The 50 Cent Effect

Can you believe what you’re seeing?

Yes, that is 50 Cent shoveling snow.

50 was recently out shoveling snow in his neighborhood.  I don’t know many of the details except that it was sort of a publicity stunt and sort of having fun.  He was taking pictures with fans and earning money (yes charging) for him to shovel your driveway.

I actually thought this was cool as shit.

50 hustles.   Even with that Vitamin Water money, he hustles.  That is commendable.  Eric Thomas tells a story where 50 was interviewed on a movie set and he was also doing the soundtrack.  The reporter asks, “50, when do you sleep?”  50’s reply, “Sleep?  Sleep is for those who are broke!  I don’t sleep.  I have an opportunity to make a dream become a reality.”

BOOM!

When things get hard, do you sleep?  Do you quit?  What drives you?

The Camper Out In the Barn

Looking at that pick reminds me of being a kid and having my mom take me into town to shovel people’s driveways. I would go into town and earn money by shoveling snow during the winter.

Just me, a coat, gloves and a shovel.

All day son…no food, no mommy – just work. Even at a young age I had been instilled a solid work ethic growing up on a farm.

I remember getting back home with a pile of ones and fives in my pocket and laying them out to dry.

That’s real work.  Those winters taught me many things.

Even though I knew how to work and the value of money, I still felt I was weak.  I didn’t believe in myself.

When I was a kid I knew I was a pussy.

I was the smallest kid in the school (it seemed) and when I graduated high school I had wrestled 125 lbs my senior year.

Because of this I was always trying to be tougher and prove something to myself.

I used to go out into our barn at night, where we stored one of those campers you pulled behind your truck, and sleep in the camper in the middle of winter.  I also used to train out in our garage during those winters with a wood stove while Led Zeppelin played on vinyl.  Can you see me out there, pitch black outside, jump roping to “Whole Lotta Love” haha

Why?

Because I thought it would make me tougher.

I’m not saying everyone needs to go sleep in a barn in the dead of winter to be tough, I’m just saying we need to teach a mindshift to the people who we influence.  It could be our kids, our friends or even the athletes we train.

“I need to get that extended warranty for the low, low price of….on the house.”

Low, low price of on the house?

For free?

Nothing is free.

Zach (Even-Esh) talks about the pussification of Amercia and he is right.

Some people might try to get stuff for free by not working for it.  For example, some athletes ask you “What else do I have to do until we’re done?”  These are the same players who want to be star athletes.  Get the praise and the glory without the work.

This is unacceptable.

They should be asking “What else can I do, because I’m not leaving this weight room until I have done everything in my power to be the best I can be?!”

I’m tired of people taking the easy way out.

You might know that training partner who isn’t giving you their all.   That athlete that is just doing enough to get by. That person at work that always is late with their work or doesn’t get into trouble for having everyone cover for them.

2011 is a new year and this will not be you.

Don’t be the person who just gets by, be the person who inspires

Don’t be the person who isn’t packing their meals, be the person who plans ahead.

Don’t be the person who complains about what you can’t do, what you don’t have, why you aren’t making gains, be the person who drives hard toward your goals and works harder than anyone else.

Do not settle for the easy way, because that is what most people will do.

Be different.

Smitty