Episode 52
A CONVERSATION WITH MANTI TE’O
MANTI TE’O | HIS JOURNEY OF FAITH, FOOTBALL, FORGIVENESS, AND ENDURING THE CHALLENGE OF LIFE
Manti was living in Hawaii with his family, and was driving in the car with his dad, when his dad suddenly turned and asked him, “Manti, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
Almost without hesitation, Manti responded, “A football player.” His grandpa and other relatives had been great football players, and he wanted to follow in their footsteps. It seemed like a simple answer.
But then, according to Manti, his dad asked him a follow-up question that would change everything:
“Do you just want to play football, or do you want to be the best football player the world’s ever seen?”
Even at such a young age, this question had a deep impact on Manti. He resolved that day that not only was he going to play football, but he was going to train and practice and commit himself to being the absolute best there was.
Manti went on to dominate the football field—both in college and the NFL. His story is a reminder of an important question we all need to ask ourselves: Am I just playing the game, or am I playing to dominate the game?
Dominating the game requires a different approach than merely just playing it. It requires a work ethic and hunger that is far beyond any other players. It means committing yourself body and soul to a goal, and not stopping until you’ve reached it.
So many people just play the game of football, work, relationships, or even marriage casually. As long as they’re “not losing”, they think they’re winning—but then wonder why they don’t feel as good about their work/marriage/etc as they would like to.
When you decide to dominate, new possibilities and winnings open up that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. The gold medalists in the Olympics get all the brand deals, recognition, and glory, even though they only won by .01 second sometimes. It pays to be #1. It pays to dominate.
So grateful for Manti for sharing his incredible insights at MW3.
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