The Hard Way Is Best
Born and raised in Massachusetts John Cena had a vision for his life. He did not know that the vision would end up having him live in his car in the process. Cena, in a recent conversation with Kevin Hart, takes the audience down to the humble, hard and trying times before becoming the John Cena we all know. John living in LA, could have gone home, to the safety need of family, friends and his dad offering to help him out. John Cena turned it down, choosing instead to live in his car. Choosing instead the harder option. Choosing instead to learn through pain and suffering and not give up.
John Cena started working out at the age of thirteen and pursued his degree in kinesiology, the study of the movement of the body. Most today may know John Cena as an actor or WWE wrestling star. However, that is what ended up happening. It was not a choice nor was it the plan. All Cena wanted to do was continue his focus on health, fitness and make money from it. Or trying to make some money, doing anything. Moving to Los Angeles, he failed at almost everything. He ended up getting a job at Gold’s Gym, which for him at the time was pivotal. He would shower at the gym morning and night and also work out in between.
While there he met someone that introduced him to wrestling and encouraged him to try it. Here is what John Cena refers to as cracking the code. He fell in love with wrestling. The idea that he can make money using his body, the very aspect of his life he dedicated himself to. That run-in with wrestling changed his life.
The parable here is to point out that life does not go as you plan. You might make it or you might not. You may as John Cena did, end up living in your car. Sure this can happen when times get hard. However, Cena decided to stay in his car instead of going home. Why? He knew we would learn best through trial and error. We learn best by failing and trying again. Ultimately, if you do that enough success at something will follow. Oftentimes, not where you thought it would be.
As Winston Churchill said,
“success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”
That is the point of trying and failing. By doing so you learn what is not the way to go about it. You can however learn what is because you’re interacting with the formation of your life, your work, you passion, and what you see for yourself. Earning an income to do something you love, that’s the sweet spot. John Cena loved wrestling so much that he quit his job at Gold’s Gym when he signed his first contract with the WWE in 2000. The contract, worth $12,000 per year.
Are you willing to live in your car by choice to pursue your dream? Turning down the help of family? Maybe you are or you’re not. However, how do you know what your capable of if you don’t put yourself to the test.
“I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent— no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.” - Seneca
Thought Provoking Questions : What misfortune have you had that made life better? What are you willing to accept in order to pursue the life you want and deserve?
Dan Roman is a writer that releases a daily blog. A quick read. Sharing wisdom and asking thought-provoking questions. Influenced by the obstacles, success and failures in life and of others. Using history, books, current events, philosophy, and ancient wisdom. These writings are actionable, thought-provoking, designed to make your life better.
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