Lessons in Greatness, Hellish Times, Adversity & The Age Factor from Rodney Dangerfield

I watch lots of biographies on TV and love to read biographies and autobiographies.

I probably read Arnold's 'Education of a Bodybuilder' over 100 times while in high school alone. I read it many more times after high school as well. I basically memorized the book, and through time, I began "becoming Arnold" during my workouts. I would visualize my chest like Arnold's when training chest. Or if I was squatting, I imagined I was squatting with Ed Corney and Arnold in Pumping Iron.

I lost myself and found myself while training. It was the perfect way to escape some of my inner demons and perhaps that's why I would train for up to 30 days in a row with NO days off.

I kept RE-signing Arnold's book out of the school library to make sure the other kids weren't learning Arnold's "secrets" of strength and muscle building, ha ha.

I filled out countless library cards with my name for 2 or 3 years straight for that book alone.

These documentaries and biographies remind me of something constantly: The BIG success stories always overcome LOTS of adversity. LOTS of it..... Emphasis on the world LOTS.

It doesn't mean we HAVE to struggle, but, for some strange reason it tends to come with the territory more often than not.

You think you've got it rough? Likely you don't....

I watched the Bio of Rodney Dangerfield on TV, one of the most famous comedians in the world. Whip up a protein shake or get yourself some coffee and WATCH this video.

You're gonna learn from perhaps the most unlikely person I ever imagined to be influenced by.... Rodney Dangerfield.

He grew up in a home HATED by his Mother.

He had no affection from family and had no friends to play with. ZERO. He ate lunch alone as he played alone in his backyard. It breaks my heart to hear this, really.

His Mom would leave HALF a sandwich on the back patio and he would eat lunch alone.

He was born and grew up through the great depression and he worked jobs before and after school such as corner stands selling newspapers.

He went through hellish times as a kid and people payed him nickels for things that seriously could have left him for dead. Things I do NOT want to reveal through an article, it seriously hit me deep in my heart when I learned what Rodney did to earn money and affection as a young kid.

His parents didn't care and never asked where he was.

He found solitude in laughter and making other people laugh.

He had NO love from his parents so he found a way to get love from the crowd by making them laugh.

He bombed many, many, MANY times. MOST people would have quit if they experienced all of these "failures".

He actually had to leave stand up comedy after he was finally beginning to gain steam and garner success as a comedian. He was married and had a son to care for and his wife felt it was NOT good to travel around the world as a comedian when he had to be there for his son.

He agreed with his wife and quit show biz. He knew what it was like to have a poor family environment so he gave up the ONE thing that made him feel loved.

He knew family was # 1 and knew he had to make it work.

He started his own aluminum siding business and grew his siding business in order to care for his family. No more show biz.....

He busted his ass to make things work even though he wasn't following his passion of comedy.

He eventually got divorced, got involved in drugs, went through depression (actually, got MORE depressed than his days of NO love from his parents) and once again, got back into show biz. He simply couldn't deny his passion. It was calling him and all his tough times, his age, everyone telling him it's NO good, etc could not stop him from following his passion.

Again, he picked up steam, then changed his name from Jack Roy to Rodney Dangerfield. This way, if he bombed on stage no one would know who Rodney Dangerfield was!

The success was coming again, the money was coming. He branded himself with the way he walked, the way he talked and constantly joked about getting "NO respect". This was NOT an act though, it was REALLY him. He didn't try to copy or steal from others. He was being Rodney, plain and simple.

His jokes were never good enough. He would spend months and months working on jokes that would only last a few minutes. He wanted to master his craft. Good wasn't good enough.

It wasn't a joke, he got NO respect from his Mom. ZERO.

As his success grew he tried to mend his family life and re-married his ex, they had another baby and things
were STILL rocky.

He was so scarred from his upbringing that he wanted to try so hard to make it better for his own kids.

Somehow, with the rough home life, he kept the success of his stand up gigs going stronger and stronger.

His marriage was on the rocks for a second time, his aluminum siding business was growing and he was doing
stand up comedy on the side.

His passion was his SIDE gig at the ripe, young age of late 40s!!!

He made it onto MAJOR TV late night talk shows watched by millions and headlined at the Biggest, Best theaters in NYC, Vegas and around the world.

He was making some big bucks and show biz was looking VERY promising.

While working on the siding of a customers home he knocked on the door and asked the guy if he could turn on his TV. The guy said sure, go ahead....

There was Rodney, on the biggest late night talk show in the world and the guy wasn't sure what the heck was going on!!! Here is the guy who is doing my siding and he's on TV!!!!???

Although Rodney's show biz was picking up more steam than ever before, his wife wasn't happy and she eventually grew ill, then, passed away.

He had 2 kids the ages of 7 and 9.

He was in his LATE 50s and was now a single father, and had to raise them AND run a business.

Heck, try raising 2 young kids in your 30s and you'll see it's LOTS of work, then, add on top trying to become the world's best comedian, strength coach or _________ (fill in the blank) and the stress will certainly pile sky high!

Rodney was undeterred. He didn't give up. He was going to live his dreams, follow his passion AND be a great father no matter what!!

So, what did he do? He opened up his own theater with  a partner, they called it 'Dangerfield's'.

His comedy theater was booming, he found ways to make it a massive success while being a single father almost hitting his young 60s.

He was almost 60 for crying out loud and refused to stay down when he was knocked down sooooooo many times.

He was then asked to be an actor in one of the most hilarious movies of its time, 'Caddyshack' - he was payed a flat salary of 30 grand.

He LOST money because other offers came in for comedy and acting at 50 grand.

BUT, he went with what was right for his family and stuck to his integrity. He connected most with the actors in Caddyshack compared to the others.

This was what felt right for Rodney so he stuck with his gut instinct.

He connected with the actors, writers and producers of Caddyshack and it was a HUGE boost for his career.

He was able to make a decision based on what he felt was best and in alignment with his integrity. Because of that, he performed at his best.

This reminds me of my days of going on job interviews at strange fitness centers that I have NO clue what I was thinking even applying for these places!!??

I needed a job but deep in my heart I wanted to train people hardcore style, if I was in a posh atmosphere I NEVER would have survived, I would have gone crazy and quit. The first job I applied for when I got into Strength & Conditioning was Spa Lady! If you listen to my podcast, I share that origin story often.

I was offered MANY jobs from these places and every time a position was offered I would lie, telling the manager I just took a job at a different fitness company.

INTEGRITY. Don't lie to yourself, follow your heart and your passion.

How old are you.... are you TOO old?

Rodney didn't finally "Make It" till his late 50s or early 60s!!!

Most people retire by that age, he was just getting started after battling uphill since his early 20s!!! 40 years of TRYING!

Are you too young?

Is the timing wrong?

Do your parents hate you?

The most successful people, regardless of being Strength Coaches, actors or whatever often times have gone through some seriously hellish times.

They did what Rocky said you MUST do: Keep getting up.

It doesn't matter who can take the hardest  punch, it depends on who can keep getting up every time he gets knocked down!

It's never gonna be the perfect time, place or situation. The dream becomes reality when you take life by the balls. This is what I know...

Yep.

I agree.

Time to kick some ass!

Live The Code 365,

--Z--