Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset - Special Edition- TDS Orlando Roadshow with Legacy Pro Sports

Episode Date: July 22, 2024

Episode Highlights: Join us for a special live episode recorded at The Legacy Pro Sports charity event, where we engage in a powerful conversation about the critical importance of mental health support for former athletes. Our esteemed guests include former NFL stars and mental health advocates who share their personal experiences, challenges, and the urgent need for comprehensive support and treatment for retired athletes. Featured Guests: Brandon and Pamela Siler: Former NFL linebacker Brandon Siler and his wife Pamela discuss their journey through the mental health challenges faced by athletes post-retirement. They shed light on the gaps in insurance coverage and the physical and mental health issues that retired NFL players often encounter. Ryan Sherry: Professional pickleball player and entrepreneur Ryan Sherry shares his insights on maintaining mental wellness amidst the pressures of competitive sports. Ryan emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and funds to support mental health initiatives for athletes. Paris Todd: Rising star Paris Todd talks about the impact of sports on mental health and the determination required to overcome challenges. Paris highlights the need for a positive mindset and the crucial role of support systems in achieving success. Brandon Bostick: Known for his NFL career, Brandon Bostick opens up about his personal battles with mental health and the significance of open discussions to reduce stigma. Brandon provides valuable advice on seeking help and the importance of community support. Chris Leak: Former University of Florida quarterback and national champion Chris Leak discusses the transition from professional sports to new endeavors and the mental health struggles that can accompany this shift. Chris underscores the need for mentorship and leadership in guiding younger athletes through their journeys. Key Conversation Points: Mental Health Challenges for Retired Athletes: Our guests delve into the mental health issues faced by former NFL players due to a lack of insurance coverage and adequate support. They share personal stories and highlight the physical and psychological toll of professional sports. Raising Awareness and Funds: The speakers emphasize the critical need for raising awareness and funds to support mental health treatment for athletes. They discuss the role of charity events like The Legacy Pro Sports in providing resources and support for retired athletes. Determination and Mindset: Learn about the importance of determination and a positive mindset in overcoming challenges both on and off the field. Our guests share their strategies for maintaining mental wellness and staying motivated. Support Systems: The conversation highlights the significance of support from friends, family, and colleagues in overcoming mental health challenges. Our guests stress the importance of a strong support network in navigating the pressures of sports and life. Open Discussions: Discover why open discussions about mental health are essential in reducing stigma and providing necessary support for athletes. Our guests advocate for creating a culture of openness and understanding to promote mental wellness. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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I'll be working. Just know I'm a go for mine. Because I earned it. They watch and I know it's time. I confirmed it. A whole society, Determine. Yo, yo, yo.

My people, what's going on? Sean French here, the Determined Society. We are back. Hey, got an amazing episode for you today. It's going to look a little different than you're used to. But this is the very first road show that the Determine Society has ever done. We traveled up to Orlando and attended Ligendon. Pro Sports charity event that was raising money for NFL veterans that just don't have long-term

disability to help them with their mental health, to help them with their bodies, everything like that. So sit back, take a listen. You're going to hear some amazing stories from some former NFL players, some professional pickleball players, and just celebrities that really are talking about determination. So again, sit back, enjoy the show today. It's going to look a little different than everything that you're used to seeing. But I can promise you it's amazing.

And the mission that Legacy Pro Sports is on to help former athletes improve their life, their mental health is admirable. Check it out. Hey, let's like a load. Just play. No, turn me up. Tell me what do you see? When you're looking at me. Whoa.

I'm missing to feed it. What I'm destined to feed Whoa Well, basically, man, we have a rehab facility where we treat guys for mental health, right? We know we have over 5,000 guys that we get disability for And a lot of those guys need mental health treatment when they're done So not only do we do mental health, we do substance abuse, I mean it's anxiety depression, neurological issues, all of that

But what people don't know is that after the NFL, A lot of these NFL guys only get insurance for five years. So after that, they're on their own. And that's when the problem starts showing up. All the problems. All the problems, all the problems. You get older, body starts breaking down a little bit. There you go.

So what we do, and what we're doing this weekend, is we're raising money for those guys. That's bad. But we can raise money for mental health awareness amongst athletes and basically get to the treatment that they can't really afford without that insurance. So we got a pickleball event in the morning, right? right, bright and early in the morning where we're going to do a kids camp and then afterwards we're going to allow

some of the adult sponsors to wrangle it up with the pros and see what they really is. That's going to be pretty cool, man. Yes, sir. Hey, the big thing, though, man, like the big causes for mental health, and I think you and I've talked about this before, nobody talks about mental health, especially men.

They don't talk about it a whole lot. And I think that's the problem, right? So the fact that you guys are out of here doing all this stuff for men, mental health, you know, former athletes, man, it's a big deal, bro. Yeah, for sure. And of course it's getting better, right? With the awareness, people get better.

But the one thing that we do at our facility is we can make guys better. Yeah. Right. So that's not addressed enough. It's kind of like when you see somebody that says, okay, well, look, over time, I'm just going to get worse, right? Yeah. Well, it's just like your body, right?

Your mind is like your body. It's a big muscle, right? And if you don't work it, over time, you will get worse, right? It's like your belly. Yep. Right? If you don't eat right. What you're saying, bro?

I'm not talking. my choke belly. I'm just saying the belly in dinner. Right. If you don't work it, it's going to get fat. But you can work it. You can do sit-ups. You can eat the right things.

They can get better. That's what we do in mental health. So we basically get into the neurons and we basically recognize, okay, look, these are things that are going on and then these are things that I can do to make that better. So guys walk away and they feel 100% better.

And it's great because you guys have a service that they can go in California at Pure. and have a luxury experience and not feel uncomfortable while we're there. Yeah, exactly, because most of our guys, they're used to living good, right? You can't put them in something that looked like a jail cell

and allow them to get their mind right, right? So out of our facility, we got $4.5 million houses, they go out there, they're on the water and they're amongst their brothers. Right, right. And it's important for that because now they let their gate down a lot faster and only once you let your gate down,

you can start getting this building. How much of it, of that, the camaraderie, right? Because those are the brothers, right? It's like they might have been in a locker room with them before, but now they're at this facility that they can go through this journey with. How does that impact of them having somebody on that level with them? Well, I think it's important because once you realize that these guys are on that same journey, they went through some of the similar things that you went through.

You don't have to be at the same place in your life that the next guy is. You might be farther alone, and that way you can pull somebody else up Or somebody might be further alone to you, and they can pull you up. So this is a very important thing for me. We got a pickleball in the morning, then we got our celebrity basketball game in the evening, and then we turn it around on Sunday, and we got our golf tournament with the apple party.

That's awesome, man. We're going to turn up and be good. It's good, man. Yes, sir. I'm doing, baby. So I guess the best example is veterans. You know, veterans, you see all the time. Guys will go to the veterans office,

and they'll get, like, 60% disability. And the reason is they don't have paperwork here, paperwork there. Same thing in the NFL. You know, in the NFL, you're paid to say you're healthy. And now the problem is that shoulder injury that you hurt for years ago that has caused you pain. Now you need a surgery on. Now they're trying to say, how do we know it's the NFL injury?

And that's the problem. So our job is to make them look bad, you know? Have you seen a lot of the organization, like the big NFL MLB decline players of their coverage and everything like that? Well, what's crazy is, you know, the MLB has gotten pretty much insurance for life. MBA's got insurance for life. NFL has huge contracts, but they don't have insurance for life.

It's only five years. And at the end of the day, you go play a sport where you're having constant collision, constant concussion, constant issues. How are you going to stay insured? I mean, who wants to insure you? It's a, it's a, it's a, you throw money in a pond. Exactly. So you guys help them.

So after five years, you know, basically they don't have insurance. But we help them with a disability. They'll pay them for 90 months, $4,500 a month. Another one that'll pay $11,000 up to $22,000 a month. Okay. From $2.3 to $3.7 million. And, you know, everybody talks about NFL players, you know, guys going broke and whatnot. Well, they've got more money put aside for their 401k because, you know, the average life in the NFL is two and a half years.

So you play three years. You're considered vested retirement. So you and me can only go put away $17,000 a year or $8,500 a year. The NFL does an amazing job. They get a bad rap. They do an amazing job. They put the money away early. The problem is the guys can't touch that money for 30 years.

So they don't need retirement plans. They don't need Northwestern mutual trust. They need income. Yeah. There's been no way to talk about that stuff. Yeah, and it's not a weak thing. It's a real thing. And it's something that needs to be talked about among us, our children,

with social media and all those things that are embarking now on our kids. Right, right. It just means so much when we all can come together and raise it and say, it's okay. All of us have to check in with our mental health and say, you know what, today is not a good day for me. It ain't good, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's okay and that doesn't make you weak, baby. Yeah, so what you try, I go hard forever, that's just how I'm designed, that's just how I was built. See the look in my eyes, you take all of this from me, and I'm still going to survive.

Yeah, so what they're really doing is they're supporting mental health and they're helping out a lot of kids. I mean, you saw today there was over. 60, 70 kids that came out to play pickleball. So the fact that he's able to influence kids like that through the sport that he loves and that he gets to be a part of. I mean, it's so cool. And the fact that him and Brandon, how about so many people in general with their business now do this and translate over to kids and mental health is just super special.

Mental health was something I struggle with. And I found legacy sports and it helped me improve my life and improve my quiet life and helped me get out of a dark situation I was in. So it means everything to me. It means just improving my life and improving my quality of life. Yeah, so you were touched by mental health during your career or post career? Both. Both.

I think it started when I was playing. I went through a traumatic event. I dropped a big pass for our team to go to the Super Bowl. So that started then. Then COVID hit. So COVID kind of set me back, and I just realized a lot of things about myself. So then it started during COVID. So from COVID and on, I've been just trying to improve every day and get better.

You go through every pass, every play, right? And is that like the one you remember? Yeah. You probably did so many more positive things in your career. to get to that point. So I want to talk to the audience about that. For sure. Realize that, you know, we're going to have times

where we drop the ball from real speaking. But we've done so many amazing things in our careers and our lives. And it's important to focus on that. How have you been able to shift your focus back on the amazing things that you've done instead of, you know, stay there in that moment? I think, like you said, remember all the good things that I've done. I remember who I am as a person. Yeah.

And just remind myself of the things that I'm capable of. And just, I think my purpose is just, you know, helping people. I'm done with football, I think I have a passion in helping people. So I fulfill my purpose of them helping someone who's struggling with their mental health. Or if I'm just speaking about mental health, so I think that's what it is for me now and just talk about my struggles and helping people as well. A lot of people almost take winning a little too far sometimes and that kind of really strange things for your mental health. I mean, I never personally had a problem with it. I think we always try to stay grounded.

brother we kept each other kind of on the same kind of mental playing field but definitely people can can win or lose and just it's the biggest thing in the world of them and that's good and bad so it's just being able to deal with that kind of those kind of things you know it's hard and i think everybody watching can understand when you're in athletics you're in a competitive environment you want to win right and sometimes there's individuals that take it a little bit too far which to me when you take it too far you come out of alignment of the core human kindness value use, I think that can cause a lot of mental health issues. What are your thoughts? I agree. I mean, me and my brother, we kind of lean on our faith to kind of keep us grounded. So having that, I think,

is this huge thing that we kind of lean on and not to take it too seriously, I would say. Winning's great and it's fun, but it's not really the biggest thing in the world. I don't think you can put it too high on a pedestal because I don't think you can ever reach it fully. Even if you're number one in the world, you probably still feel maybe a little empty inside. It's longlier than It's lonely, yeah. People are after you and it's lonely and maybe they don't like you. They think you're cocky. They make assumptions about you that probably aren't true and maybe you start to believe

that. So it's just a slippery slope and you just got to have the right people around you and just stay grounded and I think that's where you really get your success for the long term. Maybe not the short term is quickly but... Yeah. My night, bitch in the cell, listen in the charge, fishing you beatin'all, it's yours, fishin you beat the odds. The show, not missing.

Well, it goes along with having the right mindset, you know, and that's one thing that I know my buddy Brandon Siler, he brings out here is the determination you have to have to of what you want to do in life and who you want to be. And it's, you have to have that to continue because they're going to have peaks in valleys. And when the valleys come, that's when the determination kicks in. So building that up and training your mind to be able to, to be able to withstand those things is really, really important. It's so important when that valley hits, right? It's like doing what you said you were going to do long after the emotion is worn off, right? Very few people stick with that, man. Yeah, no doubt.

You know, that's the one thing. It's like so much about sports is about mindset. I mean, this game of golf that we come out here enjoy playing, it's shot for shot, it's situation to situation. And all sports are like that. Every sport, every thing is a different situation. And having the determination to lock in and focus is such a huge part of having success you want to have. I love it, man. You heard it. Chris Lee, determination, going through the valleys

and getting right back up to the top, determination. How has determination for the factor in your whole life, in your business and the music that you've got? It's been a major factor. I think for me personally just being around people that are like-minded, they want to succeed, they want to put their best image, put their best foot forward, helps me become motivated. I think with a lot of stuff we do is being out in community for a lot of events. And so just trying to encourage people to become active participants. A lot of what we do is, you know, giving back to the community for charitable causes. And so that's a big, you know, kind of factor for myself is saying, hey, we want to motivate people to kind of either get out of slumps or get out of kind of ups and downs that they're going through and, you know, lift each other up.

Absolutely, man. Determination's a funny thing, right? And we all know it. You guys know it watching now. It's not always there, right? Sometimes it lays underneath the surface on the days where you having a hard time to get going. How do you bring that determination to the very forefront? We're sitting here on a golf course.

I can tell you there's a lot of ups and downs happening. So that's a big parallel, even on the pickleball court in professional livelihoods that we do have. My peers, they're a great kind of support system that I have to kind of lift me up. That's really been key for me as friends, family, and my colleagues. I think I intrinsically have a desire to succeed and see other people. people, you know, I want them to have what I have. So that's a huge factor for myself. And so having a good support system, I think, is a big piece for me.

And that's something that Ryan and Sherry put the Ryan and Sherry and Brandon Sauer put out together. And that's, you know, why we want to be here today. I love it, man. Thank you. You heard it right there. I think what sports has done early on is it teaches a discipline, right? It teaches a focus.

It teaches a skill set that training. translates and transfers on the court, but what you understand that it also transfers off the court, it's just figuring out how to translate this new language into the business world, which is the hardest transition from doing something that you've done your entire life to not figuring out what does life look like next after sports. So it's been a good skill set to learn and master. Absolutely. You got to learn it first. You got to learn this new walk first and then what you're learning, then you master. apply that information and the determination that you had in sports and into real life it's a hard thing right nobody's clapping anymore sometimes you got to clap for yourself man the pom-poms are gone the cheerleading is gone from family to close friends and you know until you figure out how to make them clap again so yeah absolutely yeah absolutely yeah how is determination put it back in It's everything. It's just like in sports.

Right. You know, you work your tail off to have success. And business is the same thing. Have a plan, work your plan, and bust your butt. Now, it brings a burning question, though. Yeah. Sometimes when you're working that plan, things don't always happen right when you want them to. So how do you push past those days where you feel like you're being suppressed and nothing's moving?

Grind. Just grind. Grind, right? You heard it's simple. You keep coming, right? You don't give up. Don't give up. That's determination.

Yeah. Love it, man. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, man. Appreciate you guys. Absolutely.

Thank you. I teach my kids that relentless positivity is the key to life. You can do anything. I used to be 400 pounds. Five years got 400 pounds. I lost 200 pounds. You can do anything you want with relentless positivity and believe it in yourself. That's what I do.

Oh, I love it, man. I love it. How about the days where you don't feel like doing it, though? Those are the days where you get your best workout. That teaches you perseverance. It teaches you to be resilient and gives you grit. Those are your best fucking workouts ever. I love it.

Absolutely, bro. Thank you, Doug. You demand, dude. That's my kids. He was meeting.