Oprah’s 2020 Vision Tour has included some of the top talent with the most inspiring stories. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently joined the tour in Atlanta to talk about his life and career.
Many revelations were brought to the forefront, including his bout with depression, the price of fame and his future plans. Here’s some of the most standout moments of the insightful interview.
The Broke Days
After being cut from the Canadian Football League and having to move back into his parent’s home, Johnson came to the realization that he only had ALMOST seven dollars in his wallet. He never forgot that moment and later named his production company Seven Bucks Productions. Johnson talked about how difficult it was to see his peers succeed professionally and financially while he had to start from ground one.
“I’m 23 years old. I’m forced to move back in with my parents, which was, you know — because you want to tackle the world and you have all these dreams and none of it came true. It was also hard because all my friends around me, those teammates, they were NFL stars and they became millionaires buying their parents a home. You know that’s the thing, you want to buy your mom a home.”
Johnson also talked about remembering being evicted with his family in his childhood. The eviction gives him a higher level of gratitude and perspective now that he is financially secure.
The Influence of Rocky Johnson
Rocky Johnson died Jan. 15, 2020 at the age of 75. Johnson’s dad was a WWE Hall of Famer that taught him work ethic and discipline. “I feel like the day he died, that night I went to bed and I felt so grateful and moved, like emotionally, like mana and energy because I realized like oh wow I have a new relationship with [Rocky Johnson].”
Learning To Be Himself
The Rock learned very early on that he needed to be himself in order to explore his true potential. The Jumanji star talks about how he was coerced to be something he was not when he first started wrestling. It wasn’t until he had enough courage to be himself that he experienced success. He would later use his natural charisma and personality to transition from wrestling to one of the highest paid Hollywood careers. “That’s when everything changed. It was like a shift and click moment when I realized there’s great power in being yourself.”
The Traveling Gym
Whether he is in Los Angeles, Atlanta or somewhere across the world, the former wrestler takes his gym everywhere he goes. “The gym for me is my anchor, I would recommend that for everyone in the room,” he said. “It anchors my day then it allows me to go ahead and work for the rest of my day. It allows me to block out the noise.”
The Future
He will be bringing ATHLETICON, a fitness expo bringing together the best of athletics, entertainment and wellness, to Atlanta on Oct. 10-11, 2020. The expo will provide athletic competitions, live performances and exclusive premieres that are intended to inspire potential and ignite passion. He also has a new tequila coming out called Teremana Tequilla, expected to be distributed in February. Oprah had the chance to sample the first bottle and in her words she said, “You did good. It’s very good!”
Ultimately, the positivity maven of Instagram still believes in the good of humanity. He’s known for giving fans inspiration and motivation through his rigorous workouts and positive mindset. When asked what is his vision for 2020 he said, “Since the passing of my dad, it shifted a little bit into a greater appreciation for life and when I talk about these little things and like really appreciating — really truly being in the moment and being present.”
Watch the full interview HERE
