I just picked up the latest issue of GQ magazine which had an article with Sylvester Stallone towards the back. He wasn’t the reason why I bought the magazine but the title of the article definitely piqued my interest: “Yo, America! It’s time to respect Sylvester Stallone“.
I started reading the interview and was pleasantly surprised by what Mr. Stallone was saying. I think there’s a public perception of the guy, not helped by the massive amounts of HGH he takes, or his recent plastic surgery, that he’s like many of the character’s he’s played. A public perception that he’s well aware of and understands.
He’s incredibly self aware and had some very interesting things to say, a few of which are shared below…
- “it’s John Wayne! And I’m going, “Oh, my God!” I look over my shoulder. There’s nobody. I’m the target. And he goes, “I wanted to introduce myself. My name is John Wayne. Welcome to Hollywood.” I was nobody. Zero!
You never know how something simple like a friendly greeting can affect others. A guy like John Wayne, one of the biggest, if not the biggest star Hollywood has ever seen, walking up to Stallone when he was “a nobody” gives you a sense of why Mr. Wayne was so successful.
Even though he was seen as the most important guy in the room, he treated everybody like they were important. He went out of his way to make others feel valuable. Something we can all learn from and practice when we get the chance.
- What would you tell your son’s to look for in a woman?
“A person who revels in your absurdity, laughs at your jokes and your stupidity. You can be the master of the house and the court jester. That’s what it’s all about. Some days you’re just the goofiest bastard in the world and others you’re discussing the mortgage.”
It’s about finding someone who gets you, they appreciate your stupid side, your ambitious side, your smart side or whatever. She appreciates who you are. I’d also add in someone who pushes you to be your best, someone who motivates you, makes you laugh, and makes you think.
But above all else you just have to click, you have to have each other’s back. You can write a list of everything you want in a girl, but then ‘the one’ pops up when you’re least expecting that has a whole other list of reasons why you love her or are attracted to her.
- “My body had become like a suit of armor. It’s was I felt I needed to get through life. Because I didn’t have confidence in other areas, I thought, “I’ll do it physically rather than intellectually or emotionally.”
I truly believe that being a confident person makes life better, but so does being self-aware. Aware of our limitations, of who we are, our insecurities and why we have them.
Confidence allows me to be me, to enjoy the life I want and to experience things I wouldn’t otherwise experience.
But understanding that we’re also flawed, and insecure in areas keeps us humble, but also motivates us. We realize that we don’t know everything and we’re ready to learn what the world and the people in it have to teach us.
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What’s your favorite Stallone movie, and why?
Mine’s the latest “Rocky Balboa” – because of the speech to his son –> This One
