In The 50th Law, author Robert Greene offers a biography of Curtis Jackson, the drug dealer turned rapper turned businessman, known as 50 Cent. Each chapter follows a similar structure. The component of a fearless attitude is summarized. A quote is offered capturing the idea. How this idea was reflected in the life of Jackson is then put forth. The idea is reinforced by other historical examples. How to develop this component in our own lives is then distilled into specific steps. How the idea can sometimes be construed as a negative is presented and a counter perspective offered. The chapter is then closed with another quote capturing the characteristic.
Greene considers the core to Jackson’s character being his fearlessness. It’s a common element possessed by many strivers. The book begins with a quote from Malcolm X, “So over you is the greatest enemy a man can have and that is fear. I know some of you are afraid to listen to the truth—you have been raised on fear and lies. But I am going to preach to you the truth until you are free of that fear.”
In today’s world where alternative perspectives seem to be stifled and pushed down, we need more truth tellers.
Fear is the oldest and strongest emotion we experience. It drives us and can easily be used against us by others. It served us well in a hostile and scarce world from where we originated, but in today’s world, fear’s less fruitful. For most of us our fears now are less about physical survival, and more about social status, our financial futures, and health. Somewhere along the way, advertisers and politicians learned that they could capture attention by fueling fear. We’ve passively obliged. Slowly, we’ve let fear creep in from true physical threats and inflict a general sense of dis-ease towards life itself. We bath in the abundance of anxiety withering in the water of adrenalin.
Many of us are mired in fear, uncertainty, and doubt. As a result we give up our clout. From fear flows apathy as our energy is eviscerated. Our confidence crushed, our agency abandoned, we sit idle stewing in our juices. However, some buck this trend and embrace the uncertainty of life. They see past fear and look at life as a challenge full of opportunity. They stride forwards with action into the fog of life. Our approach becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. We can retreat or roll on. We can step back or lean in. We can give in to fear or stand tall. We can face fear or flee it. We can be passive or active. Fear is inevitable. We can’t escape it. However, we do choose how we will respond to it.
Curtis Jackson had every disadvantage starting out. Nevertheless, he didn’t let his environment define him or his future. He evidenced a perspective like that expressed by musician Miles Davis, “The fear I had was almost like an invitation, a challenge to go forward into something I knew nothing about.” Greene observes that fearless types respond to challenge with a build up of self-belief and enhanced energy. They find a way to face fear with constructive actions, forging forward. They realize their capacities can only be improved and grow through action. James Baldwin notes, “People who cannot suffer can never grow up, can never discover who they are.” We don’t build a fighting spirit hiding behind a shield.
Curtis Jackson’s father left when Jackson was a young child. His mother was murdered when Jackson was only eight. His earliest experiences embedded a sense that he was alone in this world and could count solely on himself. Self-reliance became his default. No one was there to tell him things would be ok. If his circumstances were to improve, it was up to him. He was forced to learn the ways of the world from the school of hard knocks. He became an astute observer of his environment. He learned what others did to survive. He learned how people achieved respect. He saw the value of boldness. “The greatest fear people have is that of being themselves. They want to be 50 Cent or someone else. They do what everyone else does even if it doesn’t fit where and who they are. But you get nowhere that way; your energy is weak and no one pays attention to you. You’re running away from the one thing that you own—what makes you different. I lost that fear. And once I felt the power that I had by showing the world I didn’t care about being like other people, I could never go back.”
When we accept the uncertainty of life and develop the willingness to do our part we find that the range of personal influence expands. By our actions we reduce uncertainty and increase our ability to shape the world to our desires. By not necessarily overcoming fear, but accepting it, we gain the benefit of growing our self-confidence. We trust ourselves to act. We seek influence.
Greene distills the fearless attitude presented by 50 Cent into a number of components:
- See Things for What They Are – Intense Realism. “The firmer your grasp on reality, the more power you will have to alter it for your purposes.”
“Men are men and life is life, and we must deal with them as they are; and if we want to change them, we must deal with them in the form in which they exist.” Richard Wright.
“Reality is my drug. The more I have of it, the more power I get and the higher I feel.” 50 Cent.
We make better choices when we deal with the world as it is as opposed to how we wish it were. Your opium is accurate observation, not distraction. You seek the truth, not comfort. Curiosity is your advantage. Knowledge is power. Seek and you shall find. Look, listen, and learn. Don’t believe everything you see or hear. Look for deeper causes. Work to get a sense of where things are going. Balance your perspective back and forth between the here and now as well as against where you’re headed. Reflect regularly. Evaluate yourself and others against actions not words. Intent matters less than impact. All of this is not done from books and classes but from engaging with life and through experience.
Reversal: Some see the idea of being a realist as being a pessimist. Seeing the world as it is isn’t negative. It’s better than being blind and acting naively.
- Make Everything Your Own – Self-Reliance “You should have a greater fear of what will happen to you if you remain dependent on others for power. Your goal in every maneuver in life must be ownership.”
Through force of circumstance Jackson had no choice but to fend for himself. He had no one to help him or look out for him. He also learned through observation that others were happy to exploit those that were dependent. Survival implied an acceptance of being alone in the world and embracing the responsibility of making one’s own choices. We each have a choice to depend on others for a paycheck, comfort, and security or to accept responsibility for these ourselves. Other forces are motivated to tell us how we can’t do things on our own and depend on them for help. Experts abound that tell us we’re nothing without them. Know this, NOCLYS. No one cares like you should. Others will happily keep you under their thumb and exploit your efforts for their benefit.
“I was born alone and I will die alone. I’ve got to do what’s right for me and not live my life the way anybody else wants it,” observes 50 Cent. Greene writes, “True ownership can only come from within. It comes from a disdain for anything or anybody that impinges upon your mobility, from a confidence in your own decisions, and from the use of your time in constant pursuit of education and improvement.”
Greene writes, “Our task as an adult is to take full possession of that autonomy and individuality we were born with.” “Your life must be a progression towards ownership—first mentally of your independence, and then physically of your work, owning what you produce.”
Use time to develop your abilities.
Carve out areas of expertise for yourself. Create demand for you. Be willing to trade money for responsibility. Responsibility increases your value in longer term ways than a mere bump in pay.
Claw your way up the food chain to become the man. You want to put yourself in the position where you are in control and depend on no one. Your goal is less reliance on alliances and more independence.
Care less about what others think. Your strength is your uniqueness.
Reversal – Individualistic types can seem disagreeable. Those that stand out, stick out. This can be seen as a negative by some. However, the irony of those that are comfortable in their own skin is that they are the most attractive to others.
“There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that… imitation is suicide. … that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor do know until he has tried.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
- Turn Shit into Sugar – Opportunism “Every negative situation contains the possibility for something positive, an opportunity. It is how you look at it that matters. … It is the ultimate alchemy to transform all such negatives into advantages and power.”
From struggle comes strength. “If one is continually surviving the worst that life can bring, one eventually ceases to be controlled by a fear of what life can bring.” James Baldwin. Like a good politician, we should work to never let a good crisis go to waste. Every obstacle represents opportunity if we look hard enough. From pain to progress. 50 Cent offers, “Every negative is a positive. The bad things that happen to me, I somehow make them good. That means you can’t do anything to hurt me.”
Events happen. The universe is neutral. Our interpretation gives events emotion. We can choose a positive spin or negative. That’s on us. Does it serve? Comfort creates complacency. Constraint creates clarity. Priorities become clear when options are limited. Life is harsh. Civilization is competitive. We shouldn’t run from these facts. Face them. Embrace them. Act in a way to give yourself a chance. Greene writes, “You must adopt an attitude that is the opposite to how most people think and operate. When things are going well, that is precisely when you must be concerned and vigilant. You know it will not last and you will not be caught unprepared. When things are going badly, that is when you are most encouraged and fearless.”
Jocko Willink’s “Good” and Nietzsche’s interpretation of Stoic’s Amor Fati are similar ideas in support of the power we have to tell ourselves better stories that serve.
- Keep Moving – Calculated Momentum. “In the present there is constant change and so much we can’t control. If you try to micromanage it all, you lose even greater control in the long run. The answer is to let go and move with the chaos that presents itself to you—from within it, you will find endless opportunities that elude most people.”
Ride the wave of life. To go with the flow, stay in the know. We need to keep our ear to the ground to get a sense of what’s going on in the real world. Don’t fight circumstance. We don’t want to become to rigid. We need to be open to the world around us and willing to adapt. Adopt pliability as a personal principle. Greene notes that a key element of Taoism is the recognition that change is the essence of nature. Strength comes from being soft enough to bend. Rigidity leads to breaking things. Adaptability is the goal. Question convention. Cultivate curiosity. There’s always a better way. Seek improvement, not status quo. Seek diversity of perspectives. Proactively reinvent yourself and your business. Avoid getting stuck in trends. Find something on which to flip flop. You want principles, but don’t need the same in perpetuity. Growth involves change.
“People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
- Know When to Be Bad – Aggression. “You must master the art of knowing when and how to be bad—using deception, manipulation, and outright force at the appropriate moments. Everyone operates with a flexible morality when it comes to their self-interest.”
The need to be prepared to go to battle is based on the belief offered by Malcolm X, “The hustler’s every waking hour is lived with both the practical and the subconscious knowledge that if he ever relaxes, if he ever slows down, the other hungry, restless foxes, ferrets, wolves, and vultures out there with him won’t hesitate to make him their prey.” It’s an extension of the belief that it’s a dog eat dog world. It’s not a warm and fuzzy one waiting to welcome you. Every step must be earned and you must be prepared to protect what you earn. Life’s a battle. We go to war daily.
“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.” -H.L Mencken
Passive people get steamrolled. 50 Cent saw that “if you indicate you’ll do anything to avoid trouble, that’s when you get trouble.” Avoiding confrontation at best delays it, at worst invites it. A core military strategy is to project power to reduce the likelihood of warfare. The stronger you are and appear, the less likely others are with you to interfere. “The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.” -Sun Tzu”
“Chinese proverb, “It is better to be a warrior in the garden than a gardener in a war.””
- Lead from the Front – Authority. “In any group, the person on top consciously or unconsciously sets the tone. … Imbue your troops with the proper spirit through your actions, not words. They see you working harder than anyone, holding yourself to the highest standards, taking risks with confidence, and making tough decision. This inspires and binds the group together.”
“No man can properly command an army from the rear. He must be at the front…at the very head of the army. He must be seen there, and the effect of his mind and personal energy must be felt by every office and man present with it.” General William T. Sherman.
“The greatest generals in history, however, are invariably those who lead from the front and by themselves. They can be seen by the troops at the head of the army, exposing themselves to the same fate as any foot soldier.” This approach works in politics, business, and sport as well. An example of excellence does far more than any speech. An irony of strong leadership is that followers respect those with high standards more than those that are agreeable and friendly. Greene notes that “The Hebrew word for ‘lead’ means to be out in front, to drive.” Leading is about showing the way with vision, leading by example, coalescing others to support, and being bold. Offer mission intent and allow autonomy for your followers to implement with their own touch. Greene writes, “You are seen as more than just a leader; you are a role model, instructing, energizing, and inspiring your lieutenants.”
- Know Your Environment from the Inside Out – Connection. “You must maintain as close a relationship to your environment as possible, getting an inside ‘feel’ for what is happening around you. Never lose touch with your base.”
“The public is never wrong. When people don’t respond to what you do, they’re telling you something loud and clear. You’re just not listening.” 50 Cent. Greene notes, “All living creatures depend for their survival on their relationship to their environment. If they are particularly sensitive to any kind of change—a danger or an opportunity—they have greater power to dominate their surroundings.” We have to get real or we won’t be playing for long. Awareness of reality is essential to survival. Your perspective is but one of many. Your goals will intersect with and bump into those of others. The world won’t unfold in front of you just because you want it to. Reality must be faced.
Feedback must be embraced in order to enhance our awareness. “Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld. It is imperative as you climb the ladder of power to stay in touch with the world around you. Keeping your ear to the ground of the market and current times is important. Nothing fails like success as we become confident in our past efforts and separate from the current struggle. Burst your bubble. Escape your ego.
- Respect the Process – Mastery. “The fools in life want things fast and easy-money, success, attention. Boredom is their great enemy and fear. Whatever they manage to get slips through their hands as fast as it comes in. You, on the other hand, want to outlast your rivals. You are building the foundation for something that can continue to expand. To make this happen, you will have to serve an apprenticeship. You must learn early on to endure the hours of practice and drudgery, knowing that in the end all of that time will translate into a higher pleasure—mastery of a craft and of yourself. Your goal is to reach the ultimate skill level—an intuitive feel for what must come next.”
“Most people can’t handle boredom. That means they can’t stay on one thing until they get good at it. And they wonder why they’re unhappy.” 50 Cent.
Green writes, “progressing step-by-step was the only way to succeed in anything.” Being able to endure is the cure for most problems. Insist on being able to persist. Avoid distractions and chase traction as the path to progress. “The fearless types in history inevitably display in their lives a higher tolerance than most of us for repetitive, boring tasks.” Blaise Pascal’s quote of “all of man’s troubles come from not knowing how to sit still, alone in a room.” Boredom breeds discomfort which leads us into the clutches of distraction. We must welcome the slow road to development. Embrace a passion for patience. Learn to love the power of compound. Cling to consistency over intensity. Chase depth over breadth. Find pleasure in the pursuit. Make time your friend.
“The real secret, the real formula for power in this world, lies in accepting the ugly reality that learning requires a process, and this inturn demands patience and the ability to endure drudge work. It is not sexy or seductive at first glance, but this truth is based on something real and substantial—an age-old wisdom that will never be overturned. The key is the level of your desire. If you are really after power and mastery, then you will absorb this idea deeply and engrave it in your mind: there are no shortcuts. You will distrust anything that is fast and easy.”
Relish routines. The strength of Sisyphus. The greatness of the grind.
- Push Beyond Your Limits – Self-Belief. “Your sense of who you are will determine your actions and what you end up getting in life…. Ask for more, aim high, and believe that you are destined for something great. Your sense of self-worth comes from you alone—never the opinion of others. With a rising confidence in your abilities, you will take risks that will increase your chances of success. People follow those who know where they are going, so cultivate an air of certainty and boldness.”
“Let me point out to you that freedom is not something that anybody can be given; freedom is something people take and people are as free as they want to be.” James Baldwin.
“Your opinion of yourself becomes your reality. If you have all these doubts, then no one will believe in you and everything will go wrong. If you think the opposite, the opposite will happen. It’s that simple.” 50 Cent.
We shape our identity. Yes, our environment and our heredity influence things. However, we can grow our belief in our brilliance. Own your self. Determine your own values. Develop a strong sense of self. Cultivate your own image and appearance. Believe in your ability to achieve. Rejoice in your personal choice. Seek to impose your will on the world. Dare to care and stand out. Greene writes, “You are essentially free to move beyond any limits others have set for you, to re-create yourself as thoroughly as you wish.” Strong self-belief breeds persistence and courage. It also draws others to you like a magnet. Choose yourself.
- Confront Your Mortality –The Sublime. “Knowing our days to be numbered, we have a sense of urgency and mission. We can appreciate life all the more for its impermanence. If we can overcome the fear of death, then there is nothing left to fear.”
“I had reached the point at which I was not afraid to die. This spirit made me a freeman in fact, while I remained a slave in form.” Frederick Douglass.
Near death experiences can be liberating. Jackson’s brush with bullets didn’t grow fear, it melted it. His survival led to more self-belief. If I can survive that, I can face anything. Fear found its place put in the rear of Jackson’s mind. He moved forward with boldness others didn’t as a result. We’re the only animal that appears to be aware of our mortality. Our fear of death leads us to shrink and reduces risk taking. The bold are able to face this fear and overcome it. Finding peace with the end is a way to living a more fulfilling life. We can’t escape the end, but we can determine the boldness with which we’ll face our lives. By getting close and personal with the reality of death we learn better how to live. Our choices become more meaningful and our appreciation of time grows. We move with purpose instead of timidity. To hide from death is to hide from life. To thrive, we must accept that our time here is brief so it’s up to us to make the most of it.
We can think of our place in the universe both in terms of time and place to help us see the insignificance of everything we do. This isn’t crippling, again, it’s liberating. It’s a miracle that we’re here at all. It’s incredible that we get to enjoy the mysteries of the universe for a brief period. Our job is to soak things up and leave the world just a slightly bit better for our presence. We’re connected to the world and each other in some magical way.
“When the fear of death is gone, then nothing can bother you and nobody can stop you.” 50 Cent
