How to Be a Bawse: A Guide to Conquering Life(28)
Whenever I have to review a contract, I take my time with it. Admittedly, the legal world isn’t a game I know completely, and that’s why, when I’m forced to play, I consult with other players. The best part about the game of life is that we’re on so many teams at the same time. There have been many times when I’ve received a contract and something has seemed off, so I call up my creator friends and ask about their thoughts and experiences. At a different time I might be playing against these creators in a different game, but in the legal game they’re my allies. In more than one instance I’ve discovered that I’d been given incorrect information, or to be blunt, I’d been lied to. But again, it’s all a game. The people doing business with me are playing their game, and as a result, I have to play mine. And I will.
Recognizing that you’re playing a game doesn’t just make things more fun (who doesn’t love games?) but also helps you understand why people do the things they do, allowing you to react with rationality, not emotion. An agent who sends me a contract that is heavily in their favor isn’t necessarily trying to hurt my feelings; they’re playing the game. That understanding allows me to respond with my own strategic move, instead of with emotion. When a basketball player crosses you over, they aren’t trying to break your heart; they’re trying to get points to win the game. Similarly, if you’re the person who gets crossed over, it’s in your best interest to get better, not bitter. Getting better helps your game; getting bitter does not.
Whatever game you’re in, strap on some knee pads and get ready to play—unless your game doesn’t impact your knees at all, in which case you’d just look silly. Us fellow Bawses will be cheering you on.
Let’s play.
UNLESS YOU’RE BORN into a royal family, chances are you will have to start from the bottom and work your way up in life. If that sentence doesn’t apply to you, then HI, PRINCE HARRY! Thanks for buying my book—or, you know, demanding it. Whatever.
If you want to be the CEO of a company, you might have to start out as a sales rep. If you want to be a director, you may have to get your foot in the door by being a production assistant. If you want to be an actor, you will likely have to fight your way into auditions. Many situations in life require us to climb an invisible ladder, and it’s not usually an easy climb. You have to earn each rung.
When I first started out on YouTube, I was thirsty for knowledge and wisdom. I lived in Toronto, but most of my peers were living in L.A. and were inaccessible to me. I was yearning to make meaningful connections with other creators, and so when I discovered that Harley Morenstein from Epic Meal Time, a very big YouTube channel, was in my city, I instantly tweeted him. Truth be told, I wasn’t expecting a reply. At the time I had around 100,000 subscribers and Harley’s following was a lot bigger than mine. But to my surprise, Harley messaged me back and said he’d love to sit down together. He had a meeting but would message me after. He was staying in a hotel downtown, about thirty minutes from my house. I was overjoyed that he responded, and from that point on I was glued to my phone. Every four minutes I would check my direct messages to ensure I didn’t miss anything. Then it occurred to me that Harley had never actually told me what time his meeting was and so I had no idea when we would meet. What if he finished his meeting and then had only fifteen minutes to spare and I was thirty minutes away? Or even worse, what if he messaged during rush hour and it took me an hour and a half to get downtown? Those were risks I simply could not take. I texted two of my friends and told them we were going downtown for no reason at all. Like good friends (who also had no choice), they agreed.
I spent the entire evening roaming around downtown to ensure I was in close proximity to Harley if he messaged me. As it got later, our roaming was reduced to just sitting in a car parked on the side of the street somewhere downtown. What if he didn’t message? Or what if he messaged saying he could no longer make time? These questions were valid, but I continued to sit in the car with my friends, some good music, and a whole lot of faith. Soon enough my phone pinged, and to my relief it was Harley saying he had just finished his meetings and was free to meet. Well, would you look at that—I was already downtown! WHAT A COINCIDENCE!
My two friends and I met Harley and I had a great forty-five-minute conversation with him. He taught me so much about YouTube and brand deals and gave me advice that helped shape the career I have today. The guidance I got from Harley that evening gave me the boost I needed to move up from the first rung of the ladder I was on. You could even say that he reached down from several rungs above and gave me a helping hand.
I hope that story was motivating, but I realize it might also sound a little stalkerish, which I’m okay with. Harley and I are friends now and I’m confident he would be okay with me stalking him anytime.
This wasn’t the only time I did something ridiculous in hopes of establishing a meaningful connection with someone I find inspirational. A few years ago I was sitting at the airport waiting to board a flight. As soon as they called my zone number, I heard my phone ping. It was a direct message on Twitter. I opened it and instantly lost all chill. The friend I was traveling with thought I was having heart failure because I froze with my jaw dropped. The message was from MIA (only one of the best female rappers ever!) and said, “Hey, can we do something?” Casually. MIA. Messaging me. To do something. Extremely frazzled, I got on the plane and responded as quickly as possible before being forced to go into airplane mode. I came up with “I’d love to! Tell me where and when.” I’M SO ORIGINAL AND FUNNY AND SOCIAL.