Sylvester Stallone: A Man of Good Hope and Dreams

What are the first things that pop into your mind when you hear the name Sylvester Stallone?... Rocky, Rambo, Judge Dredd, Over the Top, Cliffhanger, you can even include The Expendables. All the same, he's indeed a real action movie actor.

What will you read for today will hope to give an impact into your daily lives. Somehow it should motivate you and keeps you going whenever you feel like the world is all being unfair and unjust.

As you read this remember the saying “If your problem is not big enough, you’re not making big enough dream…”

This story is probably one of the SADDEST stories ever told in Hollywood. We can include Sylvester Stallone from one of the BIGGEST and Most FAMOUS American Movie superstars.

Stories told that Stallone was a struggling actor in every definition back in the day. At some point, he got so broke that he stole his wife's jewellery and sold it. Things got up so bad that he even ended up homeless. Yes, he slept at the New York bus station for 3 days. Can you imagine that!!! You think you’re hit the rock bottom… He’s unable to pay the rent or afford something to eat. His lowest point came when he tried to sell his dog at the liquor store to any stranger. He didn't have money to feed the dog anymore. He decided to sell his favorite companion, he sold it at $25 only, believe it or not. He says he walked away crying, well under the circumstances, who won’t.

Two weeks later, he saw a boxing match between Mohammed Ali and Chuck Wepner and that match gave him the inspiration to write the script for the famous movie, ROCKY. He wrote the script for 20 hours! There’s the talent there. He tried to sell it and got an offer for $125,000 for the script. But he had just ONE REQUEST. He wanted to STAR in the movie. He wanted to be the MAIN ACTOR. Rocky himself. But the studio said NO. They wanted a REAL STAR. He really had no name back in the day.

They said he "Looked funny and talked funny". He still is until now ;-) So he left with his script. A few weeks later, the studio offered him $250,000 for the script. He refused. They even offered $350,000. He still refused. They wanted his movie. But NOT him. He said NO. He had to be IN THAT MOVIE. Ask yourself? Will you do the same thing?

After a while, the studio agreed, gave him $35,000 for the script and let him star in it! The rest is history! The movie won Best Picture, Best Directing and Best Film Editing at the prestigious Oscar Awards. He was even nominated for BEST ACTOR! The Movie ROCKY was even inducted into the American National Film Registry as one of the greatest movies ever!

And do you know the first thing he bought with the $35,000? Take a wild guess!!! THE DOG HE SOLD. I will do the same thing myself!!! Yes, Stallone LOVED HIS DOG SO MUCH that he stood at the liquor store for 3 days waiting for the man he sold his dog to. And on the 3rd day, he saw the man coming with the dog. Stallone explained why he sold the dog and begged for the dog back. The man refused. Stallone offered him $100. The man refused. He offered him $500. And the guy refused. Yes, he refused even $1000. And, believe it or not, Stallone had to pay $15,000 for the same, same dog he sold at only $25! And he finally got his dog back!

Today, the same Stallone who slept in the streets and sold his dog JUST BECAUSE he couldn't even feed it anymore, is one of the GREATEST Movie Stars who ever walked the Earth!

Being broke is BAD. Really BAD. Have you ever had a dream? A wonderful dream? But you are too broke to implement it? Too tiny to do it? Too small to accomplish it? Damn! I've been there too many times!

Life is tough. Opportunities will pass you by, just because you are a NOBODY. People will want your  products but NOT YOU. It’s a tough and cruel world we’re living in. If you ain't already famous, or rich or "connected", you will find it rough, very rough.

Doors will be shut on you. People will steal your glory and crash your hopes. You will push and push. And yet NOTHING WILL HAPPEN.

Then your hopes will be crashed. You will be broke. Damn broke. You will do odd jobs for survival. You will be unable to feed yourself. And yes, you may end up sleeping in the streets. I’ve been there, though it’s not because I’m broke but rather I’m too drunk to go home that night…

It happens. Yes, it does. It’s just a normal thing!

BUT NEVER LET THEM CRUSH THAT DREAM. Whatever happens to you, keep on dreaming. 

Even when they crush your hopes, just keep on dreaming. Even when they turn you away, keep on dreaming.

Even when they shut you down, never give up and keep on dreaming…

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF EXCEPT YOURSELF! People will judge you by HOW you look, and by WHAT you have.

But please, fight on! Fight for your place in history. Fight for your glory. NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

Even if it means selling all your clothes and sleeping with the dogs, ITS OKAY! But AS LONG AS YOU ARE STILL ALIVE, Your STORY IS NOT OVER. TRUST ME. TRUST YOURSELF…

Keep Up the Fight. Keep the faith. Keep your dreams and hope alive. Go great. Just go on with it. Just do it.

I will end this by great words from the Man Himself... "It ain't about how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. It's how much you can take. That's how winning is done!" - Rocky Balboa.

Cheerio!