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Fictional characters Cartoons and Money, Financial Freedom

What I loved about Saturday Morning cartoons

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Generosity has built America. When we fail to invest in children, we have to pay the cost. – Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo

If you grew up in the 1960s through the 1990s, then you know all about Saturday morning cartoons.

They aired between 8 am and noon. It was one of my favorite things to do besides playing video games on Saturday mornings. The best part about those cartoons were the lessons they taught. At least, that is my opinion. I later found out that programs that are geared towards children are required to be educational. I appreciated that. 😉

Those cartoons helped shape the person I am today. The name of my blog even comes from an animated episode of X-Men, and the character Magneto.

If you read my Meet Miriam page, then you already know some of my favorites. Here is a quick recap of some of those toons.

Memories…

Muppet Babies – Baby versions of Jim Henson’s Muppets imagine themselves in fantastic situations. The show aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991. The show had episodes that discussed morals, teamwork, love, friendship, and ethics.

Jem and the Holograms – Adventures of a music company owner who uses a holographic computer to live a secret life as a rock star originally aired from 1985-88. Jerrica Benton owns Starlight music and is the leader of the rock band Jem and the Holograms. Jem is her alter ego. Her earrings produce holographic images of anything Jem requests. In addition, she ran Starlight house, a home for foster girls. The show ran from October 6, 1985 to May 2, 1988.

G.I. Joe – Animated series from the mid-1980s tells the saga of a fearless, globe-trotting special missions force — called G.I. Joe — which works to combat Cobra, an organization with an evil commander bent on world domination. On land, on sea, and in the air — whenever trouble breaks out around the world, G.I. Joe is there, ready to battle for ideals that America values. The show aired from September 12, 1983 to November 20, 1986.

ThunderCats – “ThunderCats” follows the adventures of a group of catlike humanoid aliens from the planet Thundera. When the dying planet meets its end, the group, known as the ThunderCats, is forced to flee its homeland. The end up on Third Earth and are constantly attacked by the Mutants of Plun-Darr and Mum-Ra. This show was very mature. It was well-written, story-driven, incredible tales of humility, strength, endurance, morality, and ethics. The show aired from January 23, 1985 to September 30, 1988.

I cannot stress enough how vital it was for me to watch these cartoons growing up. Sure, I went to school, read books, and went outside to play, but cartoons just stimulated my interest like nothing else. I love to be entertained. That is one great way to teach me.

Like Nirvana said, “entertain us.”

See my post on How Dave Grohl turned Passion into Profits

One of the biggest influences during this era was Captain Kangaroo, which was a character played by Bob Keeshan. He was no Mr. Rogers, but he had a way with words. He was able to captivate an audience of 3 year-olds and believe me that is no small thing to do.

Without further ado, I bring you what I love about Saturday morning cartoons.

But first…

WHO IS BOB KEESHAN?

Parents are the ultimate role models for children. Every word, movement and action has an effect. No other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than the parent. – Bob Keeshan

The best teacher is an entertainer. – Bob Keeshan

Robert James Keeshan was born on June 27, 1927. was an American television producer and actor. He created and played the title role in the children’s television program Captain Kangaroo, which ran from 1955 to 1984, the longest-running nationally broadcast children’s television program of its day. He hosted The Captain Kangaroo show from 1955-1984 and one of my personal favorites in its original run CBS Storybreak in 1985.

See my post Money and Life Lessons I learned from CBS Storybreak’s Yeh-Shen

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Back in the old days, when I was a child, we sat around the family table at dinner time and exchanged our daily experiences. It wasn’t very organized, but everyone was recognized and all the news that had to be told was told by each family member. We listened to each other and the interest was not put on; it was real. – Bob Keeshan

One of my fondest memories from my childhood was watching cartoons. They taught me that I should know the difference between right and wrong, stand up for my beliefs, have principles and values. All things that have helped me successfully navigate adulthood and will help you in any setting you are in.

TELEVISION HAS ITS LIMITS

One of the big secrets of finding time is not to watch television. -Bob Keeshan

I read that Warren Buffet, one of the richest and greatest investors of all time, spends 80% of his day reading. In addition, that Bill Gates reads about 80 books a years and CEO’s read about 60 a year.

See my post Forget Simon, Do what Buffet says

Although, as a kid, I loved reading the Sunday comics; my favorite comic strip was The Peanuts, I also made time to read. Television is a condensed version of books. You have to read to get all the knowledge and shows for kids usually encouraged us to express our individuality and explore our creativity through reading more.

See my post Life Lessons from Race for your life Charlie Brown

From deciding to read about finances, I learned to do the following:

  • Start saving 40% or more of my income
  • Invest in index funds such as VTSAX, VFINX, or VITSX
  • Read 2 finance books a month

LISTEN

A child needs to be listened to and talked to at 3 and 4 and 5 years of age. Parents should not wait for the sophisticated conversation of a teenager. – Bob Keeshan

I cannot tell you how many times I had to tap dance sometimes in my house to be heard. When you have siblings you better find a way to stand out. However, there were times when I would start talking to adults and telling them how I felt. To my surprise, they listened. I learned not to be shy and to use my words not my fists. Keep all hands, feet, and objects to yourself. Got it!

I enjoy meeting not only contemporary children, but yesterday’s children as well. It’s nice to talk about the experiences we shared, they tell me, ‘You were a good friend.’ That’s the warmest part. Bob Keeshan

See my posts

Money and Life Lessons from The Pirates of Dark Water

They Shoot Greenbacks, Don’t They

BE GENTLE

It requires more strength to be gentle, so it’s the everyday encounters of life that I think we’ve prepared children for and prepared them to be good to other people and to consider other people. – Bob Keeshan

I would watch reruns of Mighty Mouse, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie Growing Up. They all expressed some of the same ideals. You can catch more bees with honey than vinegar. So, be kind. NOBODY wants to work with a jerk. Treat people right. It comes back to you. 😉

See my post The Greatest Assets are People

I think just as importantly we prepare people for the definition of being gentle. – Bob Keeshan

When I think of that statement, I always think of Mr. T. He always treated people with decency and respect. He was well-spoken, direct, soft but firm. I have learned to do the same.

See my post Money and Life Lessons I Learned from Mr. T

PLAY IS SERIOUS STUFF

Play is the work of children. It’s very serious stuff. – Bob Keeshan

If I didn’t go outside to play, I would lose my mind. It just was what I needed to do. So, my parents let me stay outside all day. After, I did my homework.

Now that I look back, I think they may have done it to get a break from me. Regardless, I learned the value of true friendship and about life on the playground.

One of my friend’s mom’s was very sick. She was so sad about that. Understandably. So, we made sure to always check on her and her mom and ALWAYS asked her to come outside and play with us. This was when she would light up. One time she hurt herself really bad on the playground.  It was on concrete. I will never forget it, she cried all the way home and we went with her. We just wanted to make sure she was okay. Because that is what friends do.

A RUNDOWN OF SOME FAMOUS CARTOONS

Here is a short rundown of Saturday Morning cartoons. Nostalgia. Haha

The ones in bold are some of my favorites.

1960’s

The Flintstones

The Huckleberry Hound Show

The Quick Draw McGraw Show

The Yogi Bear Show

The Jetsons

Johnny Quest

The Magilla Gorilla Show

The Herculoids

Wacky Racers

The Perils of Penelope Pitstop

Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

1970’s

The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show

Josie and the Pussycats

Secret Squirrel

Help!….It’s the Hair Bear Bunch!

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home

Speed Buggy

Super Friends

The Addams Family

The Great Grape Ape Show

Dog Wonder

Tom & Jerry

Jabberjaw

Scooby’s All Star Laff-A-Lympics

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Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels

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1980’s

Super Friends

Richie Rich

The Smurfs

The Snorks

Pac-Man

Rainbow Bright

Strawberry Shortcake

My Little Ponies

Pound Puppies

The Paw-Paw Bears

Shirt Tales

Alvin and the Chipmunks

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Dennis the Menace

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo

CBS Storybreak

The Raccoons

The Wuzzles

Skeleton Warriors

Galaxy High

Fraggle Rock

Gummi Bears

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The Berenstain Bears

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Dungeons and Dragons

Voltron

Fantastic Max

1990’s

Tom & Jerry Kids

The Pirates of Dark Water

Camp Candy

Biker Mice from Mars

The Real Ghostbusters

Codename Kids NextDoor

The Powerpuff Girls

The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest

Bettlejuice

Here’s a shout out to Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Network and other afternoon or weekday morning cartoons

Garfield and Friends

Power Rangers

Wild and Crazy Kids

Dare

Noodles

Grimm’s Fairy Tale Classics

Woody Woodpecker

Mighty Mouse

Healthcliff

Gumby

Tiny Toon Adventures

The Care Bears

Pinky and the Brain

Hey Dude

The Adventures of the Little Koala

Noozles

Did I bring back any memories?

Is that list long enough for you? Did I miss any?

Let me know. And I will add it to the list.

Have you ever written a blog post about a cartoon? Let me know and I will add it to a running list right here in this post.

Hope you enjoyed.

Financial Freedom

Money and Life advice I got from Paper Towns

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“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world…but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” – John Green, author The Fault in Our Stars

The summer of 2015 my nieces really wanted me to take them to go see this movie. Not knowing what it was about, I decided to go ahead and take them because of their sheer enthusiasm alone. I was not disappointed. The movie was incredible.

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It is a coming of age teenage romance written by the Fault in Our Stars author John Green.

The movie was based on a Young Adult (YA) he novel he wrote entitled Paper Towns.

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It follows along with two young teens Margo Roth Spiegelman (played by Cara Delevingne) and Quentin Jacobsen or Q for short (played by Nat Wolff).

It was turned into a motion picture by Twentieth Century Fox and released in theaters on July 9, 2015.

The film is a series of adventures and near misses while we tag along with Quentin to find his dream girl, who goes missing just a couple weeks before high school graduation. Although, the film is fun, it’s the dialogue that really captures your attention and wins your heart.

If you get a chance, you can get lost, get found with Paper Towns.

WHAT IS A PAPER TOWN?

A paper town is a fake town that is created by map makers, as a way to protect their copyright, to know if they’ve been robbed.

In the film, it is referenced as a shallow town or place. Everything is so fake. A place that is fragile.

ALL STORIES HAVE A BEGINNING AND SOME ARE SWEET

“She had the kind of fingers you want to interlace with your own.” – Quentin

The story is based around the feelings Quentin has for his childhood sweetheart and crush, Margo Roth Spiegelman.

At a young age, it was shown that Margo was a precocious child. This intrigued Quentin. However, as they got older she became more outgoing and him more introverted.

Throughout my life, I have had to throw caution to the wind and go for what I want. If you want anything in this world, at times, you will have to do the same. You have to go all in and strike first.

For example, when I was looking a job many years ago, I decided to approach it as a numbers game. I said screw it. I’m just going to apply for as many jobs as I can and see what happens.

I must have put out 100 resumes. Out of all of those job applications, I got one yes. But that was all I needed. You only need one yes to change your whole life. It just starts with putting yourself out there. Nothing comes from obscurity and being shy. Sometimes, you have to be willing to shout.

PRETTY HURTS

“That’s always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they’re pretty. It’s like picking your breakfast cereals based on color instead of taste.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

What you look like on the outside is all vanity. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Do not let society dictate what you should be. Be you. And remember this: beauty fades.

“I’m starting to realize that people lack good mirrors. It’s so hard for anyone to show us how we look, & so hard for us to show anyone how we feel.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

You have to rely on more than just your looks in this life.  Eventually, you will have to take care of yourself. You better be up for the task or you will have problems.

I have seen tons of beautiful women have bad credit, horrible relationships, and be broke. But hey, at least they were pretty right?

It is not enough to be pretty. You have to be more than just fine. No one wants to marry a beautiful airhead or a beautiful fool.

This blog is all about financial independence.

Have you ever heard the saying a fool and his money is soon parted?

I rest my case.

MAKE THE FIRST MOVE

“I didn’t need you, you idiot. I picked you. And then you picked me back.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

Those who make the first move are usually victorious.

In the film, Quentin wants so badly to be with Margo. However, he always holds back. In this life, you can’t hold anything back.

Case in point, in this blog, I don’t hold anything back. I give you everything I have. I know that’s what I want when I deal with people. So, I make sure to do the same to others. Whatever it is you want in this life, this is my advice to you: make your move.

YOUR LIFE CAN CHANGE IN ONE DAY…OR A NIGHT

“Tonight, darling, we are going to right a lot of wrongs. And we are going to wrong some rights. The first shall be last; the last shall be first; the meek shall do some earth-inheriting. But before we can radically reshape the world, we need to shop.” – Margo Roth Spiegelman

I have read countless biographies of the rich and famous where they retell how a single incident changed the course of their entire lives.

Well, in this film, it is the night Margo climbed through Q’s window.

She asks him to borrow his mom’s car so she can go on a midnight caper of revenge or he could come along too and be the get a way driver.

Decisions, decisions.

PICK A PATH

“The way I figure it, everyone gets a miracle. Like, I will probably never be struck by lightning, or win a Nobel Prize, or become the dictator of a small nation in the Pacific Islands, or contract terminal ear cancer, or spontaneously combust. But if you consider all the unlikely things together, at least one of them will probably happen to each of us. I could have seen it rain frogs. I could have stepped foot on Mars. I could have been eaten by a whale. I could have married the Queen of England or survived months at sea. But my miracle was different. My miracle was this: out of all the houses in all the subdivisions in all of Florida, I ended up living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman.” ― Quentin Jacobsen, Paper Towns

You can pretty much guess what answer he gave Margo.

He went with her.

Let the fun begin.

REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD AND AT NIGHT

“I always felt like you had to be important to have enemies.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

When she asks for his mom’s car, she tells him that she has like 11 items on her to-do list tonight and that most of them will probably require a getaway car.  

I remember that quote from Winston Churchill, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” Margo reminds me of that. She found out her friends had wronged her. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“We bring the rain down on our enemies, not the scattered showers” – Margo Roth Spiegelman

That is a line that she says of their hit-and-run capers, on that fun-filled night, as she leaves a Zorro-like ‘M’ that is left at the scene of all her crimes.

Margo replies this when Q asks her if her scheme of getting revenge is necessary and if they can do something that is not so risky and harsh.

I have to agree. Sometimes you have to teach people a lesson. You have to tell people how you want to be treated. Stand up for yourself. You may not need a night of midnight capers to do it, but you can still send a message that you’re not a pushover.

“If you don’t imagine, nothing ever happens at all.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

Margo has some pretty extreme things she does that night.

First, they shop for supplies.

Second, they visit each one of her enemies.

Lastly, they celebrate their success at escaping getting caught.

I too like to celebrate my wins.

When I was able to start slowly paying off debt one by one, I celebrated each time. It keeps the momentum going. And just makes you feel good. Hard work = success and rewards.

  • Paid off my car. Then I treated myself to a spa day.
  • Then used that money to invest.
  • Once I hit my $100k mark, I turned my attention to hitting a target of 3 times more of $300k.
  • After I pay off each debt, I either save or invest that money.
  • I started saving $25 a week and slowly went to saving $100 a week and so on.

See my posts

How I turned a $450 car note into $100,000

They Shoot Greenbacks, Don’t They?

Money and Life Lessons from The Pirates of Dark Water

Finance Lessons from Flipping Vegas

 No matter how big or small. Winning just feels good so you want to celebrate.

BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT

Quentin had the time of his life that night. It was a fun ride to say the least. And he enjoyed every moment.

Some dialogue from the film.

“What about the rest of your life?”

She shrugged. “What about it?”

“Aren’t you worried about, like, forever?”

“Forever is composed of nows,” she says.”

During that incredible night with Margo, Quentin is laughing and smiling. He was having so much fun.

“My heart is really pounding,” I said.

“That’s how you know you’re having fun,” Margo said.”

While they were running away from one of their capers, Margo says, “I mean, we’re ninjas.”

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Of his time with Margo, Quentin thinks to himself, “At least I carpe’d that one diem.”

As she left notes, at all of her crime scenes, Quentin notices her handwriting and remarks on it.

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“Interesting capitalization,’ I said.

‘Yeah. I’m a big believer in random capitalization. The rules of capitalization are so unfair to words in the middle.”

Absolutely. Live in the present. Enjoy the moment. Have some fun. Plan for the future, but don’t forget to live for today. Plan a visit with friends, or to a park or movie or museum. Or relax and take a break.

Seize the day!

There will always be something that requires your attention. I say if you have to work, find a way to have some fun too. If you’re not having fun, then what’s the point?

SURVIVE AND THRIVE

“I’m not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

No matter what life throws at you, handle it like an adult. You can’t always throw a temper tantrum every time you can’t get your way. You cannot use your fists and throw punches at people. Use your words. That’s what adults do.

It is not enough to merely survive. You do want to survive, yes. But you also want to thrive. Success comes to those who work for it. It is your duty to go out and get it. Your family’s survival depends on it.

If you ever saw the movie Troy, you heard the line, “guard this sword with your life. As long as a Trojan wields it, our people have a future.” Same rule applies for your family. You must survive and prosper today, so that your family has a future.

See my post Financial Independence in 10 years

LEARN HISTORY AS IT TEACHES US LESSONS

“Did you know that for pretty much the entire history of the human species, the average life span was less than thirty years? You could count on ten years or so of real adulthood, right? There was no planning for retirement. There was no planning for a career. There was no planning. No time for planning. No time for a future. But then the life spans started getting longer, and people started having more and more future. And now life has become the future. Every moment of your life is lived for the future–you go to high school so you can go to college so you can get a good job so you can get a nice house so you can afford to send your kids to college so they can get a good job so they can get a nice house so they can afford to send their kids to college.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

They say history often repeats.

Did you know that in the gilded age, robber barons held about 80% of all the wealth in this country about a century ago? And that many folks had no plan for retirement at all. No pensions, no 401(k), nothing.

That’s right. Before FDR created Social Security in the 1930’s, there was no pension for the elderly and many were living in poverty. Many people did not live past the age of 65. They did not have to plan so far ahead because many did not live long enough to see any type of future.

That has changed. Today people are living longer. You are your first, best, last, and only line of defense against living in poverty.  

Bill Gates said, “If you are born poor, it’s not your mistake. But if you die poor, it’s your mistake.”

Basically, he means you should do everything you can to build a better life for yourself. That means if you can’t go outside and play all day, you have to deal with it.

Can’t see that concert this week. Oh well.

You can only play one sport or instrument. Well, that’s it then.

You have to stay up and study all night for that big exam. That’s life.

Buy a new car or invest that money? Your call, but I suggest you buy a Honda or Ford and invest your dough.

See what I mean. Sacrifice. It yields great rewards.

HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT A DEMOCRACY

“High school is neither a democracy nor a dictatorship – nor, contrary to popular belief, an anarchic state. High school is a divine-right monarchy. And when the queen goes on vacation, things change.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

This is a nice take on the whole high school experience.

I felt high school was so silly. I could care less about who wears what or say this or that. I have never been a gossip. I kept my eye on the prize: high school diploma. Everything else is just stuff you do in-between until you reach the end of that goal. Most of the stuff that goes on won’t even matter after you graduate.

“I know it’s impossible for you to see your peers this way, but when you’re older, you start to see them–the bad kids and the good kids and all kids–as people. They’re just people, who deserve to be cared for.”

Amen.

“As much as life can suck, it always beats the alternative.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

You have to make lemonade out of lemons. There is always another rainbow and tomorrow does always come and it can get better. The alternative to getting old is dying young.

I will never forget this one time I was talking to an older gentleman and he said he felt old because he was retired. It went down like this.

Him: I feel old. Now, that I’m retired.

Me: Retirement means income.

Him: I like you. (He smiled and perked up.)

A few words of kindness can elevate someone mood, lift their spirits, make their day, and change a situation completely. So, be kind.

“Be curious, not judgmental.” – Walt Whitman

“You know your problem, Quentin? You keep expecting people not to be themselves. I mean, I could hate you for being massively unpunctual and for never being interested in anything other than Margo Roth Spiegelman, and for, like, never asking me about how it’s going with my girlfriend – but I don’t give a shit, man, because you’re you. My parents have a shit ton of black Santas, but that’s okay. They’re them. I’m too obsessed with a reference website to answer my phone sometimes when my friends call, or my girlfriend. That’s okay, too. That’s me. You like me anyway. And I like you. You’re funny, and you’re smart, and you may show up late, but you always show up eventually.” ― John Green, Paper Towns

That last line brought it home didn’t it? He started kind of shaky, but he finished strong. And that is how life is. You start out shaky and are working on a learning curve, then you finish strong. You do everything in your power to stay grounded, stay hungry, hustle hard, and stay humble.

I promise you, that if you ever get lost, the harder you work, the louder you shout and the more you seek to find answers and the truth, then the more likely it is you will find what you are looking for and get found.

Celebrities and Money, Entrepreneurship, Financial Freedom, Financial Independence, Self-Made Millionaires, Wealth

How being an outlier can make you rich

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“Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness.” – Malcolm Gladwell

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” – Bruce Lee

No one can arrive from being talented alone, work transforms talent into genius. – Anna Pavlova

If you’re a fan of Enter the Dragon, like me, then you know that talent and practiced skill are the difference between winning and defeat.

Bruce Lee also said Knowledge will give you power, but character respect. 

That reminds me of this saying from The Rock.

I also notice that mavericks tend to get rich.

Those willing to do more than the bare minimum. We are talking captains or titans of industry and business mavericks, that buck the trend, throw caution to the wind, and are all in.

Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, LeBron James, Phil Knight, and Walt Disney, to name a few, embody the characteristics of what it takes to dominate in one’s field.  They are outliers. If you dare to dream and be an outlier yourself, then you are in great company.

WHAT IS AN OUTLIER?

A person or thing that is atypical within a particular group, class, or category. – Merriam Webster Dictionary

Simply put, you are different than the rest. You stand out. An outlier is the proverbial diamond in the rough or needle in the haystack. The 1 out of a million.

We all know how it worked out for Aladdin in the end.

When everyone else goes right, you go left and turn down the street.

You have tunnel vision. All energy is focused on a single task until it is completed or you are an expert. The rejection of noise and naysayers are a must.

A great definition of focus is this: To follow, without halt, one aim: There’s the secret of success. – Anna Pavlova (Prima Ballerina)

WHO ARE OUTLIERS?

The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique. – Walt Disney

We will take the examples above and expand on those individuals that have either been born great, achieved greatness, or had greatness thrust upon them. (To revise Humphrey Bogart’s famous words: Here’s looking at you, William. Shakespeare that is.)

So, who are these mavericks you say? Just keep reading.

Steve Jobs

Photo: Forbes.com

Steve Jobs was the CEO and co-founder of the most valuable brand in the world: Apple. The first ever trillion-dollar company in the entire world.  He pioneered revolutionary technologies. Thanks to his genius and willingness to dare to be different, we now have a computer in our pockets.

He decided to buck the trend and paid no dividends for Apple shareholders (this changed in 2012), as he thought that money could be better spent to expand the company.

Forbes, in 2011, estimated Jobs’ net worth to be around $6 billion to $ 7 billion dollars prior to his passing.

Bill Gates

Photo: Forbes.com

Bill Gates is a business magnate who is the founder of Microsoft. He took the road less traveled by famously dropping out of one of the most elite and prestigious universities in the world: Harvard.

Mr. Gates devoted every minute of his time to computer technology. He would read trade magazines and stay informed on the latest in tech. Becoming an expert in the field and later launching Windows in 1985. It became the top operating system for PC’s.

Forbes lists Gates’ net worth at $96B.

LeBron James

Photo: Forbes.com

LeBron James started playing basketball at a very young age. He loved the game so much that he played and practiced non-stop. By the time LeBron was 14, he had ESPN covering his high school basketball games because he was just that good.

He was drafted in 2003, to play professional basketball with the NBA. It is estimated that he spends $1.5 million dollars a year just on his health care and personal training to keep his body in the best athletic shape possible. He would go on to win the first ever championship for Cleveland. Ever. He recently built a school and is offering college scholarships to those students.

Forbes estimates James’ net worth at $440 million. That’s a lot of M’s just for going hard in the paint. It pays well to be the best.

Phil Knight

Photo: Forbes.com

Phil Knight is a business magnate and the co-founder of Nike. He ran track for the University of Oregon under the infamous track coach Bill Bowerman, with whom he co-founded Nike.  Bowerman is famous for coaching 31 Olympic athletes including the legendary Steve Prefontaine.

After attending Stanford Graduate School of Business, Knight decided to become an entrepreneur. His business plan paper became the catalyst for his company. He traveled to Japan to see about good running shoes, which would go on to become Nike.

Forbes estimates Knight’s net worth at $31B.

Walt Disney

Photo: Forbes.com

Walt Disney was a pioneer in the American animation industry. He always loved to draw. He had a paper route with a grueling and exhausting schedule as a kid, which contributed to his poor grades at school.

None the less, he continued to draw. He had $40 dollars in his pocket when he moved to CA to start his career. After, getting fired from a job in animation at one company, he decided to start his own.

People laughed at him for wanting to draw a talking mouse. An old legend states he was rejected 302 times to get financing to start Disney World. He ended getting the last laugh as Disney is the biggest and most diversified mass media and entertainment conglomerate in the world.

At the time of his death in 1966, he was estimated to have a net worth equal to $1 billion in today’s dollars (adjusting for inflation).

HOW CAN BEING AN OUTLIER MAKE YOU RICH?

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. – Henry David Thoreau

People are willing to pay for unique. Something that is one of a kind. The rarer the better.

Do something so good that people can’t wait to see you.

“Make sure it’s mean so them fiends keep on coming back” –  Who Dat (Song by J. Cole)

Keep them wanting for more.

They say the riches are in niches.

Mae West wrote on taboo subjects in the 1920’s. She made a mint in real estate and oil. This is what she thought of all that hoopla she made way back when.

I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it. – Mae West

Figure out what you are good at and make it happen.

When you start out you have to take what you can get, but when you blow up, you can name your price.

Remember that song Back Then by Mike Jones. Yeah, it can be something like that.

GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. – Robert Frost

Many people have made a fortune off being different.

Success depends in a very large measure upon individual initiative and exertion, and cannot be achieved except by a dint of hard work.  – Anna Pavlova

Let’s see some numbers for clarity and perspective.

Only the best can become NFL players. Here is what the best can make.

Rookie Salaries in the NFL

Source: FootballNextLevel.com

Highest Paid Players in NFL

Source: Spotrac.com

These are just salaries for one profession. There are many others.

CEOs are making bank. In addition, so can authors, producers, actors, musicians, professors, doctors, and more can as you can garner success in many other fields.

How hard are you willing to work to make success happen?

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says success takes no less than everything you’ve got. You don’t need directions on the road to success, just point to the top and go! Here are a few more of his words of wisdom for motivation.