“8 Things We Could All Learn From 50 Cent”
There aren’t too many people that can say that they have been shot 9 times then rap to tell the tale. Although not very many of us can relate to the circumstances and events Curtis Jackson had to live through, we can all definitely learn something from his business savvy, creativity, intellect, and outlook on life.
1. Confidence – All you need to do is watch the 50 Cent interview on Chelsea Lately from a couple years ago to be able to tell how confident he is. To be able to approach any situation like you own it and are the one in charge takes a lot of confidence. From the way you shake someones hand, to the conversation you offer, your exuberance of confidence will open new doors from improvement. You have to believe in yourself or no one else will, there are too many people that are comfortable with themselves until they wake up, you have to be confident with yourself in the real world.
2. Personality – I don’t know a single person like Curtis Jackson, I bet you don’t either. His personality has not only helped him stand out from the masses, it has progressed his career and made his persona exponentially larger than life. The way that you carry yourself has a lot to do with the opportunities that are presented before us. As cliché as it sounds, being yourself is one of the main components to leading a successful and productive life.
3. Stability – Unbeknownst to most, 50 Cent does not drink or smoke. This shows extremely large stability in a person, especially one with millions of dollars that can do whatever he wants. The fact that he hasn’t squandered his fortune, like many of his counterparts, also goes to show that he is steady in his thoughts, decisions, and actions. Being able to take a step back, assess the situation, and assert what the next step should be gives you a one up on the competition.
4. Productivity – Although he could just kick back and chill somewhere, Curtis keeps producing. Whether it be music, electronics, beverages, or clothing, you can tell that work is being done. Lots of people spend time sitting around expecting something to happen for them. Albeit, life is constant, it’s not gonna stop for you, so don’t ever stop for it. When you keep working hard at it, the progress will show.
5. Discipline – Creating music, writing something new, keeping your body in shape, learning how to act, and starting your own companies all require an immense amount of discipline. 50 Cent thrives at all of these which is why he has had such an abundance of success. If you are able to keep your mind in check and do what you said you would do over the course of every day you would be surprised with the outcome. It takes a lot of strength to be disciplined, but like JFK said, “Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger men”.
6. Organization – Running multiple businesses should be a show of organization as it is, but running them efficiently is a whole different story. From SMS Audio to SK Energy to VitaminWater everything 50 Cent has his hands on is visibly created through a very well thought out process. When your thoughts and ideas are organized they are going to be much more effective and come across in a clearer way, which in the long run creates more outlets and revenue streams to jump into.
7. Professionalism – If you watch any of the interviews Mr. Jackson has given at corporate events or shows, you’ll notice that he is a completely different person than he might come across as in his music. He is extremely well-versed, exuberant, and passionate about the product he is putting on the market place. You can tell that what he is trying to offer is something that he loves himself, sure he’s making money off it, but he’s broadening the experience of your life while he’s doing it.
8. Independence – After 50 Cent got shot, there wasn’t a single record company that was even willing to work with him. Instead of giving up he flooded the streets with mix-tapes and made a name for himself through his own hustle. Which in return garnered the attention of 50 Cent and Dr. Dre and eternally got him a record deal. In recent years, since his record company refused to give him the proper promotion and distribution he has once again went independent releasing music videos with every song and doing all of his own promotion. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
If he can’t do it, homey, it can’t be done.
