- 10:35 AM, Sunday,
May 15th, 2016:
-
- There's a
mid-western pattern that I broke by moving to Los
Angeles. It goes something like this:
-
- If you go to
school, follow the rules and get a good job, you will
work your way up, be financially stable and have the
American dream. There are those that go to school,
follow the rules, get a good job, get laid off, get
another job, move up, get laid off, realize the rules
suddenly don't apply anymore and they make enough to
live but... they're rightfully angry. They see other
people having success and their first instinct is they
had some level of good fortune. Those people were
given something that they didn't get.
-
- "We can't
all own a Delorean."
-
- Those 6 words were
written to me in a comment section of a status
I posted which ironically was about how much I
value time and the ability to create over money. From
a mid-western facebook friend who happens to be a
Bernie Sanders supporter and a vocal one at that (are
there any other types?!?!). I bring Bernie up for
one reason: at the foundation of nearly every single
one of his supporters (and Trump supporters to a
degree) is this idea that everything is stacked
against them and only the rich or lucky are happy.
It's the banks! THEY get bailed out! Why can't I
get bailed out!
-
- Is that a serious
question? Do people really wonder why it was smarter
to loan the banks money with interest rather than Bob
down the street? We profitted 15.3
BILLION DOLLARS from TARP. It saved the entire
economy. It was what needed to happen. That just is.
If you have a proven track record of being able to
make money? You will get loans. It's why this whole
attitude of
"THEY GET ALL THE BREAKS" is
defeatist and just, not very smart? Is that shitty to
say?
-
- So we come back to
"We can't all own a Delorean".
-
- Really.
-
- You are being
stopped from taking a loan and starting a business?
Really? I know guys that came to this country and
can't even speak ENGLISH that sacrificed their whole
fucking LIVES to get here, got a business loan and own
their own store/restaurant, etc. Wait, know a guy?!??!
My bad, MY GRANDFATHER LITERALLY jumped ship 50
years ago, came to this country and opened a
restaurant and I STILL can't understand half the
shit that fucker says. He didn't sleep for
several years. He worked 18 hour days. He probably
wasn't the best father or husband for awhile. He
didn't go to the movies or have a hobby. He made those
choices.
-
- Now,
I personally have never wanted my own business.
Was never willing to sacrifice my relationships or my
free time to make more and more money. My philosophy
was ALWAYS to downsize and live below my means. Doing
that meant more free time to do The Journey, to create
GolfKon, to be me. Then one day everything
I created opened an opportunity I wouldn't
normally have gone after. So taking that loan in 2014
to start a business was with extreme
reservation and making 6 figures with that
business in 2015 meant I sacrificed a LOT of time
with my family (though ironically still less than a
normal 9-5). It was a bittersweet year. But
I paid off the car, I have money saved for
rainy days and now I have the free time to push
my TV show and get in shape, etc. It was a
MASSIVE risk and took a TON of sacrifice.
I have a track record of failing like
NO ONE ELSE yet I continuing to believe in
myself through what most people consider
insurmountable odds. I can't even watch
the 2000-2010 documentary anymore because it's so
overwhelmingly awful how hard that shit was... but
hey...
-
- ...we can't all
own a Delorean.
-
- Whew. That
sentence speaks volumes about what that dude has seen,
what that dude has been taught and what that dude will
CONTINUE to feel as he ages. He is a college educated
white male living in the United States. That's about
as much privilege as one human being can get. He's
made choices to pursue his dreams to be an actor and a
comedian and what he fails to realize is... THAT is
more important than making money. Dude, you're
winning. If you really really cared THAT MUCH
about money? You wouldn't be an ACTOR. You don't get
into the arts to make money, you get into the arts
because you can't stay away from it! You create
because it's lke breathing. Believe me, I get it.
If you were at a job making 6 figures a year you'd
want to fucking DIE after awhile. I've been at those
jobs. I lasted about 6 months. I made a
small fortune at them, but holy shit, I can't
even SPEAK to those people. And their new cars,
and their gold chains and their outlook on life and
bitching about TAXES. I am an artist, I live
to create and express and communicate and experience
life. Ironically, this dude and I chose the same path,
yet somehow he still cares that "big banks" get
"bailed out". How does that even REGISTER on a list of
things to care about when you're an artist? It just
baffles me.
-
- And the other
aspect of all of this is the belief that just
owning a Delorean is why I made that
money. That actually brings the "chest
puffing" portion of my psyche
RIGHT THE FUCK out. There's 3 nearly
identical Time Machines in this CITY that had their
cars WELLLLLLL before I did.
I out-hustled them to an unbelievable
degree. I produced commercials, got press, did
free events, built multiple websites... basically just
fucking kicked as much ass and sacrificed as much
sleep as a human being could do all while starting
2014 with a 15 month old and a 1 week old. FUCK. But
of course...
-
- ...we can't all
own a Delorean.
But that last aspect is the least of why I'm
writing... it's indeed this entire political ideal
that makes me PERSONALLY a
libertarian/conservative/rugged individualist
personality type while fully realizing that's not a
good governing mantra. It's the mistake everyone seems
to make in politics today. They think that their
personal outlook on life has anything to do with how a
government should govern. We need a government to help
the weakest among us - the strongest will always find
a way. A government is about a safety net for our
security, not because it will ensure people are lazy
and take from it... but because there are 300 million
people in this country and the government has to
protect all of them. It hurts all of US when the
weakest are on the STREET. When the weakest can't
READ. When the weakest are SICK...
-
- ...but those same
people need to understand they are indeed a different
personality type and that it isn't just "luck" that
allowed others to do better. Not everyone is truly an
entrepreneur. Not everyone has the complete and utter
lack of morals to be a bank CEO and choose to
sacrifice everything in their life just to make money.
Not everyone even has the balls to sacrifice being an
actor or comedian for a couple years to take out a
loan to start a business! Just accept that you made
different choices in your life and move the fuck on.
Appreciate the choices you DID make that you'd
most likely be unable to make in any other country!
When people say this is the land of opportunity it's
because you even have the freedom to be a CLOWN if you
want to. It doesn't mean everyone has the opportunity
to be a millionaire. Nor would most people even
WANT the life that comes with BEING
one.
-
- With ALL that
being said, RentTheDelorean.com business continues to
be moving at a brisk pace. Lots of gigs, granted
nowhere near the size and scale of 2015, but a lot
more personal moments that I certainly love. As
well? A lot of driving the car which at times can be
somewhat enjoyable. Mostly extremely stressful, but
with classical music all things are
possible...
-
-
- I have a very
colorful life. Thank the fuck christ for
that...
-
- Adam
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