April 29, 2020
Thoughts on “I’m Bored”… well if you’re under 14: “Good.”
It’s good that you’re feeling bored. Bored is an actual feeling. Bored can prompt forward motion. Bored is the thing that happens before you choose to entertain yourself. Bored is what empty space feels like, and you can use that empty space to go do something important. Bored means that you’re paying attention (no one is bored when they’re asleep.)
If you’re over 14: “That’s on you.”
As soon as you’re tired of being bored at work, at home, on lockdown, wherever, you’ll go find a challenge. You don’t have to quit your day job to be challenged, but you do have to be willing to leap, to take some responsibility, to find something that might not work. Being challenged at work is a privilege. It means that you have a chance, on someone else’s nickel, to grow. It means you can choose to matter.
I’m glad you’re feeling bored, and now we’re excited to see what you’re going to go do about it. We’ve compiled a list of the 15 richest celebrities in the world to inspire you to do something with that “I’m bored in the house”. One major takeaway after looking at the top 12 richest celebrities (all of whom happen to be billionaires) – Clearly it pays to own something. To earn an enormous fortune you can’t just be a highly paid employee. You need to build something that you yourself own, so someday you can sell that thing for billions of dollars.
What are you gonna build to earn your billion dollar fortune???
#15: Herb Alpert Net Worth: $850 million
Herb Alpert is an American musician and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of $850 million. He is primarily known for his incredibly successful recording career with Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, a group that has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. However, much of Alpert’s fortune came from the creation and eventual sale of the record label A&M Records. The label sported a roster of wildly popular artists and spawned many top records. The sale generated hundreds of millions of dollars for Alpert and his business partner, Jerry Moss.
#14: P Diddy Net Worth: $885 million
Born Sean Combs, P Diddy is a rapper, entrepreneur, and designer whose net worth stands around $885 million. After getting fired from an internship at a New York record label, Combs set up his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment. One of the label’s first successful artists was The Notorious B.I.G., though they would go on to work with a number of top artists of the era. Along with his label, Combs has been a popular recording artist himself, earning a number of hits and selling millions of albums. His business interests have also furthered his wealth, including the creation of clothing label “Sean Jean” and vodka brand Ciroc.
#13: Jerry Seinfeld Net Worth: $950 million
Jerry Seinfeld is an actor, writer, and comedian known for creating one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, Seinfeld. Jerry Seinfeld began his career in comedy soon after college, working relentlessly to build up a fan base and further his career. In 1981, a successful appearance on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show bolstered his image and led to a number of other late night performances. However, it was the creation of Seinfeld alongside co-creator Larry David that led to Seinfeld’s biggest success. Even after the show’s heyday, it continues to yield healthy returns for both Seinfeld and David.
#12: Kylie Jenner Net Worth: $1 billion
Kylie Jenner is known as a TV personality, entrepreneur, and reality TV personality. Though she had early success as a model and secured endorsement deals with a number of companies, much of her fortune comes from her own cosmetics line, Kylie Cosmetics. The company had been incredibly popular from the start, buoyed no doubt by her social media presence. However, it wasn’t until the 2019 sale of a 51% stake in the company to Coty Inc. that she officially reached billionaire status.
#11: JK Rowling Net Worth: $1 billion
JK Rowling is an author, screenwriter, and philanthropist known primarily for creating the Harry Potter franchise. Rising up from poverty as a single mother, JK Rowling has since amassed one of the greatest literary fortunes in history. The series of Harry Potter books she created was nothing short of a worldwide phenomenon that sparked theme park attractions, films, and a spin-off franchise. She is renowned for her charitable giving, known to have donated at least $150 million to date.
#10: Jay-Z Net Worth: $1 billion
Jay-Z is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and music mogul with an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Born Shawn Carter in Brooklyn, New York, Jay-Z rose from his drug-dealing past to establish himself as one of the biggest rappers of the era, selling more than 100 million records. Jay-Z also co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records, a successful company that was eventually nested under Def Jam Records. Through a series of smart business decisions, Jay-Z has managed to retain rights to his music, a major factor in his continually growing net worth. In 2008, he married singer Beyonce. The couple has a combined estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.
#9: David Copperfield Net Worth: $1 billion
Born David Seth Kotkin, David Copperfield gained prominence as America’s foremost illusionist. Garnering fame for such tricks as making the Statue of Liberty disappear and walking through the Great Wall of China, Copperfield’s televised illusions and stage performances have enthralled millions and gained him a number of awards. Copperfield also owns a collection of rare magic memorabilia estimated by some to be worth as much as $500 million.
#8: Paul McCartney Net Worth: $1.2 billion
Writer of some of the world’s most famous songs, Paul McCartney has enjoyed success as a founding member of The Beatles and successful solo artist. One half of the songwriting duo of Lennon and McCartney, his contributions to The Beatles success spawned many of their most popular songs. Even after The Beatles broke up in 1970, McCartney continued to top the music charts with hit albums and worldwide tours.
#7: Michael Jordan Net Worth: $2.2 billion
Michael Jordan’s $2.2 billion net worth makes him the richest athlete in the world. Despite being the greatest basketball player ever, he did not actually earn that much money from NBA salaries. In total he earned around $94 million in NBA salaries. So how did he earn his fortune? Two ways: 1) To date, Michael has earned more than $1.6 billion from endorsements, most notably from Nike and Gatorade. The remainder of his net worth came thanks to a savvy investment in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. He is the majority owner, buying in for the first time in 2006 at a rock bottom price. In 2019 he sold a 20% stake in the team to a group of investors at a valuation of $1.5 billion.
As of this writing, Michael Jordan’s net worth is $2.2 billion.
#6: Jami Gertz Net Worth: $3 billion
Jami Gertz is an actress, philanthropist, and sports team owner who is worth around $3 billion. The bulk of Gertz’s worth came about due to her marriage to billionaire Tony Ressler, the co-founder of Ares Management. Gertz and Ressler have ownership stakes in the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Brewers. While still an actor, Gertz is also an avid donor to a number of charitable causes, often topping lists of top celebrity donors.
#5: Donald Trump Net Worth: $3.1 billion
We debated whether or not Donald Trump belonged on a list of the richest celebrities. Before becoming President, he was both a businessman and a celebrity. The two identities were intertwined. He was famous for being a businessman and he made a very successful business thanks largely to his fame. Then he became a politician. It was a conundrum. But I would still argue that even after becoming President, Donald is more associated as a celebrity than anything else.
#4: Kanye West Net Worth: $3.2 billion
During his career to date Kanye West has earned “only” around $400 million during his career from his music career (touring, record sales, merchandise). He became a billionaire officially in 2020 thanks to the explosive success if the Yeezy clothing brand. In 2019 Yeezy generated $1.5 billion in revenue, earning Kanye a $154 million royalty payment. In 2020, even with the Covid crisis, the brand is on pace to generate $1.7 billion. Between 2020 and 2026, Kanye is projected to personally earn $2.2 billion in royalties alone off Yeezy. Here’s the major difference between Yeezy and the Jordan shoe brand – Imagine if in 2026 Michael Jordan PERSONALLY owned 100% of his shoe brand? That’s the deal Kanye could potentially pursue in the future. He owns 100% of Yeezy.
As of April 2020, Kanye West’s net worth is $3.2 billion.
#3: Oprah Winfrey Net Worth: $3.5 billion
Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose net worth is around $3.5 million. Coming from humble beginnings, Oprah rose to prominence with The Oprah Winfrey Show, building it up into one of the most successful talk shows in the country and making her one of the most influential women in the world. Through her Harpo production company, Oprah managed to build her wealth and branch out into a number of other areas, including film, publishing, and the creation of a television network.
Oprah’s net worth is $3.5 billion.
#2: Steven Spielberg Net Worth: $3.7 billion
Steven Spielberg is a director, screenwriter, and producer known for essentially creating the concept of the Hollywood blockbuster. An avid fan of film from a young age, Spielberg shot to fame with the release of the film Jaws in 1975. More hits followed, including the Indiana Jones franchise, E.T., and Jurassic Park. His wealth is a direct product of this success, as well as his roles as a producer on a number of other massively popular films, including The Goonies, Gremlins, and the Back to the Future franchise.
Steven Spielberg’s net worth is $3.7 billion.
#1: George Lucas Net Worth: $6.5 billion
Creator of some of the most successful film franchises in history, George Lucas is a director, film producer, and writer with a net worth of around $6.5 billion. He is known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and has produced a number of other hit movies over the years, including Body Heat, Labyrinth, and Willow. Though already worth a great amount due to his previous franchises and some smart business decisions early in his career, Lucas earned a whopping $4.1 billion from the sale of Star Wars to Disney in 2012, easily cementing his legacy as one of the most successful filmmakers of all time.
As of this writing George Lucas’ net worth is $6.5 billion.
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