Hi Reader,

I don't know if you're a fan of Sylvester Stallone and/or his movies, but by entertainment standards, he's been a blockbuster success with his films grossing over $7.5 billion worldwide.

What you probably don’t know is that he was once so broke he had to sell his dog, Butkus, for $50 at a nearby 7–11 because he couldn’t afford dog food. (Stallone later bought him back for $1,500, and Butkus went on to starring roles in Rocky 1 and 2.)

You also may not know that the lop-sided grin you see on his face is not, as so many suspect, a sign of mental slowness, but the result of a birth defect.

He was born with a facial muscle defect that occurred during delivery. Apparently, the doctor presiding at his birth grabbed baby Stallone’s cheek in the wrong way, which led to his crooked smile and speaking manner.

He’s been ridiculed about it his entire life, including by his own father.

Millions more believed it marked him as a bit of a stooge, not too smart – but he's been misjudged by a wide margin.

Yes, I know this may seem like the introduction to a very strange blog post for a site dedicated to leadership. But not really.

Not if you’re committed to managing your life, controlling your day and fighting for what you believe.

First, a Little Background

Some time ago, I watched a profile of Sylvester Stallone and, perchance, stumbled across several articles and interviews about him at the same time. One of the stories was featured on CBS Sunday Morning which featured him and spotlighted one of his movies. (You'll note from the get-go that sitting around is not in his DNA.)

If you visit his website, you will also see a long list of his accomplishments as an actor, director, writer and producer.
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After some of his early acting failures, he began writing, relentlessly.

He broke through with his writing – NOT with his acting.

He wrote 29 scripts and says that all of them were crappy.

The 30th script was for Rocky, ultimately a $500 million blockbuster movie – but as interest in his script began to build, he saw it as his best chance to kickstart his acting career.

Stallone lived in Philadelphia, Rocky' hometown, and since so much of the Rocky script was part of his life story, he was determined to play the lead role.

In a very humble interview, Stallone explains why he was an absolutely terrible and unlikely choice for the role. Stallone also faced his facial defect directly during the interview.

How did he do it?

He refused to sell the Rocky script for up to $360,000, and

He insisted that he must be the lead actor.

Stallone is Far More than a Movie Star

It was his writing that lead to the scripts featuring two of the most iconic characters in American movies, Rocky Balboa and Rambo.

He wrote all of them.

In an interview in the Intelligent Collector magazine, Stallone offered an interesting perspective on much of what he has done. (Stallone offered his personal belongings and movie memorabilia to the world in a 2015 auction, which included more than 1,400 props, costumes and personal items consigned directly by Stallone.)

During an interview, he responded to this question about his growing interest in racing:

What was the spark that got you there:

Time and Fighting are a large part of our lives

He’s right on point with that, isn’t he?

We’re always in a fight of some kind … to get more done, to make the right decisions, to break bad habits, to ingrain good ones … a struggle that cuts across all areas of our life.

And, we always seem to be racing against time – to get more done, don’t be late, meet this deadline ….

So it goes with leaders.

We have to fight for our beliefs, as Stallone did to get his 30th movie script on the screen while demanding the starring role of Rocky.

Stallone's experience also reminds us of a third battle – the battle against being underestimated.

What lessons can we learn

We have a tendency to judge people by appearances, credentials and first impressions.

Often at our peril.

Character is not revealed in an instant. It's revealed over time—through adversity, persistence and the willingness to keep moving forward when others have already counted you out.

Sometimes the people most easily underestimated turn out to be the most extraordinary.

A Few More Thoughts

Here are a few of the thoughts that occurred to me as I reflected on his achievements.

• If you don’t fight for what you believe, who will?
• There is a time to take a stand. When you see it, take it.
• An oldie but goodie: You can’t judge a book by its cover. (e.g., Stallone’s facial defect)
• We are racing against time. What can we do to make the most of it?
• Never, never, never give up.

Say what you want about Rocky and Rambo. You may have never seen any of the movies, and may not have a favorable opinion about the characters or the movies.

But, you can’t take this away from those iconic characters.

They’re fighters. They don't quit.

The final bell hasn't rung yet.

Not for me.

Not for you.

Can you hear the Rocky theme song playing in your head?

Question: What is the biggest obstacle you’ve faced fighting for something you strongly believe in? You can join the conversation and share your thoughts and comments below.