Don't Let Your Swagger Go - Like Your Waistline
- Profit
- Jan 13
- 6 min read
Neither Are Guaranteed to Return As You Age!
When you are young, one is filled with “piss and vinegar” to take on the world. The West tells its young a bunch of feel-good, but often untrue platitudes to prevent an uprising and to collectively pretend one can attain all their life’s goals by simply working hard.
College commencement speeches always promise unbridled glory for new graduates, as if the world will bend over, spread its cheeks, and let you have your raunchy way with it - just because you are just so damn special!
Birth of a Mack - Profit’s Youthful Prologue
I certainly did many cool things in an earnest attempt to live an interesting life, as much as possible, while chasing my pipe dreams along the way. Using the jet fuel power of youth and the naivete to be undeterred by my limits, here’s a short list of accomplishments, where swagger pushed me to take on uncomfortable challenges that led to immensely rewarding experiences.
I studied international politics abroad for a semester in the enchanting Roma, Italy. This sparked an undiscovered love to travel internationally, where I experienced my own testosterone-filled “Eat, Pray, Love” adventures in nearly 25 countries before the age of 29. Initially a timid “scaredy cat” too afraid to skateboard, I have done backpacking, parasailing, cliff jumping, zip lining, bat cave tubing, and scuba diving - all around the globe.
I committed to working out hardcore at 23 and transformed my body so significantly, people were no longer calling me a “crackhead” because of my skinny frame. Soon, friends were accusing me of being on steroids due to my suddenly noticeable muscular physique…and I loved every second of it!
I’ve partied at Carnival in Brazil, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Communist raves in Italia, Water Parties in Ibiza, the posh South Beach Strip in Miami, and Foam Parties during Spring Break in Cancun - to name a select few.
I went undercover to NBC News and the New York Post to “whistle blow” the corrupt Administration for Children Services to push for Workers’ Rights and to protect abused children from falling through the cracks of untenable caseloads - in a massive mass media expose for an audience of millions.
I gave up my stable life in NYC to move to unknown Los Angeles to find career nirvana. This resulted in an entertainment career, where I met and sometimes interviewed dozens of celebrities at exclusive Hollywood red carpet events - including Vice President Kamala Harris, Kevin Hart, and Fergie.
I have appeared on CNN, ABC, HGTV, NBC, and CBS, where I even won the entire Price is Right showcase on my birthday!
I pitched my spec TV reality show idea to Hollywood production companies without financial backing, a network of connections, or TV production experience. Yet, with me at the helm, I procured and packaged a cadre of celebrities and production partners to come aboard my speculative project! I came just shy of negotiating and securing a life-changing $7 million deal from a Chinese billionaire investor - with a strategy I formulated from the recesses of my mind. The Mack is Gone
Sadly, I lost my way, drive, and swagger somewhere along the way.
Wonderful events like embarking on a very fulfilling relationship, earning more money than ever, and a growing social circle masked some stinging career setbacks.
My entertainment career seemingly evaporated overnight. A show I produced and aired under my production banner - got my budding radio show empire canceled due to 3 threatened lawsuits from Ray J, VH1, and the Norwood family.
In a contract to use their set for free, a so-called production company partner tried to slip in a clandestine clause to own 5% of ALL FUTURE ROYALTIES from my spec reality TV show, thinking they could steal from me without me ever knowing.
A veteran reality TV manager I was trying to bring aboard, instead used me to befriend one of my celebrity partners and sabotaged my reality TV project just to “big time me”- right on the heels of the Chinese billionaire investor “ghosting” me. This 1-2 punch put this once “life-changing” spec reality TV project into a 5-year coma.
Finally, all sorts of fake Hollywood players souped me up and spit me out; slowly extinguishing my hopes and dreams - one rejection and unreturned correspondence at a time. ”Success” Can Make You Soft…While “Failures” Suck Your Soul Dry
I became a stoned-out, people pleaser to those who didn’t deserve such deference, too afraid to contrast any of my friend groups’ prevailing opinions, norms, and values. I grew a tacky mullet, gained 20+ pounds in the pandemic, and developed a spare tire that caused me to brush my teeth with the medicine cabinet open to avoid my hideousness! My 6-figure job with Amazon was disillusioning, disempowering, and eventually - done!
The creature comforts of my LA bourgeoise lifestyle made me soft.
The career setbacks caused me to take an unplanned 4-year hiatus.
What happened to the go-getter who never considered failure as an option?
5 death knells for your middle aged swagger. Here are 5 reasons why it can be hard for a middle-aged dreamer to regain his or her swagger - but fear not - I will share 5 ways to get your mojo back!
Declining physical energy and stamina can make it challenging to exude the same vibrant confidence of youth. Solution: Staying in good physical shape will help you pace your cohort and provide immeasurable confidence to put yourself back out there. Being healthy is a natural confidence builder, where you can feel empowered and energetic enough to take the risks required to be successful.
Mounting family responsibilities and financial pressures can weigh heavily, dampening the carefree attitude of one's younger days. Solution: Get comfortable with an incremental approach to progress. Adulting is time-consuming. If all you have is 10 minutes daily to hustle on your passion project, don’t beat yourself up! Once you rebuild momentum, you find additional time as you re-prioritize your life. Positive inertia will be your friend.
Societal expectations for the middle-aged to be more subdued and "respectable" can stifle the free-spirited swagger many once possessed. Solution: Stop comparing your journey to others. You can only live your life geared toward your calling within your resources, strengths, and limitations. Forgo some arbitrary standard to “Keep up with the Joneses” or where you “should” be on your life trajectory by a certain age.
Feelings of insecurity about aging, greying hair, and a changing appearance can undermine the self-assurance needed to recapture one's swagger. Solution: When you look good, you often feel good, but don’t put too much pressure to chase the “Fountain of Youth”. Looking your best at your present life stage will help you build self-esteem and people will be drawn to you. Embrace your age, especially considering the only other option is to “not age”, and the only place you don’t age is in the graveyard! Nobody expects you to look like Becky G, Ariana Grande, Ryan Gosling, or Harry Styles at 50.
The tendency for middle-aged people to get set in their ways can make it harder to break out of comfortable routines and rediscover their youthful bravado. Solution: Complacency kills ambition. Force yourself out of your comfort zone. If you want different results from where you are now in your life, you must experiment with new strategies and be comfortable with learning from your failures!
An impressionist vision of Denzel Washington Conclusion - Keep Your Eye on the Prize…and Analyze!
While I haven’t fully recovered my swagger of days gone by, I am slowly rediscovering my “savoir-faire”. Channel your inner Denzel Washington, who has the swagger to reach and remain at the heights of Hollywood success, while not letting ageists in Hollywood stall or define his superstar career.
Analyze where you went off your path…course correct…and don’t lose that swagger! There’s no guarantee it will come back. If your swagger doesn’t come back, you won’t have the wherewithal to charge up your personal bunker hill. Guard your swagger with all your heart!!
Return of the Mack - The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes
I took my eye off the reasons why I relocated to LA in the first place, became comfortable with the indulgent aspects of my life, accepted mediocrity, subordinated my goals and values to get along, and didn’t fight for my goals and dreams.
We all know how hard it is to erase middle-aged flab, firm up sagging skin, and maintain expensive hair dye regiments. The dings of loved one’s deaths, unrealized dreams, and society’s indifference to your existence take their toll and crush even the most optimistic spirit. Aging is not for the “weak of heart”!
Even if you maintain your swagger, challenges will inevitably exist, travails await, and you will still have to overcome mountains for a mere chance to get to the Promised Land. Though, if you retain the ballsy swagger from your youth to meet your obstacles head-on, you will have the spring in your step to get up yet again - and rise to the challenge of making your dreams a reality!
Comments