GF¢ 046: 7 Life Lessons I Learned From The Rock

Look at me.

Do you see a well-dressed financial advisor?

Perhaps the Scorpion King?

Okay, maybe you see both.

Admit it, when you look at me you don’t know whether you should ask for help consolidating your retirement accounts or request a signed movie poster.

Blink once, I’m Jeff Rose. Blink twice, I’m Dwayne Johnson.

And you can’t tell me I don’t look like The Rock. Even my wife thinks so:

Don’t just take my wife’s opinion. Kids always tell the truth . . . .

Walking through the mall with my wife a few years back, a teenage girl gave me the all-too-common double take. She passed by us but turned around, ran back to me, and exclaimed,

“Do you know you look like The Rock?”

Before I had a chance to respond, she scurried back to her friend.

I should have said something like, “Yeah, that’s because I am The Rock.” Ha.

But hey, I’m okay with looking like The Rock.

It gives me that celebrity feel, don’t you think? 🙂

After all, Mr. Dwayne Johnson and I have a few things in common – I’ve learned a few things from him.

I’m really not sure how, but I did.

The parallels are mind-boggling, so buckle your seatbelt, we’re going to put the pedal to the metal.

1. Work Your Body

Dwayne obviously does, why shouldn’t I?

Now, you won’t see me step into the ring at WWE, but I’ve been known to deadlift a few pounds.

Working out keeps me healthy. Believe me, with my schedule, I’d run myself into the ground if I didn’t exercise.

CrossFit has been my routine of choice, but it’s not for everyone – it’s intense people! I was first introduced to it in 2005 when I was deployed in Iraq, and after a solid decade, you could say I’m hooked.

But if you decide to better your body, get ready for a bit of backlash. When your friends see you’re doing something constructive in your life instead of hitting the donut shop every other day, they might become, shall we say, a little jealous of your drive.

Don’t give up on exercise. Keep it up, and you can justify In-N-Out Burger almost as much as you like – well, maybe. I usually make an exception!

2. Help Those in Need

Back in 2006, Johnson founded the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation, a charity working with at-risk and terminally ill children.

The Rock is a giving man. And I intend to give, too.

As a Christian, I start by giving to my church. But I have to admit, it can be easy to forget about other things we can give: such as our time and our talents.

You may not have millions to give like The Rock, but you can do your part.

3. Be Confident

Dwayne screams confidence. His public speaking abilities are legendary, and one of the big reasons he was so popular in professional wrestling.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.

Sure, there are going to be haters, but Taylor Swift knows you should just shake it off. I shared this in a previous podcast where I had to shake off my own haters and even made mention of Swifts’s catchy tune.

You know what I’ve found? It’s much easier to be confident if you prepare. Do you think The Rock jumped into the ring unprepared? Forget about it!

4. Laugh Hard

One of The Rock’s 2015 goals is to laugh hard. Yeah, I like that.

Laughing is a wonderful release from the stress in life. It also helps when you make a mistake.

When you make a mistake, like, say, a really bad investment mistake, laugh about it. Don’t kick yourself over and over again. You’ll get through it. Just press on.

Listen, none of us are perfect.

I don’t always say the right thing, do the right thing, or think the right thing. And you know what? That only means one thing: I’m human just like you. None of us are perfect.

So when you’re down, do what I do . . . laugh with your children, watch a funny movie, or get lost in an adventure. Have fun!

5. Don’t Settle for Mediocrity

World domination. That’s another one of The Rock’s 2015 goals.

So ironic. I recently posted about how I wanted to dominate the web. I guess Johnson can have the world, I’ll take the web.

Friends, don’t settle for mediocrity. Shoot for quality and quantity. But if you have to choose one, choose quality.

Whatever you do, don’t say anything is good enough. Make it crazy amazing.

In order to reach new levels of awesomeness, you’re going to have to push yourself. Your customers want products and services that rock, and the only way to achieve that is to go the extra mile.

6. Get Your Daily Wake-Up Call

Like Dwayne’s show, Wake Up Call, we better wake up to things we could be doing differently every day.

Have you ever been in a rut? I’ve been there.

Maybe you’re hopping from one dreadful job to the next. Maybe you’re bad at relationships. Maybe you need to start taking care of your health.

Whatever it is, wake up. Life is short!

Take some time each day to ask yourself the question: “What could I be doing differently to improve my life?”

In other words, foster your imagination. Dare to dream.

But don’t just brainstorm potential changes, implement them. Follow Nike’s advice: “Just do it.”

7. Rely on Your Team

How did The Rock become successful? I’ll give you a hint: he didn’t do it all himself.

Behind every rockstar is a rockstar, someone who helps lift them up.

My wife is a rockstar. Without her, I certainly wouldn’t be the man I am today. You can read more about us at our new blog.

But there are others, too, that you can rely on. Maybe it’s that employee who could use a little more responsibility. Maybe it’s a friend who can be a great comfort during tough times. Look around you, there are people everywhere! And believe me, if you reach out for help, there are plenty of people who will.

Don’t fly solo. Discover and involve your team.

Take these life lessons to heart. Embed them in your mind, and take action. You’ll be a happier, more successful person if you do. Then, maybe someday, someone will ask you to sign a movie poster.