Welcome back to the show, my fellow extraordinary Americans. Today we have our guest, Reggie Walker. Reggie is an ex-NFL player who played for teams such as the Arizona Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers. He’s right now an entrepreneur, Coach, and public speaker, and he’s actually having a course, whereas the top athlete’s life, which is about getting people from all backgrounds to basically have the right thoughts in mind sets and like all the experiences he learned from his days at the NFL and how to fly them their own personal lives.

And so, the Reggie’s had a really tough childhood and adolescent times. But, like, in spite of all the odds that were against him, like, it’s terrible in spite of all the challenges. That was that that was there. He fought back, and he became super successful, and I think he is an extraordinary American, and I think that it is good to understand the mindsets and thoughts, and actions that he had in order to help him succeed in his life. I believe that this can apply to us as well. So, Reggie, are you there? 

Yes, I am. There we go. 

Hey, Reggie. Thank you for taking the time to come to this show. How are you doing?  

I’m doing great. How are you? 

Yeah, I’m doing great. So, Reggie, I know that you are an ex-NFL player. You played for the Arizona Cardinals for the San Diego Chargers. They’re also right now, like the public, you’re like. Your coach and entrepreneur. Can you tell us a little bit more about Yourself, your background, and how you got there?  

So yeah, so just a little bit about me, I call myself a military brat. You know, I lived in a lot of places; you know, across the country. I lived in rural areas, cities, you know, the inner city. Whatever it was, it pretty much lived there and was the minority. Part of the majority. I’d love that part about my childhood, especially since I got to experience how different people live, and I got to like experiencing it firsthand, you know, as far as being a minority, being a part of the majority, having money, having no money. And I felt like it really shaped who I was, just like you had mentioned in the introduction. Yeah, but growing up was pretty tough. I went through mental abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse from the age of four to about 12, and my outlet was sports.

You know how I dealt with a lot of things when I went out there, and I performed on, you know, whether it was baseball, football or basketball? Whatever sport there was. That’s the one I funneled a lot of energy into, and then I actually got. I was pretty good at football. That’s still where my heart was at. Even though I played rugby, I was really good at rugby, too. Was a pretty decently big recruit coming out of high school. 

Kent State was a pretty tough time. It was just a lot of, you know, dealing with the coaching change and the pull-out politics that college sports can provide when you’re dealing with the coaching change; that’s the big, big reason why I only started more. I never started more than half a season in college. But I still got my chance to play in the league, got a shot, and made the team with the Arizona Cardinals. Worked well. We have two team captains. In my third year I played significant time off of Steve. I mean on defensive special teams. And then I ended up leaving the game on my own terms.

One of the things that happened that I realized, and which actually led to my retirement, was the fact that I knew that I was dealing with a lot of stuff internally, and instead of using footballs and outlet, it wasn’t enough at that point, and I needed to really deal with the first hand.

So, I started doing therapy. And while I was doing that, that’s when I started really writing the game within the game because I wanted to really do something to help solve the problem of seeing so many people try to fail to get to the point where I was at. I wanted to help people as much as I could, but I needed to get myself together, too, especially with the abuse. 

So I went, and the therapy wasn’t enough. I realized that I needed to take it a step ahead, a step more. And I went to a treatment center. I went there for 30 days. It was actually like saving my life, especially since I was depressed, anxious, and suicidal from just not dealing with myself and my issues internally in the manner in which they should have been taken Care of before.

But when you’re dealing with that severe of abuse that I had been dealt with the hand that I’ve been dealt, it takes a long time to come to terms with it and actually deal. With it. But. I’m glad I did. And then I ended up getting myself together after that Learned some really great key things, some things that I even put in the game within the game. And they’re finishing that it took me 3 years to finish that course.

Then the course itself, it’s actually gone up to a really great point, got a college accredited. It’s in the knowledge and Innovation Center in force, business schools, and a couple of universities now. From the feedback that we got from that and some suggestions. We had gotten from. People, we actually wanted to make a version not just for student-athletes but for everyone because a lot of the information we understood is very transferable to anybody who wants to have success in whatever path they would take?

So, we created top athlete lives, which is. Basically, a curriculum for people just who want to be the top athlete in their life. It helps instill that athletic mindset that we’ve stated, and we had ourselves when it comes to being like, you know, in the top 1% when it comes to athletes. But the same mentality and the same mindset that we’ve seen from people who are entrepreneurs, business owners, and we wanted to teach it to people because we understood that this is something that’s very teachable, something that’s very can be very understood. So that’s what we’re, yeah. 

So, Reggie, how long? I’ve been playing in the NFL for, like, not just in the NFL, but also in college and high school and all that; how many years is that total?  

4 IN high school and four in college. Then seven, nine NFL, so 15. 

So, Reggie, what was the driving motivating factor? So, I know you’ve had a tough childhood and adult time, like your teenage years. What was the driving worthy factor that drove you and pushed you into playing football and made you succeed, and made you where you are? Or like where you reach today.  

Well, I would, I would say. That football was My American dream. I felt that football encompassed everything that I wanted for my life as far as just money. As far as just doing something that I love doing because I love football. I love the Art of it. I loved it. And then as far as being able to Protect, protect my family and live the way that I wanted to live. I felt like football was going to do that. Plus, at the end of the day, I felt that football was ultimately going to make me.

So, because I was, I was pretty. I was pretty miserable for a long, long period of time, especially with all the abuse that I dealt with. I felt that football ultimately was failing to make me happy. I found out that that wasn’t the only thing that was going to be what I was going to take later on. I figured that out, but that’s why I really worked so hard. That was literally my dream. My American dream. 

Also, so what was it? What was your all-arching goal and vision when you were playing football? Like for your life in the NFL and also like in the college years. How does it go on vision, and how did you go about attaining it?  

The vision ultimately was Really, two things. One, I’m going to be the best player that anyone’s ever seen. And then two, I’m going to be happy. Like I will attain happiness. I will get to that point like full happiness, like unbreaking. Like the constant stream of happiness, like I’m going to swim in it. As of now, those were the two goals.

And then how I went about it. A lot of people might think that I’m kind of. I’m not really that organized into a grid. They’re kind of right. But it’s more along the lines of I when I have like a certain set like a set point that I’m trying to reach here. Everything that I do is very purposeful to that point, and I’m more along the lines of instead of just setting a set plan like I’m going to do this and this and this every single day. It’s more that that’s the focus and then everything that I’m going to do and whatever pops in front of my way. I’m going to use that to get to that point, wherever that is. But my focus is always there. It was very focused, and everything that I did and everything that I did was ultimately to just get to that point.

So, I look at it like You’re building a ladder to heaven, right? You know, heaven is whatever building that you want, and you have, and you have to build your ladder to get to that point. But as far as the materials, in order to get there? You don’t know where they’re going to Come from. So, you have to use what you have available to you right now. You can’t hope and wish that you had steel, or you had wood, or you had whatever. You literally have to use whatever is. Now to get to that point.

So, my focus was far rarely based upon that, how can I build my ladder today? What, where? Where the materials can I use, like how can I keep moving up and whatever materials that I found, that’s why I built my ladder on. Until I finally got to that point. 

I see. So, what was the biggest lesson you learned while playing football over the years? 

That you can work your hardest and try your hardest. It still is. It’s just because you gave all the effort that you possibly could give… Life is Unpredictable, and all you’re literally doing is you’re just putting yourself in the best chance to win. But that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll win anyway.

You can have the best plan you can. Have the most resources. You could be the most skilled and still lose, and you could still lose someone who doesn’t have the resources, doesn’t have the skills, doesn’t have what you’re capable of Life has a funny way of doing things sometimes, but you always have to continuously put yourself in the effort to make sure that you went. Which is the other part of it too.

Even though you can try your hardest to not win if you do, that doesn’t mean that you ultimately will lose the entire game itself. It’s just you don’t lose it until you actually stop playing so you’re also playing a game that you can always keep trying and trying. And try until you’ve played until you stop. That’s when you’re done. So just don’t stop until you get to that point. You’ll always get there. 

I see. So, Reggie, you know, like all through, like, whether it’s childhood or bills and so like, you did the NFL. Like there are a lot of negativities out there. Right? Like, uh, which is trying to push you back till then. You cannot do this. Cannot do that. And so, the car to you, what was the biggest challenge you had to face, and how did you overcome it? And how did you push back against all the negativities? Because that’s, that’s the challenge that a lot of people have these days, you know. 

I would say it’s a really good question. I would say my biggest. My biggest obstacle ultimately was myself. When I look at it, it was myself, completely, because no matter how much negativity I got from anyone else outside of me, it was never worse than what I told myself about anything like that. Could no one ever talk as badly to me as I talk to myself, and when it came to proving stuff to people? At first, I thought I was doing a lot of things to prove to other people that they were wrong about me, but ultimately, I was proving to myself that I wasn’t ****, which is ultimately what I was always trying to do, for I always thought…

At first, that man, I’m not anything, but then there’s also this battle going internally, just like, OK, one guy was telling me I’m not anything. And then the other person was. Just like I am Way better than this, I’m not what you’re telling me to do? I mean, what am I? And I’m going to Prove it to you. So, it was like I was. That’s the war that was going on in me, that was ultimately the biggest obstacle that I had to overcome. 

I see. So, you know that they say that success is a state of mind, and it’s usually a process in our event. But however, a lot. Successful people can pinpoint a time or day when a certain event happened or a certain thought process happened, and then from that moment on they start succeeding. What is that moment for you?  

I would say my senior of college senior college I was playing inside my back, my coach said that he wanted to see me and three other guys after practice and then he told us that we are all switching positions and we’re going to be competing for the outside linebacker position and basically like it’s a competition around whoever and you guys going to Split time but ultimately like if you’re going to play like this is the only way You guys going to play?

And I remember sitting there after that meeting, furious, furious because one, I felt as if I was one of the best players on the team, especially on the defense. It’s not the best. And because my coach and I just did not like him.

I don’t know to this day I’m not even entirely sure what it was. Besides those, the fact. I wasn’t extra fruit, but. I was just like, why is this so freaking hard? Like why is this so ridiculous? Like I’m just trying to get on the field? I’m helping all these people. I’m doing all these things well. I’m doing all these things right. And why is this so hard? And I was like, this is my senior year. I want to go to the NFL. I want to win games, most importantly. Do, and you are trying to make things so much more difficult for me. And I just, and then it felt like I just kind of popped.

I had this thought. You know. Like, screw them. Screw them fighting like I’m tired of what they’re saying about me. I’m tired of what they’re thinking about me. I’m tired of always trying to prove myself. To them, all these things and. They’re not getting it. I’m going to play for myself. I’m going to play for myself. For once, like, I’m not going to sit here and try to prove all these things to anybody else. Only person I got nothing to prove to anything that any person I got to be a real person I have to answer to is myself. I’m going to start paying. Yeah, I want to. I want to help this team, and I’m not saying you’re saying I don’t want to be a team player.

I was just like, no, I’m not. I’m not playing for these guys anymore. I’m playing for myself in this team and these players that I know who are battling with me, and I’m going to lay it all out there, and I’m going to do it with a smile on my face every day. Like I’m going to have fun with this. This is what I see here. I’m not going to sit here if this is my last couple of months playing football and go out on a sour note. I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to let these people break me because, at that point, that’s all they’re trying to do is break me literally Like a horse.

So. I was like, they’re not going to break me, no matter of fact, I’m going to have a smile on my face, and I’m going to go out and compete every single day, no matter what happens, I’m going to keep this safe. Smile, no matter what Happens. I’m going to be myself, no matter what happens, and ever since that point, it was like Things changed.

I started playing differently. I started having fun again with football because I felt Like I hadn’t had Fun since my freshman year. Again, this was my senior, and then that’s when I really started coming into my own, and I started feeling like I started being more of a complete player. It was like I felt like I knocked the wall down mentally, but just not by just focusing on myself and what I could handle on what I could control because up to that point, I was focusing on a lot of things that weren’t even in my control, to begin with. I started focusing on the right things, so I would.  

Say that point for sure. 

That’s amazing. A lot of people never get beyond their mental barriers. So, knowing, knowing how you did it, it’s like it’s very interesting. So, Reggie, Where’s the one thing You wish you knew before you started playing football and what would you advise somebody that wants to like, go into your field, but it’s just starting off?  

Big question too. Uh, something I wish I would have known before playing football, I would say the fact that when it came down to deciding about whether or not where else going to go play or whether or not I wanted to continue to play it, it was my decision. I’m the one doing it. I’m the one that’s going to be showing up. It’s my decision. It’s not your decision. It’s like anyone else’s decision, it’s Not TV or media or friends. No one else’s decision is mine. Because you know, with football being the dangerous sport that it is, that carries with it a 100% injury rate.

So, it’s not an if thing, it’s a when thing and you’re the one who’s going to plant those injuries. You’re the one who, if you have a bad game, might be on ESPN, and you’re the one who, if you have a bad game. So, when I send you death threats, you’re the one—doing this job.

So ultimately if you want to keep playing or not like it, it’s your decision solely. And I wish that I had… I made the decision on my own, but like I just didn’t know to the degree that this is really completely up to me. I wish I had known that ahead of time.

And then the other part of it is, you know, like I said earlier, that you could really try your hardest and still fail. You know when it comes down to fighting. You’re playing a long game where you’re running A marathon? You Could trip and fall, but as long as you get up and keep running. You could still put yourself in the position to win you. Know it’s not something that, you know, this is the end all be all things fail today. I’m done. Like no dude you can keep going. You can always keep going back. And as long as you don’t quit. There’s still the refund, and I think that. Was another thing. 

That’s awesome. So, you know, they say that America is the land of the free and the place where Dreams are made. Do you agree or disagree?  

I agree the world is. I agree the world is because ultimately when it comes down to things… Things really boil down to how well you can use your mind and use the cars that you’ve been dealt. Ultimately because I’ve known rich people that I know, people who grew up in families that haven’t done anything with their lives. They are not anything to really write home about. I know people who have come from nothing that’s literally making big and big, huge moves out here in the world. And when you really understand the math equation you could say what it takes to succeed. It’s really, you know, you yourselves. How well can you use your own resources that you have available and how well can you use those resources to get from point A to B? To eventually get to your own Z of where you try to get to in your own life. And how well you Can really play that game to get there, cause ultimately it is a game. 

It’s not as serious as people think it is, life shouldn’t be taken that seriously, especially given the fact that you, as I said, could try your hardest and do whatever and still fail for whatever reason. ****, you can’t take it that seriously, but it really does boil down to that. How well can you play the cards that you’ve been dealt? There are people who have had worse cards than you that have done more than you. There are people who have better cards than you and who have done way less than you. It’s always about the player.

So ultimately, that’s what you need to focus on being the best player. You can’t be and use what you have available to you. The best way that you possibly can, and I feel like in that manner we’re all equal when it comes to that, we’re all kind of in. We got to play this game and figure it out. So yeah, that’s how I view things. 

What is the biggest hurdle that Americans face when it comes to realizing the American dream and how do you think they could overcome that?  

You and you’re limiting Beliefs easily. It’s definitely that. It’s because You have a very limited belief system when it comes to solving problems, because all of this boils down to problem-solving. You know, and if you have a very limited belief system about yourself, your capabilities, your availability, make your ability to connect with the resources that are needed to make your equation. You could say balanced and actually, get to your point Z or whatever where you’re trying to get to. It’s you, it’s your limited belief system.

It’s. Definitely, it’s always your limited belief system because; as I said, there are people who have had less, less than all of this that have done more, but they believed. And then they fought for those answers, and they fought to solve these problems. And you know their solution-oriented always you know, and we all get to that point where things are so hard, and things are so difficult, and we don’t know what we’re going to figure out or how We’re going to figure out a problem. Or how we’re going to get from point A to B?

But ultimately, if you always keep your beliefs like that, belief. The system is just continuous. Skyrocketing like I, and never let it shut down. I never let it stop opening up. I always keep it open. I never limit myself to what I’m capable of, and I’m always willing to go into the unknown even if I’m not so sure I’m willing to put things out there, even if I’m sure they’ll fail, or I don’t know if they’ll fail. Then I’ll just get the results and always go back to the table, but you can’t put yourself in that whole build measure, learn feedback loop.

If you just have such a limited belief system to begin with, it’s your own limiting beliefs. It’s because it’s so easy to just go and listen to everyone. Most people around you, no matter where you are, are rich in your city, black, white, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter. Color doesn’t matter. Sex doesn’t matter. But if you surround yourself with people and you’re listening to people who have failed or are too scared to try or not.

I don’t want to have resources. Don’t want to look for resources and don’t want to solve their problems. They just want to talk about the problems you’re not going to do anything. You’re not going to go anywhere. It’s not going to happen for you, it’s all About really not limiting your beliefs and yourselves. And that’s ultimately what it’s about. 

So, Reggie, you know that American identity is about one of the identities of America is about the pursuit of happiness. Right. And Americans are doing whatever they can, aspire to difficult circumstances to attain happiness.

So, from one time in the NFL and all the lessons you’ve learned from playing football, how do you think they should go about it? When it comes to attaining their own like their own sense of happiness.  

Well, I think the first thing that everyone should do is always understand, like when it comes down to it, you have to understand. Why do you want what you want? But first of all, you got to sit down and think about what you want? Hey, what do you want and why do I want it and really spend significant time just on the? Like I don’t tell people just to Write a list of all the things that. You wanted it, and then.

Next on that same list, for each one of those things. Right. Why do you want it and go into a bit like great… It’s the greatest, greatest detail that you possibly can go into it because the thing that you have to understand is. You need to understand which things you want actually come from you and which things you want to actually come from someone else.

Because of the things that come from you, that’s the purest. The part that’s the part that you need to be paying attention to. That’s the part that really matters. You’re not saying that you know… Oh, I want this. Because I wanted to make my mom happy and make my dad happier and make my kids happier. Make my wife happier. Whatever isn’t important. Is but the beliefs, the things that you want coming solely from you are usually the things that really are overarching over are these things like if you get the things coming from you, you can do What you want to help your mom and help your dad and help your kids. And help all these other people. But those are the purest things. Those are always going to be the things that are going to have the most energy behind them.

Plus, those are also tied into your actual being in itself. That’s what I truly believe and truly know when it comes down to it. Once you have these things written out and you know exactly what it is that you want the purest form of yourself then at that point you need to build a plan. You need to build a plan of how to entertain these things and just like. I said you know life is very unpredictable, so you have to set goals, but as far as these goals are going to happen and how are you going to get these things, you have to be very open to them. However, these things are going to happen to you. They’re going to. You got to believe it, which is the other part you have to believe it’s going to happen because you got to keep your mind open to the possibilities of what’s going to well and how you could get to this point you know, and it may or may not be how You thought it was Going to be.

Most of the things that I can tell you that I accomplished or did in my life; It was never the process of getting to that point was never. How I thought it was going to. I wish I was going to play in the NFL. But you know, I thought I was going to be a first-round pick, be, you know, be there at, you know, walking across the stage and stuff like that.

But no, I ended up actually becoming a director-free agent, but it was actually a very big, huge blessing in disguise because unlike me, unlike some other guys, I got to pick the situation. Got to go into it. Out of five teams, the guys who got drafted didn’t get to pick their situation. Some people, and then the league is very situational. You can have you can, you know. 

For instance, you Can go on a team that you know, maybe they have an A1 in. 11 records, and you’re a wide receiver, but they have like 5 receivers who Are really good, they’re bad, but their receiver here is good, and you need to make the team as a receiver. There you have five guys, and they don’t need you, and therefore you get. You probably get cut. And then, you know, you may not ever get a shot again. It has nothing to do with the fact that you’re good or not. It has nothing to do with talent. It’s a fact.

We’ve had everything to do for you. Got put in a bad situation. I got to fix the situation I went to, so when it came to making the team. I had the least. I still had the fight, but I didn’t have some of the battles that some of these other people are going to have where they have to beat a veteran who’s been in the league three or four years. Who knows, the system knows the environment and The NFL has been preparing their body and mind for years already and I didn’t have to compete against them. For one of the spots like no… I was competing with others. Free agents say there are some other guys that they had put in who didn’t have as high as a capped number, which ultimately was a Big great benefit for me.

So yeah, you have your set Goals, and you, you, you. These are the things I need to hit. These are the points I need to hit. And you need to, and then when it comes to, however, these points are going to get hit, and you’re open to it. You have a very set. You have a set plan at first like. This is how I’m going to get to this point, but you’re always having an emphasis on fluidity. I’m going to put this out there, but I’m going to cut, cut, build, measure. Put some out there, see how it comes into play, and then I need to pivot it as often as I can until I actually get to that point.

And a lot of it is basic, you know, pivoting because, you know, you have a plan, and then God laughs at that plan, and then you go out there and put that. You put that information out there, you put that plan out there and then you have to go back and figure out a different way of doing it. And then you have to keep doing it over and over and over again. 

Build, measure, learn, Build, measure, learn, Build, measure, learn until you finally get to that point. And then once you get to that point, then you’re there. But is that, that, that whole process really what? What eats people up and chooses them out is always having to Build, measure, learn, Build, measure, learn

This is actually amazing advice because a lot of people like a great shot in America they’re all this complaining like they have this idea of what they want, but they’re not. They have a victim mentality. But what you’re suggesting is no, forget the victim mentality. Need to have the following solution arranged strategy. You have to have A vision of you. Have a cool build measure. Learn just like you do it. So that’s that. What we need to know about this nation. Right now because a lot of people like them. Blaming everything outside or that, but why you cannot get what they want, you know? And you’re saying the opposite. Like not getting what you want, but you got to go for it, you know.  

Yeah, and that’s the thing too. When you really look at it, I am glad you brought it up too, because it’s Easy to sit there and be like, oh, the reason why a lot of stuff is happening to me is because of. All this stuff outside of Me, and you’re right. You know you are right it Is because of a lot of stuff that’s happening out there to you, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a solution to this problem that you control yourself. And yeah, you might have to do some very difficult things to solve this problem, but if you’re not willing to do anything to solve this problem for yourself. Shut up.

Literally because the thing is too, like, again, there are big people that’ve been in worse situations than you that have done more than you and they didn’t. They got in that situation by doing something. If what you’re talking isn’t doing something, doing something that’s doing something, and if you’re not going to. Do something about it. Shut up. 

Because if it is, the fact of the matter is you can change the situation for yourself, yes. All these things outside of you are making your life worse, for a fact. Hell, yeah, it is. But at the same time, it’s not like you’re still breathing. You can do something about it, and unless you’re actually going to do something about it, shut your mouth and just stop complaining. You’re just one more negative person that the world doesn’t need, at least To do your part. And be quiet.

So, the people who Are trying you don’t mess with their stuff then, because that person who’s trying to do something could be your friend to be your husband, and your spouse could be your brother. Could be your significant other. You know, don’t be one more negative person for them because let these people show you that there’s still a way out of this because these people show up, show up in all different avenues all the time. They’re here all the time. They’re succeeding all the time in all types of crappies, terrible environments that are corrupt and all types of crazy stuff. They’re still there, and they’ll always be there because at the end of the day, when it comes down to success, it’s all on you, period, not anything outside of you; it’s you. 

So, you know, over the past few years, America has had a difficult time growing the economy and not just that. That there’s been a deterioration in the family unit and also the government. Where are you? Think America is headed, and do you? Think we should be optimistic about the future.  

Where I think we are headed currently. I feel as if at some point. You know, there’s going to be a reconciliation. I feel as I feel a lot of things are. Not that they’re overblown, but the fact that you know you have social media that is constantly Pumping out You know, fear, fear.

Fear be scared of this. Be scared of that person. Be scared of that. And you have access to that at your fingertips constantly, and most people, instead of understanding what the fear machine is in itself, they’re going to dive into the fear machine because that’s, you know, that’s how they get you. You know the fear, fear, fear, fear. Be scared of that. Scared of that? Be scared of this. Because it’s going to grab your attention because it’s… It’s funny. That’s what you know. That’s, you know, we get paid off. You pay attention to this. Stuff, and you see it for more. 

People realize that to be honest.

That’s what it is. That’s what I realized in the head film as far as, like when it comes to the media stuff, how, how funny a lot of stuff is. It’s a business in itself that, you know, understand, you know, if everybody is listening to the stuff that you’re listening to, it’s a business and fear and being scared of things is big business.

So, when it comes down to the actual reality of what’s happening, you’re not going to know it unless you really go out and look for it. You know, because a lot of the media sites aren’t going to tell you what’s going on. They’re not going to tell you. The good about? Anything they’re going to pump the bad. But as far as everything going on, there’s going to be a reconciliation. Things are going to level out. It always does this. It always does this. Since there’s a constant wave, everything is the wave. Goes up. It goes down. So as far as. Like my view of the future, I’m very positive about the future. I’m very positive about the future. I’m always positive for the future because I understand that even in the midst of all these bad things happening, there are a lot of great things happening. There are a lot of people creating great ideas. I mean, I have great ideas who are out there putting that out. For many, for millions of people to have access to it, there are lots of great things that are being done. Created there’s going to be. Even better, things are created in the future, and when it comes down to. 

As far as when it comes to being successful, I feel like we’re in some of the best times ever actually to become a successful individual on paper, “Monetarily,” because there are so many different avenues in which to make money and get your name out there and show the world your gifts more than ever before. I feel like there, and there are, and there are more and more routes being created daily, and I’m very hopeful. I’m very hopeful for the future, and I really do believe that when it comes down to things, I don’t feel like we’re headed toward darker times, I feel Like we’re headed Towards more of it, like more of enlightenment…  towards time because sometimes, when it throws down, you have to go through the real shift wall before you. Get to like. The beautiful valley. And that’s why. I feel like we’re at.

No. Yeah, you all. Such a good thing. Sometimes you gotta get the room dirtier before you can get it super clean, right?  

We’re 100%. 

So, I know that you’ve done this Course this college credit. A course called the game within the game. Can you tell us a little bit more about it and the premise and what got and the Premise of it? And what got you started regarding that?  

So, the game within the game was a force that was wide behind the force. You know I. As I like, I said in my college career, I never stored more than half a season in college. My college career was very tumultuous… came in under one head coach. He retired. I had another coach and then I, as far as like when it came to dealing with the political side of Words felt like I got my master’s ph. D3, Ph.D. ‘s, and then have to understand that world because when it came to talent, that wasn’t the reason why that was never my issue as far as I wasn’t talented enough to play.

 It was… I had to figure out different ways of getting on the field through the political route when it came to what a lot of people run into being college athletes because after high school, when college sports, that’s the first time you get introduced to the business side of sports. And I had to navigate that side, and that and how well I navigated was a big reason why I even had a shot to play in the NFL. That was the reason why I got on the field in the 1st place because I was literally in an award where they did not want me to play, and I had to figure out any means possible to just get on the field. 

A lot of It had nothing to do with talent if you look. At my film or look. At the uh, my practice film or any of the tapes that I did, you’re like, good. I’m more than great enough to play. When it came to doing all the things like showing up first and leaving last, and you know, looking at tape and knowing what you’re supposed to do and knowing your assignments and being. All of that, like I did all that, and I still was playing it. 

Is the reality that politics is an asset a necessary thing of human nature? You know, no matter which field you go into which industry? It always comes into play.  

It does because at the end of the day, when it comes to all these systems that are in place, the people that are behind Them are people like they’re people. People are operating these systems, and you need to learn how people work. You need to learn how to build relationships. You need to know How to navigate These different environments that are Controlled by people To get what you want, and that was a big reason why I call it the game with the course, the game within the game because it is a course about the game, literally within this game, the game within the game as far as like your mind.

Being a game within a game within life that you’re playing and then as well as in that environment, the game that you’re playing within this game is the political game and how to navigate through that. And do it in a healthy manner instead of a manner in which I’ve seen some people navigate through, which has been very unsuccessful because, as I said, I went into college with 24, I think and recruited four of us. Everybody else left, I think either left. I had a couple of People go to it, literally… They get locked up by some people, get arrested by some people, and go to mental institutions because the process in itself is ridiculous.

And then when I went to the NFL, I came in, I think, with fourteen guys, and by my third year, it was me in one draft pick. Everybody else was gone. So, this environment chews up and spits people out, and it’s not something that. You know you can’t. It’s not just about the talent on the field, you have to understand a lot of different areas, and you have to be very proficient in a lot of areas in order to just stay there to get there. That’s one thing. But to stay there is another.

And I felt as if even though these are all kinds of difficult things for me to understand, after a while, I realized this is something that could be taught to a lot of individuals who are going to go into this environment. And I wanted to help more people succeed and especially understand that, you know, when I talk to guys who played in the NHL. Or MLB or NBA. It’s the same thing they’re never getting the same for. And they understand All this, and that’s the most important part of this, is this part. I wanted to make a course that talks about the main parts and the main components of these environments to help more kids not just survive this process but thrive during and afterward.

Because a lot of these same people are controlling these same types of environments. The higher you go up in life, you’re going to deal with these same types of people, and you need to understand how to do it and have the skill set for it. Because you really do need to be skilled and more in one area to actually get to that point. It’s not just Being able to run fast, jump high, and hit hard, you know it takes a lot more than that. 

No, totally. So, Reggie, can you tell us a little bit more about top athlete life and what that is about and give us a glimpse into it? 

Oh yeah, so. Top athlete life was built off game within a game. It has a lot of the same material. But just for a different audience. As far as this, like with you know, with top athlete life, something dumped in the game. We’ll help you find your purpose, help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, help you understand how to build, maintain, and cultivate relationships as well as we’re going to help you build a fluid plan for yourself no matter what environment you’re going to go into. 

It would just, deep down just really help you figure out a lot of the different necessary components. That is needed to have the mindset necessary for success, a mindset that you’re going to have. If you want to be. In the 1% of people. We were in an environment. Environments that we went to were outside of just so. Well, where are these? 1% environments. The type of mindset that you need going into this environment and what it’s going to take to maintain and as well as succeed. And you know, at the end of the day, keep your **** during it because the environments themselves are crazy. What it’s going to take to really succeed in these environments is a lot more than you think, but it can be taught, and it can be done, and people are doing it every day, and we wanted to teach that with top athletes’ lives as well as games within the game. 

Where can our audience go to connect with you and also just see more of what you’re doing?  

Awesome so that they can check our website out. It’s called thegamewithinthegame.com. That’s for our student-athlete course at College Accredited 1. That’s through Forbes Business School and then the top athlete life, and then topathletelife.com. That’s the version for everyone as far as this, like business owners, anybody Who’s just really Trying to understand that athletes that their 1% mindset, they can check that out, and then they also if they wanted to reach out to me they can reach out to me on LinkedIn. 

Well, Reggie, thank you for coming to our show. You are an extraordinary American, and your mindset, and like you, your ability to fight your circumstances to succeed is actually like inspiration. And I hope our audience gets to understand that and yeah, I would love for you to come back to this. You know the future.  

I would like to conclude this show by telling my fellow extraordinary Americans that hey, there is an extraordinary within each one of us, and it’s our job to unleash and empower them. Take care for now.