Book Babble #16: "Be Obsessed or Be Average" by Grant Cardone

Time for some more babbling… book-wise. Today we have a return of Mr Grant Cardone… if 10Xing wasn't enough, now we're talking obsession!

Obsession… good or bad??

It's more than just a fragrance from Calvin Klein. But what does it mean to be obsessed and is it a healthy emotion?

I covered a previous book by @grantcardone a couple of weeks back called The 10X Rule. So go back and take a look at that one as I speak a little about Grant himself as well as dive into the book and associated wisdom.

So I won't delve into that again here. What I will say is that this book, Be Obsessed or Be Average, adds a missing ingredient to the The 10X Rule. I actually read this one first and it was quite an eye-opener. Again, a little towards the extreme end of the success spectrum and Grant pulls no punches. Definitely inspiring for me, but like all these books and characters - take the best bits and integrate them with who you are and what you want to achieve, and safely leave out the bits that don't resonate.

More recently I got the audio version. It goes for 11 hours and it should probably be nearer 8. Grant likes to go off script and can be quite entertaining at times which is always a good way to go. Although not to everyone's tastes of course, there are always nuggets of wisdom and an overall enthusiasm.

Back to the obsession question. The point is, we are pretty much always obsessed with something (or several things), whether that's the word we use or not. The key is embracing it (or them) and directing it towards constructive pursuits. Using that energy and channeling it towards good.

There are well over 100 highlights I've quoted, so I'll trim it down to some of the best… and yes, I'm obsessed with quotes ;).

Ready?

Classic obsessy quotes from the book followed by my additional thoughts…

I am where I am today only because I embraced my obsession with success.

Grant talking about himself. It was necessary to embrace this obsession to get anywhere.

obsession is the critical component of success—senior to strategy, pricing, timing, competition, or people; it offers the method for living in true freedom and total control of your life—personally, financially, and emotionally.

Making the point that it's actually the main driving force for everything.

Anytime I had a blowup, my mom (and later my girlfriends and friends) would always say the same thing: “But we have it so much better than others.” I never understood that response. First off, what do others have to do with my life? Second, anytime I compared myself with others who had more—people who were really living the life—my mom, girlfriends, and friends would come back with “Don’t compare yourself to others.” There was no winning.

Young Granty having little episodes. He would tell his mum what he was going to do and she would be disappointed at him for not being satisfied. Sound familiar?

First off, others are irrelevant. Even if you do have it 'better' than surely it makes sense to make it even better again if that is possible. In fact, you owe it to the people who genuinely haven't got the option to go for it (although most of them can, they just choose not to).

If there are kids starving in the world, it doesn't mean you have to starve too. How does that help?! Your responsibility is to be well fed… then share that 'food' with others. That way everyone gets to eat and have a piece of the pie. (metaphors are flying already!)

I had to stop focusing on where I had been and start looking toward where I wanted to go.

Always look forward. Occasional glance back to learn from the past but only to the degree that you can use it to shape your future. Sure, enjoy 'the moment' but don't get too swept away in all that if you want to achieve success. Always forward.

To get where you want to go, you have to face forward, especially if you've had a shit past. If you're continually looking back then the same will continue. Look forward to brighter things and that will allow them to develop.

If I could go that low and survive, I thought, how high could I go in the other direction?

Grant went into rehab at 25 for drug and alcohol problems. He tells his story in the book and in a lot of videos dotted about. He came through it, and these were some of his first thoughts. He hit what could be termed 'rock bottom' which made him think about how high he could climb in the opposite direction. What were the limits and possibilities?

One interesting thing: on the way out the door of the rehab centre, his 'counselor' told him to give up all dreams of success, wealth and any 'grandiose' ideas. His priority, he said, was to stay off drugs for the rest of his life. That's it. Anything else would be counterproductive. Thanks mate… good to see he was ignored.

In my life being obsessed with success has never created problems for me. Denying my obsession is what caused me problem.

Many people think that obsession is a problem and to be avoided at all costs.

What tends to happen (and what happened to Grant, and many of us if we're honest), is you deny the things you really want and that end up manifesting in undesirable behaviour by default. Drugs and alcohol are a prime example but also addictions to people and situations.

Sometimes people replace one addiction with another, which is called out as being a bad thing… but the truth is it will always exist so replace it and upgrade it.

Being obsessed with success can only help yourself and others. Sure, there can be downsides but it's not a case of replacing it for everything else, as you'll see later. Denying it will cause you big problems.

When you learn how to control and focus your obsessions, you will become a powerful and unstoppable person capable of making all your dreams a reality.

Harnessing the energy.

Your obsession is the most valuable tool you have to build the life you deserve and dream of.

Think of it as your secret weapon, a strong tool in your arsenal. Don't hide it or subdue it, let it run free! In a controlled and directed manner of course.

Don’t try to stifle or reduce the obsession. Instead, give yourself permission to use it and redirect it.

As above. Let it out. Control it. Don't let it control you.

It’s all about your desire and willingness to see a goal all the way through, despite huge obstacles.

The definition of any success. Relentlessly keeping going.

Maybe you never knew that obsession was an option, let alone the only option.

They tell you it's wrong. Grant is telling you that not only is it ok, it is required.

The obsessed embrace the fact that they—and only they—are responsible for their success.

Full personal responsibility once again.

“If you can, you must.”

If you are capable of something then you have to at least try. This was a quote from his brother. Almost a 'God-given' responsibility rather than something you could do one day.

IT’S OKAY TO WANT IT ALL

Not sure why this is in caps. Either the start of a chapter or section of it. But it also helps to emphasise a point. It's ok to want it all, and you don't have to pick and choose, make sacrifices etc. Go for it all. Obviously there will be some adjustment over the course of time as to what's important at a particular moment, but in the end it's all yours for the taking.

For me success is defined as the attainment of my potential.

As good a definition as any. Little secret: you will never attain your potential no matter how productive you are, but you should be trying to get as close to it as possible.

You want it all. And you deserve to have it all. You are capable of more. You deserve massive success so abundant it can’t be disrupted, taken away, diminished, or stolen.

Once you get to a certain level, you will be untouchable. Ok, there is always a chance of things going downhill, but the point is you are past a point of danger. You want to be at a point financially, for example, where any shifts in the economy leave you unaffected, or at least able to move with the punches.

Everyone deserves it, and everyone is capable. It's just a little tricky, especially with all the faulty conditioning out there. It will take a lot of work and huge mindset shifts along the way.

epidemic of average.

Grant has a bee in his bonnet about the 'middle-class' and average. It's half the title of the book and an undesirable place to be. Actually, most people may have nestled in and be comfortable. Good for them. But the majority of people reading this kind of material have no desire to be like everyone else.

He describes it here as an 'epidemic'. It is a disease.

His dad died aged 52, when Grant was 10. His father always worked hard and strived to make the middle-class. Finally they 'made it', bought their dream house and he had a heart attack the next year. It's very clear where Cardone gets a lot of his worldview and motivation from.

People are lazy because it is tolerated. People accept the idea of average because their parents and peers told them it was all right to settle for less rather than become obsessed with their dreams.

It's everywhere!

People are being encouraged to be happy, and they spend their lives trying to buy happiness with borrowed money from credit cards they must pay off with money they earn from a job they hate.

Bad way to go.

People who try to persuade you to give up are not trying to help you. They are trying to make sense of why they gave up.

Be wary of people's motives. They don't necessarily mean harm but they don't want you getting ahead.

Did you know that if a crab tries to climb out a bucket, all the other crabs in the bucket pull the escapee crab back in? Bastards! Read a little Wiki on crab mentality. "If I can't have it, neither can you".

Unhappy people can’t teach you how to be happy. The poor can’t teach you how to get rich. A guy in a failing marriage cannot teach you how to make your marriage work. An average person can’t teach you how to be exceptional.

Also be aware of who you're talking to. If they've made it where you want to go - listen. If they haven't - smile and move on.

By being all in and obsessed.

The concept of going all in again.

in order to have greatness, you must claim it.

You have to demand it. And it won't be given to you.

You have to embrace this die-trying mentality.

"Don't be afraid to die on the treadmill" ~ Will Smith

the power of writing your goals down every day.

As mentioned in his other BookBabble, he is a great believer in writing goals down. Twice a day - once in the morning and once at night. Also, each time he feels down or off course to get focused again. Write them in present tense and in the positive.

What you pay attention to is what you get.

Where focus goes energy flows! That quote got a mention in The Go-Giver last week and worth a mention again. It's all about attention and intention.

Look into the Reticular Activating System (RAS) if you want to delve into some science behind it.

In life and business it is vital to pay attention to the things and people that are working for you and ignore the things and people that are not.

What would Bruce Lee make of it all? "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not". That's what.

Wake up and go to sleep focusing on your goals. Write them down every morning and read them every night until they become a part of you. Once you internalize them, you will see everything around you as a means of achieving those goals. The moment you quit this practice, you will find yourself falling into the repetitive cycle of work without purpose.

It focuses the attention, it's as simple as that. We're not talking spiritual woo woo but basic science. When you are always focusing on particular things (good or bad) you will find things in your environment to match. Basic physics.

Keep your attention constantly focused on the future rather than the past.

Mentioned this earlier in the piece but I'll keep this in to make the point again.

We live on an economic planet. And economics doesn’t care about the color of your skin, your religion, your level of education, your intentions, or the goodness in your heart.

The market decides! What are you bringing to 'market'?

It takes money to get anything done.

Money is important. Shock horror! Not much can get done without it so make it a priority.

I will never apologize for wanting money—and I am going to talk about it.

It's a taboo topic for some people. Doesn't need to be. It's up to the individual how much they talk about it (or not) but it's nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of.

Get obsessed with your financial success and getting your money right—or be punished.

If you don't get this area handled, then it will affect the rest of your life. And it won't be pretty.

lots of urgency and deadlines, becoming single-mindedly focused for short periods of time, ignoring all but our successes.

Having urgency, deadlines and short-term focus helps to keep you on task and block out distractions.

Every order should come with a target and a deadline.

You can't manage what you don't measure.

The fish stinks from the head down.

Commander's intent. The vision of the CEO affects how the floor is swept.

I once went to a counselor with my girlfriend and said, “I want to talk about how great I am. I want to talk about how many plus points I have, how many gifts I have. I want to talk about my ambitions and successes.” The counselor immediately recommended a prescription for lithium. Clearly, he thought my obsession was dangerous.

There are some dangerous people out there. In this case it wasn't Grant Cardone but the 'counsellor' we should be worried about. All this negativity isn't good for anyone.

In the audio he also said that his girlfriend was recommended a prescription for an 'upper'. So something to 'calm' Grant, and something to 'lift' his girlfriend. Perhaps there was nothing wrong with either of them? Perhaps a 'subscription' of some light exercise and tweak of the diet could have been worth trying first?

you don’t fix problems with problems—you fix them with success.

Get successful and problems fall away. Or they get upgraded.

“If you are the most successful person in the room, you are in the wrong room.”

Upgrade your circle.

When you are clear on your purpose, you will never burn out.

Talking about 'burn out' and how, often it's not really what it is. Grant contests that you feel so-called burn out when you go off purpose or need reinvigorating in some way rather than working 'too hard'.

The only thing that is going to ultimately renew you is getting reobsessed with your purpose.

Re-assesing. Re-aligning.

“If you want to meet the devil, have white space on your calendar.”

Another way of putting it - idle time is the devil's workshop. Grant is a fan of a full calendar. As for him (and many others), free time leads to destructive tendencies. Not so much 'free' time but unstructured - you can certainly schedule in leisure activities but having hours or days completely blank can lead to habit and not so healthy obsessions creeping in. Not least overthinking or allowing lack of action to stifle you.

I'm in 2 minds about this one. I agree but at the same time it's good to have some completely blank space on your calendar. I guess it depends on the individual, your personality and the particular time in your life. For me, there are times when this is absolutely correct and others where I prefer to have it almost completely clear. This comes down to self-awareness, knowing who you are plus how you are feeling about the world around you at a given time.

I am not happy unless I am working. That doesn’t make me defective. It makes me productive. I am simply happiest when I am most productive.

Fair enough. Do what works for you. This is true for most people in fact, a point made in the book Flow, that I did an article on recently. This is obviously dependant on doing work that is rewarding, that benefits yourself as well as others. People feel better getting things done rather than sitting around. Sitting around is only pleasurable after an honest day's work but it feels terrible if you haven't done anything and are just mooching around without purpose.

The whole concept of having balance in your life is ridiculous. I am not trying to balance my life—I am trying to blow it up.

Forget balance. It's not going to happen and doesn't necessarily need to. Try and lift up all areas.

the best way to handle naysayers is to hit your goals over and over until they have no choice but to believe in you.

Talking about haters and naysayers. The distinction is that the haters are exactly that and want to take you down. The naysayers are the good people who genuinely mean well but don't believe in you or what you're doing and are trying to help.

Best way to handle it is to absolutely smash it and point to the results.

“Love me or hate me, at least now you know me.”

'No such thing as bad publicity' is and old saying and is mostly true. Your main problem is obscurity, and if you're name is known and you've riled someone enough to say something, then you're on the right track!

Haters are going to hate, while the obsessed are going to create.

I like it cos it rhymes ;). Go create!

Your job is not to get along with haters. You don’t need to get rid of them or handle them. Your job is to stay obsessed with your obsessions until they are realized, and then obsess some more.

The greatest revenge is massive success.

“If I could get half of the people in the United States to hate me, I could be the president!”

Interesting quote. Not referring to anyone in particular and written before the last US presidential election ;).

Obsessed people aren’t looking for permission or approval.

They're doing their thing. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant. They'd like to have you on board but crack on regardless.

DOMINATE TO WIN

Goes back to domination over competition.

I have felt the most confused in my life when I had more choices than I could handle.

Back to the paradox of choice, discussed a few times in this series. Options are great to a degree but can lead to paralysis. That's where you need to get the blinders on and be decisive in your actions.

What you are obsessed with will become a reality.

What you focus on expands. What you obsess over will be your life.

You can’t learn anything from penny savers and misers who can squeeze a quarter until the eagle cries.

I liked this one, must be some sort of Louisiana saying! I don't know about squeezing quarters out of eagles but people trying to scrimp by are not the people to talk to if you have bigger ideas.

“Who’s got my money?”

A Cardone mantra. There's plenty of money out there… where's yours?

Be obsessed about your people doing well, and you will become a giant in their lives. Show a man or a woman how to produce more money than they ever dreamed while pursuing a greater purpose, and they will become loyal and dedicated.

Inspiring employees and associates.

The reason so many people fail with social media, marketing, and even traditional advertising is that they underestimate the effort required to dominate their niche.

Goes back to operating at 10X levels.

Avoiding danger makes sense only if you want to make cents. The only way to reduce risk is to take risk.

Biggest risk is doing nothing at all. Remember, there are people out there taking so-called 'risks' and they're the ones that are going to win.

it is actually safer to be at sea than tied up in the harbor.

This is for boats and applies to humans! Boats were made to be out on the water and decay when sitting around at the dock.

Don’t live any more of your life cowering, being fearful, timid, or accommodating.

Time is now.

Being the biggest fish in the smallest pond will be the death of your ambitions.

You need to get out and about in the world. Broaden your horizons.

If you’re not constantly connecting with new people, who are more influential and smarter, you are putting yourself in harm’s way.

Always connect with new people. And try to make sure you're not the smartest in the room.

Mark Cuban has said, “Diversification is for idiots.”

Mark Cuban is a billionaire businessman and investor. There's a time and a place for diversification, perhaps a little later when you have the funds to do so and it make sense. To start with you're spreading yourself too thin. Cuban is being a bit blunt here but making a point on how to make money.

Andrew Carnegie, who said, “The way to become rich is to put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket.”

Andrew Carnegie was a major player back in the 1800s and early 1900s. The richest man of his time.

This goes against the conventional wisdom of not putting all your eggs in one basket. This is a tricky one, as it's good to have security and options. But the point is: pick a good basket, research that basket, nurture that basket, be all over that bloody basket and it will increase the chances of success. Then look at other baskets.

Fear is an indication of what you should do, not what you shouldn’t do.

Follow the fear. If it's not going to kill you, then it's an indication of where you should be heading. You're not going to die, just head away from what's comfortable.

The obsessed life is not about reaching a state of peace and balance. It’s about constantly moving in the direction of your fears and possibilities.

Grant's not about peace, balance and inner child woo woo. He's about constantly moving forward and up. To be fair, he is also a spiritual person.

Sales is not just important to your organization—it is the lifeblood of it. It is everything.

Some people don't like sales. Try running a business without it. Or a charity. Or a life.

I didn’t get into sales because I liked it. I got into it to survive.

He took the job as it was all he could do. Sales is an easy job to get (but tough to do) as the main purpose is to make sales, so qualifications and background are irrelevant if you manage to do the central job. Especially when it's commission only as the company can't really lose. Grant didn't like it but learnt how to do it and do it well. It set him up for life.

Reward those who achieve and penalize those who do not.

It's not about equal pay for all. The best producers receive the most money, and the others get less and need to improve.

If you work for yourself, you should still have a sales meeting every day, even if you’re the only attendee.

I highlighted that one for me. I've missed a few sales meetings recently ;).

The point is to keep your team (or yourself) on course. That needs to happen on a daily basis and in the morning so everyone knows where they stand.

In start-up or restructuring phases, you need to have an embellished image of yourself, your company, your people, your environment, your offer, and your value proposition.

Don't lie, but a projected, beefed up version of you and your offering.

The value of what I offer is so high that when a customer tells me I am double the price of a competitor, I know I am still eight times cheaper. I show them why, even though I am double the price, I offer a better deal by eightfold. When the competitor asks my new customers why they did business with me instead, they say, “He had a better price.”

Higher price but better value.

Once you are fully committed and quit hedging, creative solutions will show up, I promise you.

Dive into that basket!

But just as you never take advice from people who have quit on themselves, the person who says you shouldn’t brag has nothing to brag about. Tell the truth about how awesome you are. And then deliver on that truth.

It's not bragging if it's true. And done in a humble and sincere way has to be good for all. Why hide it? Who does that serve?

My margins were monster when I had no employees, but I could never grow my revenue line without killing myself, and I have since learned that is where all my attention and effort should have gone.

Growth and expansion. Grant suggests that you need to grow the business, take on employees and not operate as a 'one man band'. Margins will decrease but overall revenue and profit will increase (should do anyway, if the business is viable).

According to Gallup’s 2013 study “State of the Global Workplace,” only 13 percent of employees worldwide are engaged at work, while 24 percent are actively disengaged, indicating they are unhappy and unproductive at work and liable to spread negativity to coworkers. In rough numbers this translates to 900 million not engaged and 340 million actively disengaged workers around the globe.

Most people hate their jobs. Terrible situation.

People are not simply disengaged at work. They aren’t even at work! Yes, they are in the building. Yes, they clocked in. Yes, there is a body in the chair. Someone may appear to be sitting in front of the computer, maybe even with a phone in hand. But that is it. Many people are doing only what is expected of them and no more. The majority of employees are filled with resentment toward their managers, have an inflated sense of entitlement, and operate at levels of incompetence that border on astounding. Most know more about the most recent celebrity scandal than they do about their job.

An expansion on the last point.

Because while you are the designer and driver, your people are the engine, transmission, and wheels.

You're the head honcho steering the vehicle, but you need the other elements working effectively or you have no vehicle.

Hire people who want to make money and make a difference—not just people who have bills to pay.

It's also important for people to want more than just money. To be part of something bigger and contribute to a purpose.

The entrepreneurial employee will always focus on the opportunity, not just the money.

Entrepreneurialism is so much more than money. That just happens to be a tangible result of their efforts.

Produce more than what we pay you to do and you can earn a bonus. I will not give you a bonus for being loyal, a good communicator, a team player, organized, and punctual or because you’ve been at the job a long time. I expect all those qualities and have paid for that already. And furthermore I will fire you if you can’t deliver those expected qualities. People are being set up for failure in life when they are given raises for the wrong things.

Give people raises who have earned it and deserved it. Pay a fair wage and expect a certain standard of contribution.

If you want spectacular people, it starts with your being spectacular by example.

Lead by example. Be the best. Others may follow.

Until you show up early and stay late, don’t expect others to.

They need to see you walking the talk.

If you haven’t been called a control freak at some point in your life, then you have a problem. Those who don’t like control are the ones with the problem.

Grant's a control freak and happily admits it. In fact, he contests it's a required trait and not the bad thing it's made out to be. Most situations require some sort of control. You can't have people running around like headless chickens… someone has to direct those chickens.

The people who complain about control are the same people who refuse to exert control over their environment and then resent their environment.

People tend to complain about the things they're not doing. Where they're falling short in their life. Basic psychology.

control is not bad—being out of control or having no control is the issue.

Exactly. Control is good when used correctly… letting it run wild is where the problems lie.

it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

A classic. Get it done and apologise later.

Walt Disney was turned down for financing 302 times. His first animation company went bankrupt. Stephen King’s first book, Carrie, was rejected thirty times. He even threw the manuscript in the trash. Oprah Winfrey was told she was unfit for television. Fred Astaire was told during his first screen test, “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald.”

Some classic examples of 'failures' who you may have heard of.

Lady Gaga’s first record deal was dropped after just one month. Howard Schultz’s employer had no interest in his coffee idea and sold him the brand name “Starbucks.” Steven Spielberg was rejected from film school three times. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard and his first company, Traf-O-Data, went nowhere. Henry Ford’s first two car companies failed and left him broke. Mark Cuban failed as a carpenter, a waiter, and a cook.

A few more for you.

Notice how many professional ball teams win in the last minutes of the game.

Play to the final whistle. Top teams know how to sneak the victory at the end. They also know how not to lose right at the end too. It's a dangerous time but also presents opportunity as everyone else is already mentally in the bar.

a rolling stone gathers no moss.

Keep moving, don't get stale.

PERSIST UNTIL THE MIRACLE HAPPENS

Persistence is key. The secret? Keep going until you die. Not much more to it.

Most people quit right before a miracle takes place.

It's always the darkest before dawn.

If you refuse to quit, I don’t care what you are trying to create, you will not fail. It is just a matter of time before you figure it out.

Time is your friend. If you're not dead yet (or seriously ill) then just continue what you're doing, trying different angles and voila, something will happen!

Quantity and frequency seem to grow the genius

This very much ties in with some points in The 10X Rule. Forget about quality to a degree - sheer quantity and frequency (and consistency) are where it's at to get moving and seen. And that needs to continue. You can always refine your offering and tweak the quality as you go.

Persist and one day you will perfect. Then persist some more and you will find what you thought was perfect was a joke. Obsession is a cycle.

Constant improvement. You may well look back and think what you were aiming for was fairly low level following what you have achieved.

Quit feeling sorry for yourself, quit complaining, and act like a boss.

It's been said many times, but there's no other choice. Not if you want to 'make it' (whatever that means to you).

When you’re in the trenches, remind yourself of how valuable and precious these stories will be in the future.

It might just help keep you going. The trenches may be tough but they are where you are made.

I always write books to solve my own problems

Me too! Everything I write is essentially for me and hopefully will help some others in the process. Grant's books were each written mainly for his own development which were also the issues felt by a lot of the general public.

Focus your efforts on everything that will fuel you for the long run, and ignore, eliminate, or block out anything that drains you or causes you to doubt.

This is difficult but needs to be done. You need to be a bit ruthless (that word has a bad connotation but is the correct one).

This is obsession. You are being given permission, probably for the first time in your life, to go all in and be a freak.

You have permission… get freaky!

It requires tremendous commitment, clarity, confidence, sacrifice, and persistence and a willingness to be in the minority, even unpopular.

You won't be popular. At least not for a while (I'm sure they'll crawl out the woodwork when it's all going well). It's a tough road and requires a strong type of person… a dedicated person committed to the cause. Is that you?

Thanks GC! Anything else?

This guy has just turned 60 and looks great on it I must say. In fact, I'd say he looks better than some of his vids from a decade back. He's in great shape and lives a desirable lifestyle. He works super hard and that's just how he likes it. Up to him, and you and I can do as we please.

Although he comes across in these books as being obsessed (clue is in the title) about success and like nothing else matters, there's a little more at play. His family are very much a priority, and he makes time for them as well as includes them in his activities. The point is, it's not all about money but that is an important aspect, and the message is that you can have it all if you put all this together.

He was called ADD, OCD and all the rest of the Ds. I think he is these things to a degree but these are labels pinned on kids and young adults which hold them back. The reality is, these can be great signs of creativity, energy and desire.

Here's a quick car vid from G-man himself last week on his birthday. He has many videos going around but this is nice as it's a bit more personal. What I like (and find encouraging) that he was completely lost until about age 45. This is good and bad but there's still time for us all! Although, he had plenty of cash from his late 20s so that's where he may differ from most of us (he wasn't fulfilled though).

And a recent 'Goalcast' one, I think this ties in well with the book and article:

BOBA!

Check out the others in the series…