Franklin Saint, the protagonist in Snowfall, rises from a humble, street-savvy teenager to a drug kingpin. His journey is captivating, marked by ambition, intelligence, and strategic prowess. But while Franklin’s evolution is full of life lessons that can help you level up, his story also offers warnings about the consequences of certain actions. This blog will explore three things you can take from Franklin’s character to fuel your own success, as well as three things you should avoid adopting from his darker decisions.
What to Take from Franklin Saint’s Character
1. Strategic Thinking: Always Be Two Steps Ahead
One of Franklin's defining traits is his ability to think strategically and anticipate the moves of his rivals, law enforcement, and even his own family. In business and life, Franklin's approach of thinking long-term, mapping out different outcomes, and being prepared for whatever comes his way allows him to stay ahead in a dangerous game.
How You Can Apply It: Strategic thinking isn’t just for drug dealers and business moguls—it’s a vital skill in any field. To get to the next level, you need to plan ahead, understand the landscape, and predict possible outcomes. Whether you’re building a business, investing in your future, or navigating personal relationships, always ask yourself, “What’s next?” and “How can I be prepared for it?”
Takeaway: Learn to think beyond immediate results. Anticipate future challenges and opportunities, and map out multiple pathways to your goals, just like Franklin always did.
2. Unshakeable Ambition: Believe in Your Vision
Franklin starts from nothing, but he always believed he could rise to the top. His ambition fuels his relentless pursuit of power and wealth, even in the face of setbacks and betrayals. He had a clear vision for what he wanted to achieve and refused to let anyone or anything stop him.
How You Can Apply It: Success starts with a clear vision and unwavering belief in yourself. Like Franklin, you must have ambition if you want to reach the next level in your career, personal life, or passions. The road won’t always be smooth, but determination and self-confidence are key. It’s about knowing what you want and working toward it, no matter how many obstacles come your way.
Takeaway: Be bold in your ambitions. Visualize your success and work toward it every day, even when it seems far away. Your belief in yourself is the foundation for all achievement.
3. Resilience: Bounce Back from Failure
Franklin faces numerous defeats throughout Snowfall. From losing control of his operation to being betrayed by those closest to him, he encounters failure at nearly every turn. Yet, his ability to bounce back and rebuild shows a level of resilience that’s crucial to success. He doesn’t let setbacks break him; instead, he learns from them and adapts.
How You Can Apply It: Failure is inevitable in life, but how you respond to it determines your ability to succeed. Just like Franklin, you need to be resilient when things don’t go your way. Use failures as learning opportunities, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward. It’s the ability to adapt and persevere that will help you level up.
Takeaway: Cultivate resilience by seeing failure as a stepping stone rather than a dead end. The more you can bounce back, the more unstoppable you’ll be.
What Not to Take from Franklin Saint’s Character
1. Ruthless Decision-Making: Know When to Prioritize Ethics
As Franklin rises in the drug trade, he becomes increasingly ruthless, making morally questionable decisions that alienate those close to him. He eliminates rivals and betrays former allies, all in the name of maintaining control and power. While these decisions protect his empire, they ultimately contribute to his downfall.
Why You Should Avoid This: Being ruthless may help you climb faster in certain situations, but it comes at a high cost. Franklin’s story shows how unethical decisions can isolate you and create enemies, damaging both your personal and professional relationships. If you want to level up in life, it’s crucial to maintain integrity and treat others with respect.
Takeaway: Don’t sacrifice your ethics for short-term gains. The respect and trust of those around you are long-term assets that outweigh immediate power grabs.
2. Over-Reliance on Violence: Don’t Let Aggression Be Your Go-To Solution
As Franklin gains more power, he increasingly uses violence as a means to solve problems. This shift toward aggression tarnishes his character and alienates those who once supported him. His inability to negotiate or find non-violent solutions to his problems escalates the dangers he faces and isolates him from his community.
Why You Should Avoid This: In life, you’ll face difficult situations, but resorting to aggression or hostility rarely solves the problem. It often leads to more complications, just as it did for Franklin. While standing your ground is important, it’s equally important to remain level-headed and find peaceful, strategic solutions to conflicts.
Takeaway: Avoid letting aggression dictate your actions. The ability to navigate challenges calmly and diplomatically will get you further in the long run.
3. Tunnel Vision: Don’t Sacrifice Everything for Success
Franklin becomes so focused on building his empire that he loses sight of everything else—his relationships, his health, and his humanity. His single-minded pursuit of power drives him to isolate himself, making decisions that alienate those closest to him. His tunnel vision ultimately costs him more than it gains.
Why You Should Avoid This: Having ambition and drive is important, but not at the expense of everything else. Franklin’s downfall is a result of prioritizing his empire above all else. In your journey to success, it’s important to maintain balance. Don’t sacrifice your relationships or well-being for the sake of achievement.
Takeaway: Keep perspective and maintain balance. Success isn’t worth it if it comes at the expense of your relationships, health, or happiness.
Conclusion: Franklin Saint’s Dual Legacy
Franklin Saint’s character in Snowfall is a complex mix of brilliance and downfall. There’s much to admire about his ambition, strategic thinking, and resilience. These qualities can inspire anyone looking to level up in life. However, his ruthlessness, over-reliance on violence, and tunnel vision show the dangers of letting ambition consume you.
To truly level up, take the best of Franklin’s character—his resilience, ambition, and strategic mindset—but leave behind the destructive tendencies. Success is about balance, ethics, and maintaining control of all aspects of your life, not just power and money.
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