Skip to content

Open Doors and Opportunity

The Un-Commonly Common Story Of How One Man Went From Homeless To Worth M…

Menu
  • Home
  • Videos
Menu

10 Lessons Arthur ‘The Fonz’ Fonzarelli Can Teach Us About Opening Doors And Creating Opportunity

Posted on February 13, 2016December 10, 2023 by Paul

Want to find Open Doors and Opportunity? You have to learn to be cool. How?

The Fonz. Fonzie. Fonzarelli.

The coolest dude on earth besides my dad.

He rode motorcycles. My dad rode motorcycles.

He wore a leather jacket. My dad wore a leather jacket.

He got all the girls. My dad had a girl (I called her mom).

He was the "go to" guy when someone needed something. My dad was the go to guy around the house.

He had friends. My dad had a lot of friends.

He was willing to fight. My dad was in a scrap or two.

He snapped his fingers and things got done or worked or people came along. He didn't even have to speak. That was my dad.

He wore his heart on his sleeve. My dad did too.

He was abandoned.

-

THE FONZ WASN'T AFRAID TO BE COOL

Cool comes from how you feel about yourself.

It's not a title people can place on you - you either are, or you're not.

People will try and tell you if you are or if you're not, but they don't get to decide.

You do.

The Fonz was cool. He decided he was going to be cool and either everyone was going to see that and go along, or not - he didn't care.

But he did maintain the cool and this is how - he rode a motorcycle.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE COOL YOU HAVE TO DO COOL THINGS

'Ride motorcycles' is a euphemism for "do something cool".

Into science? That's cool. And you'll find people who will think that's cool.

Into Rodeo? That's cool. And you'll find people who will think that's cool.

Into Mudding? That's cool. And you'll find people who will think that's cool.

Into being cool? That's cool. And you'll find people who will think that's cool.

The Fonz rode motorcycles because he loved doing it. He was already cool but he knew that if he was going to be cool he was going to have to do cool things that let other people see him doing the cool things he was doing.

You find that thing that you like to do and because you're cool, you can make it cool to do.

COOL PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR OWN PERSONAL BRAND

The Fonz was almost never seen without his leather jacket.

He even wore the thing when he jumped the shark in that infamous scene out on the water.

He might have showered in the thing for all we know. He was always in it.

It was cool. It was his thing. And it re-enforced the cool aspect of his personality. It was part of his personal brand.

You have to have your own personal brand, to back up your cool factor.

Geeks have geek wear. Pocket protectors. Glasses. You know the stereotype.

Basketball players have the shoes. It's gotta be the shoes.

Weightlifters have muscles.

Fonzie's leather jacket let everyone know he rode motorcycles. Riding motorcycles lent credence to the fact he was cool.

He didn't care if someone made fun of him in his leather jacket - if they were going to, they were going to behind his back and not to his face.

So let people talk. Who cares what someone else says? You just be cool and do you.

BEING COOL WILL ATTRACT GIRLS (SUCCESS)

When you look in the mirror and say, "I'm cool", and you put on your leather jacket and head out the door, and jump on your motorcycle - the pretty girls will surely be attracted.

The pretty girls are success. Indicators of cool.

For you it could be money. Fame. Adulation. A raise. A new opportunity.

Whatever form of success you desire, because you're cool, you can get it.

The Fonz just wanted girls. That was a sign of his success. And he could have any of them he wanted.

Because he was cool.

BEING COOL MEANS BEING THE GO TO GUY

If anyone had a problem, they knew where to go.

Something broke? He can fix it.

Need advice? He was there.

Want to meet a girl but are too shy because you've not decided you're cool? He'll make an introduction and throw in how awesome you are.

The Fonz knew that it was good to be the go to guy. The problem solver. The fixer-upper. The person who could be relied on to always right a wrong and solve a situation.

When you are that person, when you have that kind of cool, you not only attract even more girls (success), you attract a lot of friends.

ATTRACT FRIENDS BY BEING THE COOL GO TO GUY

In order to have you must give. In fact, the best way to have is to give.

The way to get what you want is by giving people what they need.

The Fonz knew this. So whatever anyone needed, he would try and provide it. This caused him to have a lot of friends.

He was popular. Well liked. The girls loved him. Everyone knew him. He had friends of all kinds.

When people call you up and ask if you can, you can. Or you will find someone who can. You will help them to the best of your ability. And that's cool. They will be your friend. And they will tell their friends, "This guy is cool. When you need something, go to him."

And then you will have more friends.

You can never go wrong having more friends.

COOL PEOPLE AREN'T AFRAID TO FIGHT

Sometimes you just have to stand up to people. Stand up for things you believe in. Stand up for for those that can't stand.

Don't be afraid to fight based on your principles. Cool people do that. The Fonz did that.

He fought for his friends. He fought for his hangout. He fought for his girls (success). He fought for himself (against the law). He fought for others who couldn't fight for themselves.

He stood up to bullies, bikers, and broads who were doing the wrong thing. And he was cool for doing it.

COOL PEOPLE SNAP THEIR FINGERS AND THINGS GET DONE

Don't you hate it when things don't work. People let you down. Girls (success) ignore you.

Snap your fingers - because cool people make things happen.

You want something to work? Make it.

Someone let you down? Move on.

You want girls (successes)? Get them.

Go for it. Do it. Plow through. Make it work.

Two hits on the side of the jukebox and and a snap of the fingers and bada-bing.

Snap your fingers when you need the music to play.

Snap your fingers when you need people to follow you.

Snap your fingers when you need something to work.

Snapping your fingers mean one thing and one thing only - you believe.

You believe things are going to work. People will follow. Things will get done. Whatever situation you're facing is going to work out.

TO BE COOL YOU HAVE TO CARE

The Fonz wore his heart on his sleeve out of passion, compassion, and because he cared.

If he felt slighted, it showed. If he felt sad, it showed. If he was angry, it showed. If he wanted something, he was passionate about getting it.

If you can't be passionate about something, you can't really be cool.

Passion is part of the 'cool factor'. To be cool, you have to care.

Fonzie always cared for other people. It's part of the reason he wanted to be the go to guy. He loved people, and it showed.

He would help people because he cared.

He cared about his friends, his hangout, his community. his priest - even his enemies at times. Everyone.

His coolness wasn't diminished by caring - it helped others see just how cool he really was.

BEING COOL MEANS ASKING FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT

The Fonz was abandoned. His dad left him and his mom when he was just a kid. He had to grow up as the man of the house. The man. The only man.

It didn't mean he didn't need help.

He dropped out of school and became a mechanic. He needed a place to live. And a family that would take care of him. He found one. And they did.

Being cool means asking for help.

When you find yourself in a situation, don't hesitate to find a go to guy. You can't handle the burden all on your own and everyone needs a helping hand.

Asking for help doesn't make you uncool. You stay cool. Even in moments of weakness or need.

You gave yourself the permission to be cool, just like Fonzie, and so, no one can take that away. No matter where you find yourself.

-

The Fonze was never held back by his limitations. He plowed through. Created success from failure. He gave himself the right to be cool. He  found something to do that made him cool in the eyes of others. Wore what he wanted. Found friends. Fought when he had to. Relied on others and wore his heart on his sleeve. Through it all, he stayed cool.

Open Doors and Opportunity come to those who master the Art of Cool.

They didn't call the show "Happy Days" for nothing.

Offers/Advertising:
White Hot Weight Loss
Regain Sharper Focus and Boost Your Memory
A Ground-Breaking New Diet
The Jesus Diet

  • arthur fonzarelli
  • cool
  • fonz
  • fonzie
  • happy days
  • About

    Open Doors and Opportunity – it’s what we wake up each day hoping to find.

    We need Open Doors and Opportunity in order to move forward, become healthier, and live better lives.

    Spiritual, emotional, physical, and financial improvements can only come from finding and using Open Doors and Opportunity to your advantage … (more)

    Welcome to Open Doors and Opportunity!

    My name is Paul and I’m the owner of this blog.

    The picture of me above was taken by a very famous photographer who has also photographed Presidents of the United States, numerous celebrity actors and various sports professionals, as well as other business professionals like myself.

    I was supposed to have a feature article written about what a great marketing professional I was in GQ Magazine, or Fortune Magazine, or Forbes, or Playboy … one of those … but then, things went sideways.

    Really sideways.

    The article was never written, the photo was never used anywhere, I was fired from the job that made that photo possible, I lost my home and ended up traveling all over in my pick-up truck (known as Unit #4)  and staying in various Wal-Mart parking lots (what I like to call the Wal-Mart Condo Association) for 2 years.

    In the meantime, I’ve done everything. I’ve been a partner in the largest nightclub in SWFL, written songs with Grammy Winners in the Songwriter Hall of Fame, started as a public relations grunt and worked my way to Chief Marketing Officer of a restaurant group, and much, much, much more and many things.

    It’s been a crazy life – with highs and lows not experienced by anyone who ever “played it safe” — but I was born to live, and so, that’s what’s I’ve done. These are just some of those (all true 100%) stories.

    Our Sponsors

    Subscribe

    Recent Posts

    • The Job Interview (from hell)
    • The Gold Ape
    • Things That Didn’t Exist 20 Years Ago
    • New Ideas Are Important When Trying To Open Doors And Find Opportunity
    • If Wishes Were Horses, Then Dreamers Would Ride

    Archives

    ©2023 Vontae Mack LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.
    Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.