I loved playing in the NFL. Those of you who are familiar with my story know that it was my dream, at age 9, to be a professional football player—to be the best safety in the world.
If you don’t know, I was tiny when I was younger. You would not have looked at me, as a kid, and said, “Now, there’s someone who’s headed for the NFL.” No. I had to work my tail off.
Learning what that took—catching a ball a thousand times from my brother every year, waking up at 5am and running on a muddy, wet field, listening to my mom deal with people who tried to undermine my dream—is why I’m so obsessed with being the best.
In the video above you see me walk the halls of the Tennessee Titans training facility. That is my old team. They were the Houston Oilers, until 1997 when the team relocated to Nashville. My wife Dawn and I walk these halls, which are lined with portraits of my old teammates. Those guys all made it to the very top. I was surrounded by greatness during my playing days.
When they were over, I had to figure out a way to maintain that kind of environment. All these years later, this very community is an extension of something that started a long time ago for me—being the best and surrounding myself with others who want to be the best too. Thank you for being part of it.
Seeing my teammates’ faces and reflecting on that time was such a cool thing for me because it reawakened that energy I used to play with (although I’m not about to tackle anyone—ha!). But that kind of TNT is what allows me to stay on my mission, which is to be the best and bring out the greatness I see in everyone, including you.
I want to know what place does that for you. Where have you gone (or go) that fills you up with the kind of energy you need to stay on your path to greatness?
Think about it. Be specific. And let me know by leaving a comment below.
