Clarity

 

Clarity is an interesting word. It means the quality of being easy to see or the sharpness of an image. In the business world, both concepts may be difficult to decipher. I find perception of one's self to be vulnerable to the outside opinions of others. The problem is most people internalize their own failures and project their feelings of jealousy through hate or disbelief. "Every time someone rises up in this world, there's always some ******* trying to bring him down." -Jordan Belfort (The Wolf of Wall Street)

The world today is very serious and can be extremely cruel. It is important to have a good sense of humor to get through difficult times. I consider myself a playful person who is often sarcastic and laughs at most things. Just because I happen to be funny, does not mean that I can not conquer my goals and be successful... Yes, I am aware that the name of my blog is pretentious. Yes, I know that some phrases I use such as "old sport" is silly and it is supposed to be. Yes, the Wolf of Crestwood is meant to be amusing but it is still awesome either way! Yes, talking about money is tacky but we all do it... The key is to not take yourself too seriously. People have many sides to them and it may be hard too see someone's true talents just by having a light conversation with them or by judging what kind of car they drive. 

A friend of mine recently appeared on a reality television show where he was portrayed as a snooty rich man. When I finally asked him about said portrayal, he said that he hated it and that his words were taken the wrong way. I have noticed that this happens quite a bit when talks of money, religion, or politics arise. Take the boxer Floyd Mayweather for example... He flaunts his money and that kind of attention causes ill feelings from many people. I however, enjoy his money persona. I do not take it seriously as it is a performance for the world's stage. Now allow me to clarify something, I am not saying that it is just a show. Floyd has real money and does actually live a certain way. I do bet that there are days when he is not showing off his money and simply sits at home on the couch watching funny videos and eating cereal. Does that make him fake? Does he HAVE TO be Money Mayweather 24 hours a day? The answer is no... Each person has a many characteristics of themselves. He is allowed to be silly and loving with his kids and serious when he enters the ring!

What is my point? Clearly the public only gets to see a fraction of someone's life and the assumptions fly uncontrollably. There are days where I wear a power suit to an important business meeting and there are days where I wear sweats to visit my niece and nephews. At night I can playfully joke around like a teenager and in the morning build a 1.5 million dollar mansion. (Insert my Bruce Wayne smirk here)
Some people find it interesting that amongst my many careers, I teach theology during the day. They think the guy who talks money and watches Scarface every month can not also be about theology. The real interesting part comes when their facial expression changes after I flex my knowledge in the subject area.

There is a scene from the film American Gangster where Frank Lucas is trying to find out who shot at him. Dominic Cattano says, "Success. It's got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends."
That is a very powerful line that I am reminded of everyday at one of my jobs. With that said, I believe that being kind, being honest, and being a good person will shine through any situation to the right people. I have a talent of making situations more special. The way I see it is, you can have a simple birthday cake or you can have an entire birthday party. A nice car to me symbolizes the party! A big house to me symbolizes fun! I am just trying to make my time here as much fun and special as possible. Success is not saying that you are better than someone else, it can be as simple as a kid who liked rap videos and gangster movies and wanted to prove to his pop that he could make it!
As long as you be yourself and be every funny, serious, rich, silly, professional version of yourself, it does not matter what others think of you.

"The Wolf does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep!"  

A Short Story About Big Dreams

Swagger- To walk or behave in a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive way

The key to having confidence is knowing yourself! What have you accomplished? Where are you going? After I graduated from college, I became a teacher. As you may have heard, teaching is very much an underpaid profession. I remember sitting on the sofa one afternoon after work. I was enjoying a late lunch and a music video caught my attention. I was amazed by the fancy cars, the vibrant jewelry, the expensive clothes and the Scarface lifestyle that was being portrayed. I thought to myself, the road to success can't possibly begin with me on the sofa in the afternoon on a Monday. That was the day that I decided to start my own company. A close friend of mine introduced me to the music business and things began to take off. The rest was up to me to put the time in and stay loyal to my connects. I remember smoking a cigar in the backyard with my friend David who turned to me and said, "Do you realize that music has shaped your entire life?" I didn't realize it until that moment but he was absolutely right. Music not only helped shape who I was, it also defined who my father was.

I recall a sunny afternoon in the spring of 2005. I had just purchased my first new car. I was always interested in the Accord by Honda. Believe me when I tell you, I felt quite jubilant when I drove my new car home from the dealership that day. I even purchased the fully loaded model thanks to the influence of my good buddy Keith. It was an amazing feeling to drive that car home. That feeling lasted for exactly twenty two minutes until I pulled up next to a diamond white Cadillac. Talk about a broken heart old sport? How could I resist the shine of that American made beauty? The desire for my long awaited Honda diminished almost instantaneously. For the next twelve months I worked day and night to build my business. Visions of grandeur lit fire to my motivation like a five o'clock espresso in the hands of a businessman on Wall Street.

Exactly one year after buying my Accord, I drove to the dealership and returned it. At six o' clock that evening, I was handed the keys to my new diamond white Cadillac. I drove home unusually slow that night. I remember feeling victorious, like I accomplished something great. You may find this to be a bit silly but it was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever experienced. It wasn't the car that made me feel great, it was the hard work that it took to get the car that made me feel great!

I will always be fond of the classic gangster automobile. I haven't drove one in a few years now. Not to say that I won't go back, but for now I'm happy with my Mercedes. I fancy the class and the style it represents. There is a song titled Stuntin Like My Daddy where Lil Wayne says, "When I was sixteen I bought my first Mercedes Benz!" That was the music video that sparked my interest while I was sitting on the sofa that afternoon. I might have had to wait until my twenties to buy my first Mercedes Benz but like the old saying goes, better late than never!

I would like to end this article with a motivational quote from the film The Pursuit of Happiness. I hope what I write inspires people to go after their dreams!

"You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period." -Will Smith (Christopher Gardner)

Dress To Success

Filthy Rich Entertainment is back to blog for a new season!
I would like to personally thank my readers for following my articles and taking interest in my world!
Filthy Rich Ent. is the official blog for D-Star Entertainment LLC.
My first blog post was viewed by only 21 people. Now I average about 200 views per post. That 's over 3,300 views on just 17 blog posts.

You should have heard the term "dressed to impress" a few times in your life. In order to be successful, one must project success at all times (American Beauty 1999). Perfection may be difficult to reach but the simple act of reaching may be all you need to become successful. Simple changes in attitude and perception may help a person get on the right path. John Gotti used to always have his car washed, a fresh hair cut and a clean pair of shoes on. He took pride in his attire because his appearance meant something. Donald Trump said, "Remember one simple rule: dress for the job you want to have, not the one you have." There are constant fashion trends that can confuse a person on what to wear and how to look. I fancy the old money look. My motto is: "If what you're wearing goes well with a Rolex on your wrist, you're fine." Everyone knows that I 'm a fan of James Bond. Where do you think the Scott Disick's and Leo DiCaprio's got their fashion sense from? The timeless style of polo shirts and slacks have been a staple of the wealthy since the 1800's. From Wall Street to the golf course, this look is accepted as an everyday wear.
Designer Ralph Lauren made it easy for men and women to look good with his popular clothing line. We have been seeing his famous Pony logo since the 1970's. In fact, it was the recognition he got as the clothing designer for the film The Great Gatsby that secured his upper class image. As we all know, Gatsby is the poster boy for the mysterious, rich and successful. When I was a child, my father used to wear pajamas around the house. At the time I thought it looked uncomfortable and I couldn't understand why a t-shirt wasn't his choice of lounge wear. When I got older I began to understand that that's what gentlemen used to wear in the good old days. The classy pajama and pipe or cigar in hand look was a very Bond like back then. Playboy owner Huge Hefner still sports this look today! Fellas, don't be scared to wear your church clothes on a Monday, your lady will appreciate it.

"It's amazing, this suit actually makes me feel like a better person." -Nick Cage (The Family Man)