The 50th Law………

And What I'm Learning About Fear

“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.” 

Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent), Co-Author, of The 50th Law

Have you ever tried to be someone that you’re not? In your work life? In a relationship? I certainly have and can tell you that it can make for a miserable distance. 

In recent years, I harbored intermittent fears of not being able to measure up. A persistent voice rings in my head that I’m never good enough. Or worthy of others’ time and attention. And I’ve paid handsomely for that. 

Whether it was a personal or professional aim, it seemed like despite my best attempts, I’d often fall one hair short of what I was hoping to achieve. 

In fact, I still have this recurring dream from back when I was in college of visiting my academic counselor at Denny Hall on the Ohio State campus. Sitting across from him while at his desk, he pulls up my course credits on his computer. Thinking that I’ve got enough to graduate, he informs me that I am a mere one credit hour short. 

As a former girlfriend said to me once while displaying two fingers millimeters apart as we were breaking up, “you were this close to what I was looking for.” 

Prior to my divorce in 2012, I was fearlessly attacking life with reckless abandon. Impeccably dressed, living life “out loud” with a spirit and energy that was enviable to others. Today, I am on the journey back to stepping into my fears with a fresh set of dreams and newfound determination.

One book that I read each year as inspiration on my journey is The 50th Law, a book co-authored by Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent) and Robert Greene. The two make a formidable duo — Jackson, a former rap music star turned media mogul with street smarts acquired during his early years on the rough streets of Queens, New York; Greene, an erudite and wise intellectual who is most known for epic bestselling book “The 48 Laws of Power.” 

Says Greene in the book The 50th Law:

“I first met 50 Cent in the winter of 2006. He had been a fan of my book The 48 Laws of Power, and he was interested in collaborating on a book project.”

The 50th Law takes readers into a deep-dive into 50’s former life as a street hustler and bestselling hip-hop artist to illustrate lessons on the use of power in one’s life. Often seen as a modern-day version of The Prince by Machiavelli, the book by 50 and Greene is far more accessible in terms of its practical applications. 

The book's central thesis is that in order to own your power and achieve success in your desired endeavors, you have to be utterly fearless. It’s here where the book offers some rare insights into fearlessness. You’ll discover the underbelly of 50’s life growing up in Southside Queens — how he became a drug dealer at eleven; spent time in jail as a teen; was targeted for death by being shot nine times just before his first album was about to be released; how he redirected his street skills to conquer rivals in the music and television media world. 

Using this as a jumping-off point, Greene then offers his perspectives on how 50 Cent used these experiences to boost his level of fearlessness and power. As a part of this illustration, he skillfully weaves in wisdom from historical figures like Catherine the Great, Abraham Lincoln, Malcolm X, Miles Davis, and others to bring home the message. 

The 50th Law makes it abundantly clear that achieving fearlessness is not something most of us are naturally born with. Rather it requires oneself to be immersed in the highs and lows of the lived experience, a long, rigorous journey that can take years to master. 

Greene believes that someone like 50, growing up on the tough, violent streets of Southside Queens back in the day had little choice but to make peace with and step into his fears quickly. Failure on his part would have likely resulted in his untimely death at an early age. 

The beauty of The 50th Law is that it delivers a more palatable way to learn and integrate these same lessons into your own life. While this path might not be easy, if you immerse yourself in this book, you’ll increase your odds of getting there. 

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