This week, I had the opportunity to interview a couple of highly decorated former athletes, with former pro basketball player Josh Washington in episode 10: REBORN, and former pro football player and Winter Olympian Johnny Quinn in episode 11: PUSH. Both shared their stories of overcoming incredible challenges, adversities, and doubt to ultimately navigate through to victory. What jumped out to me was their common themes of identity and faith.

For Josh, early success on the basketball court helped him avoid bullying and unwanted attention that a stutter likely would have brought. He went all in on his hoop dreams, ultimately receiving countless awards and honors as an athlete before being offered more than two dozen scholarships to prestigious college programs across the country.

For Johnny, it was a similar journey in terms of success in competition, but dramatically different in terms of opportunity. With just one Division 1 offer coming through at the last minute before signing day, he headed to college with something to prove.

For both, sport naturally grew as an extension of who they were as people. Josh Washington the basketball player and Johnny Quinn the football player were badges they both wore with pride.

But as they say, pride cometh before the fall.

But what I absolutely love about both Josh Washington and Johnny Quinn is that they made it through. A personal, professional, and spiritual wasteland awaits all of us when that thing we used to define ourselves is taken…or even given…at the end of a season in our life. It is human nature to try and bandage those wounds as best we can, pick up the pieces, and press on. 

What about you? Do you find yourself in that wilderness now, reaching for purpose? Or maybe you’ve already managed to walk through it, living to tell someone else about how you survived. I’d love to hear about it. 

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Becoming Undone is a NiTROHype Creative production. Written and produced by me, Toby Brooks. If you or someone you know has a story of resilience and victory to share for Becoming Undone, contact me at undonepodcast.com. Follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at becomingundonepod and follow me at TobyJBrooks. Listen, subscribe, and leave us a review Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.