age of 10, started lessons at 12, and then started teaching himself at age 13. After he saw his first concert in 1982, he knew from then on that his music that he would play would be punk rock.

He went to several high schools in Virginia before finally dropping out to start playing in a rock band full-time. It was also at a concert in 1990, where Grohl met Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic. Little did he know these guys would be the start of his future in rock. They asked him to audition for their band. His passion, drive, and all out hardcore drumming impressed them and from there he became the new, fifth and final, drummer for the legendary band Nirvana. As one-third of the iconic Nirvana, he played with them from (1990-1994). And they played grunge music.

Grunge started around the 1980’s in Seattle. As a form of alternative rock, these bands changed the game in music. One band that stood out from the crowd was Nirvana.

NIRVANA FROM GRUNGE MUSIC TO MUSIC ROYALTY

After playing with Nirvana for a few years, they got the attention of major record labels.  Nirvana was signed to Geffen Records and recorded the iconic album “Nevermind” right after. This album, in 1991, had the hit single “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which was a huge commercial success worldwide, became the anthem for grunge music and became one the top selling singles of all time, with 8 million copies sold. It also spawned the hit single “Come as you are” in 1992. Nirvana went from grunge music to music royalty, and became international superstars.

Nirvana became so big that their music had to be cut from the 1992 Cameron Crowe film soundtrack for “Singles” after they became famous. The song and band became so popular that the movie could not afford the rights to the song as it became too expensive by the time the studio released the movie. The album “Nevermind” was recorded over the course of a year and would go on to sell over 24 million albums worldwide. The band would go on to record 102 songs and become one of the biggest recording groups of all time.

After the death of Nirvana lead singer, Kurt Cobain, the grunge music scene was left reeling as many grunge bands in Seattle broke up and from there things were never the same. That is just how much Cobain and Nirvana had influenced alternative rock. Their talent as a band forever lives on in their music.

FOO FIGHTERS

Grohl went on to form the critically acclaimed bad the Foo Fighters in Seattle, Washington in 1994. Founded by the Nirvana drummer as a one-man project after the dissolution of Nirvana. Although, he was asked to join other bands, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, he turned them down to pursue his own vision and dreams.

According to an article in Rolling Stone magazine, devastated by the death of Cobain, he went to Ireland and was just in a daze driving around until he saw someone walking down the street wearing a Cobain T-shirt. From there he decided to go back to work. He then recorded a 15-track demo. This would become the Foo Fighters first album.

The band’s debut album “Foo Fighters” was in 1995 and they are still going strong today. In the band’s twenty plus year long career they have won four Grammys, recorded nine albums and sold over 12 million albums in the United States alone.

ADVICE FROM A ROCKSTAR

When Nirvana became popular, you could very easily slip and get lost during that storm. I fortunately had really heavy anchors – old friends, family. – Dave Grohl

No excess needed. Grohl has said he does not believe in rock-star excess. When Nirvana made it big and got popular he was renting a house with a friend. He had a lamp, futon, and a dresser. When the band sold over ten million records later, he still was in the same spot with the same lamp, futon, and dresser. He said he didn’t have much growing up, but does not remember ever needing anything. Grohl says, how much do you need?

When asked about what he does with his money, this is what Dave Grohl replied:

“It goes straight into my bank account, where it turns all moldy and smelly… I don’t waste my time thinking about how I could make more when I already got enough. I’m not a banker, I’m a musician.”

Nirvana (Cobain, Novoselic, and Grohl) would eventually be forever remembered by receiving one of the highest honors in music as they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10, 2014. The band has sold over 75 million albums worldwide. They are considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

More than one path to success. Coming from money and pursuing higher education are not the only ways to succeed. In an interview, Grohl stated “I never graduated school and I never had enough money for college.” He worked blue collar jobs and played music on the side. Now he’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Grohl says, “I want everyone to imagine that same opportunity is possible.”

Be true to yourself. Grohl’s advice to others after all his success is simple and honest which is just to be yourself as it has worked for him for the last 20 years. Grohl feels he is an earnest and nerdy guy, but it works.  His mother has described him as driven and determined with money never really being part of their conversation as he just wanted to work.

When he writes music, he wants a story behind it. He wants something that is relevant. And having sold over 100 million albums in two different bands it shows that it works. His mother says she believes people listen to his music because he is sincere. Basically, he could be the Phil Collins of alternative rock. As Phil Collins, is one of the only artists (there are only three) to ever sell 100 million albums as a solo artist and with a band.

He once even broke his leg during a concert, went to the hospital, and was back on stage within two hours playing guitar. That’s just how much passion he has for what he does.

I love to play music. So why endanger that with something like drugs? – Dave Grohl

Grohl says, “It’s important to me – that the stories that inspired me can inspire other people. I don’t feel like I’m on a mission. But I have the opportunity and the resources.” I take this advice to heart and I just try to be myself, do what interests and excites me, and just live my life. If it doesn’t excite me, then I probably won’t do it. Life is too short for mediocrity.

And just in case you were wondering, Nirvana went on to receive seven Grammy award nominations; winning one. The Foo Fighters have been nominated for 16 Grammys.

Grohl, the man behind the drums in Nirvana, and the lead guitarist in Foo Fighters, has received 15 Grammys out of 39 nominations. He continues to tour with the Foo Fighters and has amassed a fortune of $280 million dollars. Not bad for a high school dropout. It just goes to show; never give up on your dreams.

Financial Freedom, Financial Independence

Money Lessons I Learned from Aesop’s The Ants & the Grasshopper

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Illustration is by Milo Winter 

Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time. –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I remember watching an old cartoon about a grasshopper and an ant when I was a kid. I thought it was very entertaining and learned a very valuable lesson about money and hard work. That the two go hand-in-hand and not to let anyone tell you any different.

Little did I know that the story was originated from an Aesop fable. Aesop was an ancient storyteller from Greece that is responsible for many children’s stories. One of his most famous works is the Tortoise and the Hare.

The story is a classic tale of what can happen if you do not work for a living. Here I share with you my takeaways from the tale.

THERE IS A TIME SET ASIDE CHILDISH THINGS

There’s a time for work and a time for play.

In the story, the grasshopper is very happy in the beginning. It is springtime and the flowers are in bloom. The sun is shining. He wants to sing, dance, play, and be merry.

However, the ants know that, much as they like to always inform us on Game of Thrones, winter is coming.

The ants know that they must shore up their resources before the cold comes or they will be unable to provide food, clothing, and warmth for themselves.

Same rules apply when it comes to life and money. You work to provide your family, a roof over their heads, warm beds to sleep in at night, food on the table, and pay your bills.

When you are a child you spend part of your day at play. A much higher portion of your time is spent in recess and leisure while you learn and grow. However, the older you become, as maturity sets in, then the more you are to put playthings aside. You have responsibilities.

My father always told me growing up: responsibilities first, fun later. I still think of those words even today. Before I even start writing one word for this blog, I clean, pay bills, retrieve messages, return phone calls, open the mail, etc.

I need a clean desk and an open mind free of daily tasks and chores to be able to focus. When I was younger everything was cluttered; my desk, mind, and room. As an adult, I have learned to keep everything neat and tidy. Less hassle that way.

When I am organized I can also pay attention to what I am spending. Make a plan and budget for what I need and want. From this I learned, the more I save, then the more freedom I have as I have the means to provide for myself. Automating savings was the key.

THE MORE YOU SAVE

In one book I read, the father of the author was a hippy that did not care about money in his youth, now that he’s older that’s all he’s worried about.  As you get older, life becomes more expensive. Partly due to health care and others due to inflation. Therefore, you must squirrel away your money chips while you can and fill up the money pot. You do this by working when you are young and able.

Work when you’re young so you don’t have to when your old. Work as hard as you can. This elevates the stress of not knowing later, if you will have enough in abundance, so that working will be at will and by choice instead of because of no other options.

Check out this chart below to see how much you save can change your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: www.mrmoneymustache.com

Mathematically, regardless of income, you save more, then you become financially independent faster and that’s true no matter how much you earn.

EARN YOUR WAY TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Did you know, by saving 10 – 20% of your income annually, it would take approximately 30-40 years of working to accumulate enough money to retire? Maybe.

The fact of the matter is that life throws many curve balls at you. Sometimes you see it coming and sometimes you don’t.

The longer it takes to save your money; the more inflation decreases your purchasing power. That’s why you want to save more money faster. This gives your money, more time to earn compound interest and beat inflation.

Did you know, by saving 50% of your income annually, you would earn enough money for one year of retirement? That’s right. That means working for 10 years would equal 10 years’ worth of retirement. The formula is this:  1 x X = years of retirement or 1 (years of work) x X (years saving 50%) = years of retirement

See the chart below and see how much time it will take to save up just one year of retirement.

Source: www.flannelguyroi.com

Basically, if you aim to save, you are buying your freedom. The more you save, the quicker freedom comes.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOUR FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT

Getting back to the ant and the grasshopper story, you learn that once winter does finally come, the ants are safe, warm, and dry, buy the grasshopper is cold and hungry.

The ants worked hard every day. Every ant helped. They all had to work. And they saved up more resources than they actually needed. And when they day came, they were protected.

The grasshopper is left out in the cold with no food or place to stay and freezes outside because he chose to play instead of work.

The ants have mercy on the grasshopper and allow him to come in out of the cold. They decide to be kind and neighborly as it is very important to be a good neighbor. They tell the grasshopper they want him to live, even though he made fun of them while they worked. They feed and warm him by the fire. They tell him he must prepare for winter. They also tell him you must work to live.

The next summer came and this time the grasshopper heeded the ant’s advice and not only did he play, but he also worked.

Therefore, you must learn to work before you play. I learned that if you are unprepared then you are likely to fail. In addition, that being a good neighbor can make all the difference in someone’s life.

Lastly, the biggest takeaway I get from the story is this: money offers protection. So make sure you save a portion of every dollar you earn. I suggest saving $0.45 of every dollar you earn. And since it’s no secret that woman earn less, I suggest $0.50 of every dollar a woman earns should be saved. This would mean you become financially independent within 20 years! Possibly less.

That means, if you start working and saving 50% of your income at age 24, you can walk away from your full-time job at 44.

Sky is the limit from there. You can start doing all the things listed on your bucket list. You can become an artist, photographer, writer, blogger, or tightrope walker. The point is you can do what you want. You can lie on the beach all day if that’s what you want. The thing is, now you get to choose.

Budgeting, Celebrities and Money, Financial Independence

Wealth comes from doing not luck

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“Luck Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity” – Seneca

“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” –Thomas Jefferson

I do not believe in coincidences.

I believe that whatever happens was meant to. A series of actions and events put two people or things together for a reason. You attract people and things to you.

“The truth attracts money to you and lies repel it.” – Suze Orman

Therefore, if you want to attract wealth, good health and abundance then tell the truth.

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU DEBT-FREE

Tell people your financial truth. Tell your friends and family that you can’t go on that trip with them, or out to dinner at an expensive restaurant, or that you do not have the funds to buy Christmas gifts.

Yeah, I said it. Cancel Christmas if you have to.

There’s no rule that says you have to go into debt to buy gifts for Christmas.

How about the family finds a more economical way to give gifts? Like a lottery or drawing or Secret Santa. This could be drawing names out of a hat and buying just for that one person.

Who cares if you ruffle some feathers? It is far better to be debt-free. That is the gift that keeps on giving.

Not having to pay interest to service debt is the best gift of all you can give to yourself.

“Rather go to bed without dinner than to rise in debt.” – Benjamin Franklin

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

If I hear one more person talk about going on vacation to Jamaica, I’m going to start an exotic vacation jar. It works similar to a swear jar. However, the end result will be I put my own money into the jar, say $5, and then deposit it in my savings to invest it into a Certificate of Deposit (CD) or stocks at the beginning of each year.

I know some people may not agree with me, but I really do feel that you get as much pleasure and excitement out of saving as you do spending.

I have watched and heard many friends, family, and acquaintances talk about plans for vacation, but I rarely hear them talk about plans for saving for the future.

Everything revolves around spending.

Well, I’m here to let you know it’s okay to say no to things.

It is okay to say no that you cannot afford to go shopping, out to dinner with friends or to birthday parties.

Heck, even weddings if the ticket and tux will put you in the red.

If you feel obligated to go to a wedding, I completely understand, but plan for it.

For instance, you could save $100 bucks a month in a weddings account. This is for all things wedding related. Flights, hotel rooms, wedding attire, and gifts. Set aside a certain amount. Let’s say $1,000 and that is your budget. Then you never have to worry when you get that call, “I’m engaged.”

If you feel that it makes you uncomfortable to tell people you can’t afford it, try this one line on for size: “I choose not to spend my money on insert item here.”

Fill in the blank with anything. It sounds good no matter how you say it.

Cause after all, it is your money.

Lastly, tell your doctor the truth. You can’t have wealth without health.

Do not ever feel embarrassed to tell a health professional what is going on with you.

They are there to help not to judge.

LUCK MAY NOT EQUAL MORE BUCKS

“If you just keep your head down, work, and put it on the bottom line, sooner or later that takes care of everything else.” – Wayne Huizenga

I feel that people make their own luck. The harder you work, the more you give of your time, energy and efforts to work, help and care for others is all the luck you need. Hard work is like a magnet because it attracts things. Like money. It’s a Greenbacks Magnet. Get it. Wink, wink.

Even, Star Wars Master Jedi Obi-Wan agrees with me.

“There is no such thing as luck. Only opportunity and being prepared.” – Terry Crews as Julius on Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009)

So if luck is tied to work, then what do you think happens when people are lazy. So in essence, you are not ever really unlucky, but you can be lazy.

I know life is a journey that is full of twists and turns. It is not a straight path – as the crow flies – from obscurity to abundance.

I also know that life is full of tough times, obstacles, and at times unfair. We may not all have the same opportunities, but we all have to play the hand we were dealt because our turn at bat will come. Every action may not be a royal flush or a home run. Sometimes you just have to roll with the dice. However, you can do your best with what you’ve got. Either way, life happens. So batter up.

I agree with this quote: “You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world…but you do have some say in who hurts you.” – John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns)

You may not earn what you want when you want, but you can start building lasting impressions and relationships that can put you on the path to wealth.

It’s been said the harder you work  the luckier you get.  Tejano singer Selena once said, “When you get hard work you get success.” That was 25 years ago. But you don’t have to believe me. Here is it straight from the singer herself. She may be gone, but her music and words of wisdom are not forgotten.

Let’s say you get to the cherry on top of the sundae and earn gobs of money and it piles up. Well, don’t let money make you complacent. No resting on your laurels. Hard work is about more than prosperity. Jennifer Lopez says she learned the following from her parents:

They showed me that you put your head down and work—you work for a living and then, when you’re making a living, you still don’t stop… We don’t stop working because we have money in the bank—we do what we do and we keep on doing it.

Remember this: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

Banking, Interviews

Q&A with Lisa Servon, Author of The Unbanking of America: How the New Middle Class Survives

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Lisa Servon is the author of The Unbanking of America: How the New Middle Class Survives, an engrossing exposé—why Americans are leaving our fractured banking system, and how alternatives are swooping in to get those being left behind. I had a chance to ask her a few questions about her book . . .

Tell us a little bit about how this book happened. When did you get the idea to write it? How did you start writing on issues of poverty?

While teaching gender development and finances, a speaker came in from a payday lending firm. He started a credit union in the south Bronx of New York. He compelled me to try and understand why people are using alternative financial services. This motivated me forward toward the question and was the genesis of the book. I knew I had to get as close to this as possible by going to work for a payday lender. It was the only way to answer the question.

I read that you are a professor at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). What made you decide to go from teaching to writing?

In academia, publishing is really important. It is the primary way to judge whatever it is you are doing and that you are doing your job. Mostly writing in the past was for academic journals, but unfortunately, people that have the power to make the change don’t read them. In order to make the broader public more aware of the issues, we have to go mainstream like writing for The New Yorker. The trade press has more publicity and this can help you be more successful.

How were you able to learn to write an exposé? What keeps you motivated? What advice could you give to other authors? How did you get published?

Learn another way of writing such as creative writing. Your trained in the university to write a particular way. At The New School, I took classes in creative writing and did a summer’s writing colony, which keeps me in step.

Write shorter things first, such as 100 words and progress from there. At one point, I was writing stories of 300-750 words and then got five or six offers of great feedback. Key pieces were already written. Shorter pieces helped sell the book. Another academic book is not interesting.

I got an agent by being introduced to one while speaking at a conference. Then wrote a book proposal. A colleague also gave me introductions to people. I met editors and presses, and both people were interested.

In the book, you give us your experience as a teller. How did you start working as a check casher in New York?

A payday lender came to a class to talk. The topic was very controversial.  I had a gut feeling there was more to this than meets the eye. Even though, alternative banking services were receiving harsh statements in the news, this guy seemed pretty happy. The backside of the story is that people called complaining. I discussed what I was doing and why with the owner of the payday lending store and got the job.

In the book, you’re a loan help operator for a hotline. How did this happen? How did you start working for a predatory loan help hotline? How would people find out about laws on payday lending?

It was a way to help me see what happens to people after they got the loan and can’t pay it back. Payday lending has different laws in different states. We would let people know if it was illegal to borrow funds online. If so, we always encouraged them to pay back what they owed in principal. You could also do an online search of what state laws there are for payday lenders.

What are the main takeaways you would want people to have after reading this book?

1) When people decide what to do with their money; don’t judge them.

2) Understanding. As there are a number of people experiencing financial difficulty.

3) People do have choices.

What are you working on right now?

I’m still speaking about the book. Also working on Move Your Money. It lays out the options people have and doing more research on banks.

What are you reading? What’s on your nightstand?

I’m reading Jesmyn Ward and the autobiography of Bruce Springsteen.

Any nuggets of wisdom for aspiring writers?

Write all you can. Practice. Writing is like a muscle. The more you work it, then the more you get better at it.

Where can people find you? Are you on social media? Do you have a website?

You can find me on Twitter @LisaServon, on my website, and contact me via email at UPenn.

To learn more about Lisa and her book visit LisaServon.com. You can also read book reviews of The Unbanking of America: How the New Middle Class Survives and purchase a copy here.

Budgeting, Saving

How to get access to a $250,000 emergency fund with $0 of your own cash

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You read that number right. That’s access to a quarter of a million in emergency funding. Here’s how.

An emergency fund is just money that is sitting around until something happens. It’s a just in case fund.

However, you can have funds outside of your own by using other people’s money (OPM). Then your own funds are not under lock and key.

Instead your money can be used to pay off debt (i.e., mortgage, credit cards, student loans, auto loans). Or better yet, your money can be invested to earn compound interest over time.

If you invest $368 a month at an 8% rate of return, over a 35-year career this could net you $1 million for retirement.

You can use a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and credit cards as your emergency fund.

I am not saying not to have cash ever or that this will entirely replace cash. A HELOC and credit cards are just added options on top of your cash.

Credit cards are self-explanatory. They are revolving accounts where you pay back what you owe, but as long as you have available credit then you can still keep spending. HELOC’s are another story.

How a HELOC works is similar, but with higher limits. Say you have a $400,000 home with a balance of $150,000 on your first mortgage and your lender is allowing you to access up to 95% of your home’s equity: $400,000 x 95% = $380,000. $380,000 – $150,000 = $230,000, your maximum line of credit limit.

What makes a HELOC different is that it allows you to borrow against your home equity, where your credit limit is based on how much equity you have in your home.

The HELOC is also not considered by the FICO score, this is in stark contrast from a credit card. The credit bureaus do consider how much you owe versus what’s available on your credit cards in factoring your credit score.

Basically, the biggest differences between a credit card and a HELOC is the underwriting standards, collateral, refinancing options, interest rates and tax deductions.

With a HELOC, you must document your income and employment. However, with a credit card, you need only provide the information.

In addition, a credit card is different because it is unsecured. Whereas, with a home, your HELOC is secured by your home equity and if you do not repay it, then your home can be foreclosed.

You can also refinance higher rate debt with the HELOC better than you could a credit card because the interest rates are lower on the HELOC because it is secured with your property. Meaning you are highly motivated to repay this debt back.

Lastly, the interest you pay on a credit card is gone with the wind. HELOC’s allow you to deduct the amount of interest you pay on your taxes. Therefore, if you pay 4.49% in interest that is tax-deductible versus 15.99% or more on a credit card that isn’t deductible, you see why a HELOC is so attractive.

Why not have access to these funds? Then, if your car breaks down, you chip a tooth, and your furnace goes out all in the same week, your covered. Oh, it can happen.

You can also have various funds that can make up your emergency money that you can pool together. For instance, a combination of $5,000 cash, $65,000 HELOC, and $30,000 credit card limits still equal $100,000 in access to funds in case of an emergency.

Funds Access Credit Limit Borrowed Funds Access Interest Rate
HELOC $230,000.00  $           –   Instant 4.49%
Credit Card $20,000.00  $           –   Instant 6.99%
Total $250,000.00  $           –  

Bottom-line: You can have access to hundreds of thousands of dollars without using a drop if your own money. You just have to have the means, discipline, good credit score, and high enough credit limits to have this as a plan to access credit for use in emergencies.

Film Reviews

Life Lessons I Learned from The Warriors

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One weekend I was flipping through channels and I came across an old movie called The Warriors. I decide to watch it. I thought it was brilliant.  It inspired me so much I decided to write this article.

The Warriors was a 1979 film directed by famed moviemaker Walter Hill and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was based on the 1965 novel written by Sol Yurick. In the book, which is based the Greek work Anabasis where a band of Greeks are caught behind Persian enemy lines and must battle their way home, a street gang called “The Warriors” are framed for murder and then the entire city turns on them; while far from home and so they must fight their way back. Even though they are wanted: dead or alive. They actually said that in the movie.

See for yourself at 1:20 minutes into the video.

The synopsis of the film is that a turf battle happens in New York City between rival gangs. One gang leader tries to bring them all together against the cops. The Warriors are falsely accused of killing the gang leader and must fight their way back from the Bronx to Coney Island.

This is the movie preview commentary. They got one way out. They got one chance. They got one night.

The movie tagline reads like this:

These are the Armies of The Night. They are 60,000 strong. They outnumber the cops three to one.

They could run New York City. Tonight they’re all out to get the Warriors.

I was instantly hooked. So I watched the movie. Here is where I share with you my takeaway’s from the film and what I learned.

MORALITY

The director Walter Hill has been quoted as saying “every film I’ve done has been a Western” and that “the Western is ultimately a stripped down moral universe.”

I have to agree with those statements.

The theme of the film is ultimately about morals.

The movie opens with a massive meeting of gangs in New York City listening to the top brass of another gang talk about how they outnumber the police and the city being theirs. Then out of nowhere a single shot is fired and kills him. The leader has been assassinated. Panic ensues. A lone gang known as the Warriors is singled out and fingered as the murderers; this is where the story begins.

LEADERSHIP

The protagonists are a long way from home. The long trek back is made even longer with menacing gangs out to get them at every turn. Meaning one thing: They have to fight all night long.

Their “War Chief” goes by the name of Swan and it’s his job to get them back home.

Swan immediately has them regroup and verifies everybody’s whereabouts. Then he makes a plan to get them back home.  He coordinates and directs the group’s actions and takes the lead. Even when he is challenged within his own group, he keeps his cool and simply says to the challenger, “make your move.”

He tried to keep the peace at first, but when challenged he didn’t back up or back down.

STREET SMARTS

The Warriors know that they are in rival gang territory, so they play it safe. They don’t draw any attention to themselves and wait for their opportunity to get on the subway train to get back home.

My favorite shot of the film is when they are waiting for that train. The feeling of desperation and need was palpable and it sets the tone for the rest of the film.

Instead of just going out on the platform the leader waits. When asked why they are waiting one group member named Fox (appropriately named as he is sly and crafty) responds, “a train for one thing unless you want to get japped on an open platform.”

They hide from other gang members until their train comes and then make a run for it. After a short ride, the train is stopped for a fire. Fox tells the group what are the odds of that happening and he says they should be more concerned about who started that fire. Very smart indeed young man.

At one point of the film, Swan also tells the group if they get separated, to meet at a central location.

I learned it is always best to have a plan A, B, C, and so on. Pay attention to your surroundings and not to underestimate an enemy. It is not enough to be book smart, you have to know how to handle yourself with people and your environment too.

DIPLOMACY

The group has to walk to the next train station. They run into a gang called the Orphans. Swan and Fox go over there to negotiate safe passage through their neighborhood.

Instead of being angry or conceited they are cool, calm, and collected. They know they are not in charge here. When the leader of the Orphans talks of disrespect and speaking with them prior to entering their turf for safe passage; Swan says, “we’re not invading and I’m parlaying right now.”

They come to a peaceful resolution and agree to let them pass with one caveat: to take off their member jackets. When they are instructed to take off their group colors Swan flatly refuses. Fox says the jacket merely symbolizes who they are (their mark) and what they represent, it is not a sign of superiority or war. They have to choose to be civilians or soldiers.

They decide to refuse this stipulation and then Swan tells the group they are moving on ahead without consent with no fear or shame and heads held high.

This scene ended with an incredible surprise involving a Molotov cocktail (AKA a poor man’s grenade)that you have to see to believe.

I learned that peace is the route always worth taking, but not at the price of sacrificing your dignity.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

The Warriors are a fitting name for the group. At every turn, they find themselves having to run, hide, or fight.

Acts of valor is constant throughout the film.

These guys had tons of stamina.

The members have to deal with gangs on roller skates, with baseball bats, women combatants, and the police.

Fight or flight is the name of the game. In this movie, with every gang out gunning for you that means one thing.

Run.

And run they do, from night until dawn.

All the while a sinister commentary by a female deejay is ongoing in the film.

It was the ultimate cat and mouse game of “us against them,” and not knowing what may happen next.

Darwin wasn’t kidding with his statement of those who are fittest survive. I got to see that put to the test in this film. No matter who they were put up against, they fought hard and bravely.

When it was time to act they didn’t hesitate. I have learned to do the same.

NEVER BE ASHAMED OF WHO YOU ARE

After fighting all night long, the group gets on another train headed for home. While on the train a group on nicely dressed, seemingly well-to-do young people get on. At first, they are oblivious to the Warriors, but then they take a look at them and fall quiet.

The woman that is with the Warriors knows she looks battered down and then starts trying to make herself look more presentable. Swan merely puts her hand down to stop her from doing this.

This scene gives you perspective. It doesn’t matter if you’re poor. You still should have dignity and self-respect.

I learned that you should not be ashamed of who you are, where you come from, what you look like or what you have.

If all you can afford is second -hand, then so be it.

“Learn to sit on an apple box until you can afford a chair.” – Joel Osteen

LIES HURT

The morale of this story comes into play from the very beginning. A lie leads the Warriors down a path of being victimized and guilty without proof. Even though, they are innocent.

I learned that lies can hurt people and destroy lives. Secrets are a burden.

TO TELL THE TRUTH

Knowing the truth is good no matter how painful it is because once you know the truth, and then you can deal with it.

“Truth is the only safe ground to stand on.” – Elizabeth Cady Stanton

STAND YOUR GROUND

The Warriors fought only when they had no other choice, but when they did they didn’t mess around.

They did not fight for glory, fame, or vengeance, but as a reckoning.

I learned in this life you may not be presumed innocent as you are more likely to be considered guilty. You do not give into this if you are truly innocent. You stand firm on your convictions. Period.

VINDICATION

In the end, the perpetrators get what is coming to them.

In life, you may not always get what you. There is no guarantee that bad things won’t happen, but it is how you deal with them that counts.

I have learned a good name and reputation can take you a lot farther in life than infamy.

PARTING WORDS

The film is a story of having insurmountable odds placed upon you and still coming out ahead. This film, like in life, has many layers of complexity. You just have to see it for yourself to believe it. So, go ahead and press play to check out the trailer if your warrior enough.