Category: Blog
Can We Find Common Ground? 4 Ways to Build Bridges with People You Disagree With
Recently, a white supremacist was describing his methodology, “Hey, listen, I don’t care if you’re black, brown, male or female. Whichever one of you wants power is one less person from my culture in power.”
Three Simple Phrases that Eliminate Self-Doubt and Get You Going Again
There I was, lying in the grass. One cleat on, one cleat God knows where. Making sounds I didn’t know I could make, having pain I didn’t know I could have.
4 Gifts Parents Can Give Their Athletic Kids (without Yelling or Becoming Overbearing)
I was at my first state-level competition in high school. All of us athletes there had won our regionals. Every single kid was a top wrestler in the state of Minnesota, then some won, and some lost.
5 Tips for Saving Money (and Pain) Buying Your First House
I had just signed a contract with the NFL and wanted to own the American Dream: I wanted to buy a house. Then the bank and my realtor went crazy on me.
3 Ways I Learned to Live a Passport Life
Traveling was huge for me when I first began my football career. I wanted to hear different languages, meet different people, see new places. In the midst of my planning, a teammate asked me, “Why would you ever want to go anywhere other than America? Nowhere’s better than America.”
Free Money NFL Players Leave on the Table
Imagine someone told you they would give you an immediate 200% return on an investment you make — and you said, “Nah, I’m good.”
First Meeting? 5 Reasons It’s OK to Ask for Coffee on YOUR Corner
During my NFL career, I received many requests to go to lunch or coffee—as if I didn’t have practice, or a job, or a life. In retirement I’ve noticed there are varying levels of meeting people, some more casual and some more serious. Meeting for a happy hour is pretty casual. Meeting for dinner or…
3 Tips for Improving Mental Focus in the Moment
It was minutes before Super Bowl 50 started, and I had become completely unfocused. Lady Gaga, in her red sequined dress, was epically singing the national anthem as the Blue Angels flew over the stadium. Wow, what a moment! How can you not be distracted?
7 Simple Defensive Moves to Avoid Bullshitters, Liars and Bad Deals
When I was in the NFL, people asked me for money almost every day. Old friends, strangers, even family would pop out of the woodwork with their hands out. At first I wanted to help everyone, but after a while I smartened up and learned to call bullshit on people with a few key questions.