JJ Birden was 5’ 9” and 157 lbs by the time he was drafted into the NFL. 

JJ had a long and successful career of nine years in the NFL by putting in the work and doing the little things that most people are never willing to do while overcoming rejection over and over again.

In this episode, you’ll hear JJ’s journey from torn ACL to nine years in the NFL to professional speaker and everything in between. 

Don’t miss this fantastic conversation with one of the hardest working and kindest people on the planet!

Episode Highlights:

 

• 01:07 - How JJ got into football
• 03:53 - Did JJ have any doubts about making it
• 05:44 - How JJ went from being a 5 ft 9 in walk-on to having a 9-year NFL career
• 09:08 - How JJ recovered from a torn ACL 
• 15:33 - What drove JJ to push past the rejections
• 19:21 - Where JJ believed he could make an impact
• 22:32 - How to keep focus
• 25:47 - The impact JJ’s kids have had on his life
• 31:29 - Why you decided to start doing speaking
• 34:23 - How JJ grew his career through building relationships
• 37:19 - What JJ is most proud of in his career
• 39:33 - What advice JJ would give to his younger self
• 42:19 - How JJ handled the naysayers
• 50:18 - The Impact Greg made on JJ at the University of Oregon

Guest at a Glance

Despite being the #1 high school wide receiver in Oregon, JJ didn’t receive a single D1 scholarship offer. He was fast enough for sure, but at 5’9 and 133 lbs., JJ was just too small to play with the big boys. At least that’s what the naysayers thought; JJ knew he was good enough, and he set his mind to achieving the impossible. All he needed was an opportunity, no matter how small, even if it meant making his own.

Learn more about JJ Birden

Notable Quotes

• “I wanted to make sure I was the talent who put in the work.”
• “You will do whatever it takes. So I didn't care how many nos I got or how many times I was rejected because I knew I could play. I knew I had the physical gift. I knew I had an intelligence. I knew I have a toughness. It was just a matter of getting healthy and getting in the right situation.”
• “Every Sunday night I put my weekly schedule together and make sure that I have something in place that ultimately is going to accomplish whatever the goal I have for that week.”
• “Could you really sleep at night knowing you could have made a difference?”
• “One of the best ways to cut down the inevitable learning curve in anything we do is finding someone who's already walked the journey, the road, that you're trying to get on.”
• Greg Bell: “if you were going to go someplace, ask somebody coming back from that place. But make sure they have a smile on their face.”
• “Not everyone's going to understand your journey, not everyone's going to understand the choices you make and that's okay.”
• “Everybody wants it, but not everybody's willing to put in the work to get it.”
• “genetics has nothing to do with you waking up at 5:00 AM and going into the gym.”
• “The concept of being more than an athlete always drove me.”

Learn more about Greg Bell

More than just a motivational speaker, Greg Bell is a Portland, Oregon based thought leader, business consultant, and leadership coach. His popular books, What’s Going Well? and Water The Bamboo: Unleashing The Potential Of Teams And Individuals, have inspired an array of organizations, from Fortune 500 companies like Nike, Disney, and Comcast, to the Portland Trail Blazers and Division I NCAA athletic teams like the Oregon Ducks Football and the Gonzaga Bulldogs Basketball. 

Visit Greg’s website.

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