Sam talks to us about how he found great success by focusing on small, fundamental activities, as well as the importance of staying true to yourself as you pursue the life you aspire to.
“If you work like everyone else, you'll be like everyone else. And a lot of people don't think about it, but it just makes total sense. If you do what everyone else does, why would you expect a different outcome?”
Our guest today is former NFL Linebacker Sam Acho. Sam is not only a phenomenal athlete, he’s a truly inspiring human being. Our conversation gave us a chance to unpack what it took for him to become a professional football player.
What we discovered during this conversation was how the little things are truly the secret to achieving big results, on and off the field. There’s something about the way Sam talks about how something as simple as showing up 15 minutes early to practice to do layup drills in high school contributed to the success he’s had over the years and continues to have to this day.
If you know anything about Sam, you know this man cares about others and leveraging his skills and work ethic to have meaningful social impact in the world. Sam truly wants the best for everyone and this is so evident when you hear him speak. I’ll be shocked if the next 45 minutes doesn’t leave you with one actionable way to be a better version of yourself and get more out of your everyday.
Timestamped Show Notes
(4:00) Transitioning from NFL to current pursuits…
(5:06) Football is 80% mental…
(8:22) “I had a coach who said little things done well, make big things happen.”
(9:53) The difference that 15 minutes a day can make...
(15:30) A foothold of discipline…
(19:35) “If you work like everyone else, you'll be like everyone else. And a lot of people don't think about it, but it just makes total sense. If you do what everyone else does, why would you expect a different outcome?”
(23:12) Confidence comes from the little things…
(26:37) “There is a new level that a lot of us can attain and achieve, but we have to be willing to go there. We can't be afraid.”
(27:41) The weight of team culture…
(31:16) Being released from the Chicago Bears and learning to be authentic…
(33:22) “I felt freedom as I started to go down this path of discovery of finding out who I really am and how I can love not only others well, but love myself well, and that freedom not only freed me up, but it freed up everyone around me in ways that I couldn't even imagine.”
(38:05) “One of the simple things, but not easy things, that I learned how to do, and I'm still learning how to do, is to name my emotions—to literally speak them out.”
(42:43) Athletes for Justice…
(48:33) Uniting athletes and justice with a permanent Food Mart…
(52:17) “People follow authenticity, people follow vulnerability, people follow courage, and being real in a world full of fakes is courageous.”
References
Sam's NFL stats - pro-football-reference.com
Let the World See You: How to Be Real in a World of Fakes by Sam Acho - Amazon
Athletes for Justice - website
Athletes for Justice podcast - Apple Podcasts
The Home Team Podcast - Apple Podcasts
Guest
Sam Acho - Instagram | Twitter
Sam's fav UCAN product: Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bar
Hosts:
Jon Rankin - gobemore.co | @chasejonrankin
Bryan Green - maketheleapbook.com | @maketheleapbook
Learn More:
Your Personal Best Awaits