Justin Meram is an international figure in the sport of soccer… also a friend of mine from our Michigan days… and this is a guy that has worked for every ounce of success he has. I love his story off the field the most. He was someone that was completely under the radar in high school- not getting any looks from colleges- in fact he almost didn’t even go to college. He worked his way up from junior college to the University of Michigan… to then being drafted in the first round of the MLS in 2011. He’s been playing 9 years professionally now, and is also a member of the Iraqi men’s national team as he breaks through barriers which we will talk about in the conversation. His parents were both born in Iraq but it wasn’t until an adult that Justin went back, and it’s just a really interesting story

What I love the most about Justin as a person and in this conversation is his ability to open up and own his journey. He’s really transparent about some of the mental struggles he’s dealt with behind the scenes as a professional athlete and why that’s been hard as a man and an athlete that’s always expected to be “strong” and “unemotional” to the external world. We talk about the beauty and misery of social media when you’re on the public stage (or any stage). He explains the journey of self-acceptance and what that has looked like for him. I also love his stories about visiting Iraq, and helps us understand a beautiful culture Americans are typically fearful of. He shares some of the key lessons he’s learned through his nine years of playing professional soccer.

In this episode we talk about:

- His player’s tribune article, which was an AMAZING read about being a bridge between America and Iraq

- His decision to play for the Iraqi Men’s National soccer team, why that decision brought him closer to understanding who he is as a person, and how he’s bridging the gap between two cultures that don’t understand each other

- A behind the scenes lens of a professional athlete

- Mental and physical health- how to maintain it when all eyes seem to be on you in a pressured situation

- Overcoming fear, self-doubt, external negativity, and pressure on a public scale

- Leaning on faith, family, and an inner circle during adversity

- His decision to play for the Iraqi Men’s National Soccer team and the challenges of integrating into a brand new culture

o How he was able to connect and build bridges with an unfamiliar culture

- His first trip back to Iraq and how impactful connecting with his roots has been

- The emotions of being traded

- How isolation can trickle in to a professional athlete’s life when you’re going through mental turbulence

- Masculinity and vulnerability- how those two things don’t seem to go together in sports and why that’s a problem for athletes

- Finding self-acceptance in a speculated role of being a pro athlete

- Staying centered amidst any external negativity