Dwayne Johnson does not forget his past.
The Quick X actor, 51, shared a heartfelt video message on Instagram with fans on Saturday night, after a follower asked him to explain the pros and cons of fame.
“For me, flaws are, there are no flaws for fame,” Johnson said in a selfie clip taken at the gym.
“I was a lucky son of a bitch to be famous for a long time and I understand that fame has no downsides because I remember how it used to be,” he added. “Sometimes, the alternative is glory [was] I wasn’t famous, and I couldn’t pay the rent, I was struggling to figure out who I was, I was broke as hell. I’m doing my best to keep all of that in the forefront of my mind.”
Johnson noted at the time that remembering his past struggles with money gave him “good perspective,” “balance” and “anchor” when “noise can always follow fame.”
“I never let it go,” he continued. “I always say, ‘I’m one day away from being kicked out again,’ so I’m hungry for that. For me, there’s no downside to being famous. I have a lot of famous friends who totally disagree with me, and that’s fine. We’ve had healthy discussions about celebrates. And that’s fine, to have different opinions. It invites dialogue. It invites discussion. But for me, there are no disadvantages.”
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Johnson admitted, however, that he had to learn to live with not being able to go out in public so often.
“I miss going to the mall. I miss going to the store. I just hop in the car and go [to the] grocery store, drugstore, mall, wherever,” Johnson said. “That’s all gone years ago, so whenever I go, that’s the thing. I have to call ahead, logistics, security.”
Johnson also admitted that every now and then he gets the urge to go shopping alone, but things end up turning into a “zoo.”
Ultimately, being noticed isn’t a “disadvantage” to Johnson, he said, because it’s “what you sign up for” as a public figure.
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As for the benefits, aside from “free tacos,” Johnson said the “biggest” one of all is “being able to impact people in a positive way around the world.”
“I always tell people this. There are young digital influencers out there, social media, entertainment, singers, athletes, all these young people who think, ‘Hey, I have to chase fame, greatness equals fame, fame equals greatness.’ And I always share that with everyone I talk to,” Johnson added.
“I’ve learned over the years not to chase fame and share that with people who are on the road,” he continued. “Don’t chase fame. Chase being great at something. Chase greatness. Fame will come or it won’t, but if you’re great at something, it’s permanent.”
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Johnson then shared a quote from legendary running back Walter Payton: “If you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. If you’re great, they’ll tell you.”
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Source: HIS Education