THE ED MYLETT SHOW - Donavin Darius - Getting Drafted Into Your Dreams

Episode Date: January 9, 2018

Ed Mylett has special guest Donavin Darius on the show this week! Donavin shares his experience of coming from extreme poverty to being in the NFL. He realized at the age of fifteen that he wanted a change for him and those around him and has dedicated his life to becoming the best version of himself. Tune into hear more about his incredible journey...

Welcome to Champions Forum hosted by Ed Myles. Welcome to the Ed Myles show and my guest today is a 10 year NFL veteran, one of the best defensive backs in the NFL for many, many years. He dominated on the defensive side of the football, but probably more impressive for me is his contribution. He's made off the field since 19 or 2007 when he retired and so this man is an incredible communicator. He's a giver. He's committed to giving to his community and to his fellow man. He's a gifted, talented, good man and I've got

to know him over the last couple months and I consider him a friend. This man is hosting a new show on the Cardone Network called Road to Sunday Glory. He's one of the top trainers and motivational speakers for companies and teams in the country. I'm proud to call him my friend and I'm excited about today's conversation so I want to welcome the great Donovan Darius to the program today Donovan. Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for having me. Thank you man man. I, too, I second what you said, man. I call you friend. You, you seem to be and have been driven to inspire, motivate people. And so I always say you can determine your destination by your association. It's going great to be

in great company with you, sir. Yeah. Well, I'm, I'm real excited about this because I think people want to know a little bit about and thank you, by the way. I think people want to know a little bit about football, but I'm interested in you because, you know, when I shook your hand, I met you. You know, I meet a lot of athletes and you're different. And there's a, there's a genuine goodness that you sense about you right when you meet you.

Your obvious giftedness of your athleticism, your good look and do, your very fit, but immediately you start to notice the more important things about you. And I knew that right when I met you. I shook your hand. I'm going to like this man. And then as I've listened to you more and more, I thought myself, this is such a good man and I want to get his word out to people. And so I mean that, Donovan.

And so I want to learn where all this comes from because. Well, I appreciate that man. And I say the same thing about you. And so everyone wants to know where does it start? Yeah. What got you to do the motivation? I think at the end of the day, I believe that we are all born with potential, but it's only through us walking it out through experiences, discovering really going

so searching, where we will be able to identify what are those things that I'm truly gifted at, or what is my purpose? Why am I here? I mean, you hear countless number of people always, you hear about the word purpose, but at this core it is the reason why I believe that we were all Created and we're here fully loaded We're fully loaded and it's up to us to pour it out. You know, we were born We were born fool and we want to die empty and that just means that I just want to pour out my life and give to so many so that at the end of the day, I know I have nothing left to get. And so the source of it all for me, a lot goes back to me growing up in Canada, New Jersey. I grew

up one of five kids, my mom, you know, we lived in very humble beginnings, not a fact. It's a couple of statistics. You know, them was rated when I grew up the number three words danger city to live in and it would also have it was a ranking where it says 80% of people live below the poverty line. Eric said they said three out of five people would would experience some type of personal theft and there was a 30% chance of semi-war experience of violent crime in her life. And so for me, every day I walked out the house and to the left and to the right, I saw games on one side, I saw drug deals on the other side. And there wasn't anything around me that showed me

that I can become anything. But what I did is I had a mom and I had a family and a support system that basically told me, and I'll never forget, beyond a sacrifice from a mom, there was a counselor that I went to, and I should've known it was Mr. Thomas. And I said, Mr. Thomas, I am tired of every time I turn around, my mom is working up behind all two jobs.

It's five of us. I come home, I take the electric suite to see if we have electricity. I open at the refrigerator sometimes there's nothing in there, okay, our car's barely worked at times. And I said, you know, I want to do something different. I want to make it different. I want to change things. I'm only, I'm only 15 years old.

Wow. You're saying this is 15 years old? Yes, at 15 years old because I knew, because when you're in that situation, you don't really know that you're poor. You don't really know your book, but what you do know is that you want better. You do know that you want to bring about hope. You do know that you want to give something more than what you can to make things different.

Because when you look at your mom, when you see your mom crying because she's barely making ends meet and she got a five-kid to to see then there's something in you that should come alive So what I wanted to this counselor and I said miss Thomas I told him everything that was going on My life can't eat after he said this to me said no, but I know your kids from Canada And I know what they say about you and everybody around you But if you put your mind to this It's just something if you really believe that and you go after with everything you have, nothing and no one can stop you.

You know, my life changed after that moment, after that moment, and after he said that. Because I was ready that I told my mom the night before, I said, mom, I'm not going to play football anymore. Because I want to get a job and I want to help you. And she said, Donovan, no, you go ahead and you go play Because I think God's gonna God's gonna work it out Next day I had a conversation with Mr. Thomas and you know the rest you know the rest of my journey

You know they continue from there, but it started there. Wow, you and the journey the journey's crazy though I mean you have to admit did you I'm a go back to even little or donovan just for a second because I know a little bit about this But I want people to hear this so this man just so you all know I mean I'm a huge NFL fan so I knew donovan was when I met it right but some of you may not know all this He's great a player as he was this man was a first round draft pick at the Jaguars This is a guy played ten years in the NFL. This guy was the biggest offensive player the year in college I mean this this dude was the real deal. You want to see some hits, by the way.

You go on YouTube and find this hit of this, go Google Donovan Darius Jerome Betis and watch that hit. You'll know who this man is. But, so he sounds like a sweetie pie here, but believe me on the football field, this is a man you did not want to see coming at you. But having said that, did you grow up playing football? Obviously a great athlete, but did you grow up playing football? Did you always know it was going to be playing football or was there another journey to get you to football? Yeah, you know what's interesting, Ed? I thought that I would be a track star, man. I saw

myself in the Olympics and the reason why was because I tell this story all the time, you know, growing up, we used to take those bricks from the old buildings that was broken down and we would draw lanes on the street. And that was our track team right there. That was our track meet. So we used to race and race and race and race. And then I'll tell people that I never started playing football until I was in high school. And here's why.

When I went out to go for the pop-runner team, the centerville symbols back in Camino's jersey, I made the team. I was so excited, but at the end, they said, don't, it cost $35 per register to play the year, and we didn't have $35. And so you can imagine a heartbreak of a kid. He's one to play, he's trying to out,

if he made it. But because of kid, he's one to play, he's trying to out if he made it, but because of finances, he couldn't afford it. And that's why, and throughout life, I'm sure we all had these moments, but that's why through that moment, I made sure that when I started, having camps and stuff for kids, I said I would never, ever turn away a kid

or a parent because of finances. And so I didn't play football when I was a potworner, but I did play football. You would have thought I was football player before school on the playground at the parks. And that effect I had in my best game ever. And you're gonna laugh at this man. It was in the cemetery.

They had a grass patch in the cemetery. And God rest their souls man. It was somebody underneath that was playing. It was somebody over there. There was a football player in the cemetery and got a rest there so was man it was somebody underneath that train is in my own. There was a football player in the brace home man. I have my best game in the cemetery man but that was my history man. I ran track and I played football you know you know with the playgrounds. It wasn't so ninth grade that I got to play through. Wow that's a man. Your mother obviously you and I were talking about four man all your siblings turned out pretty special too. Your mother's an amazing woman. I get the feeling though your father was not around all the time. You can talk about that. But also all of us have special kind of people in our lives. And I know Eugene for you. I think your brother, this was someone who was special for you, particularly too. So just a little bit was dad around or was someone else in your life instrumental

at the same time? Oh, almost definitely. And so growing up, and I talk a lot about my mom, and we had talked before, and just for all the listeners, understand this, a man is made by his mom. Yeah. OK, so if you want to look at the guy and how well he's doing, and if he's doing well on success,

you can always attribute that back to the type of mom that he has. Now, the fathers, they give the identity. You know, I have to be girls. And so, you know, my girls are kind of just like me. They're driven at one at Alabama. You know, we went and tracked another one. We had full scholarship on track. Another one's full scholarship and bought it by another one, full scholarship. You know, another one with a full scholarship,

and bought it by another one with a full scholarship, you know, it will be a full scholarship, and basketball, and they're just driven, driven, driven, driven. And so I can attribute a lot of the things that I say, I saw, and I experienced, not that my model was athletic, but her character, and her discipline. And so I had my dad in my life, okay, he went to Vietnam and he did a great job and I appreciate his service. And he was around, but he came back and he had some substance issues. And like I said, I love him every moment of the life of my life, but I do know when I look back, who made the biggest impact? Who am I, I direct result of? And I would definitely say my mom.

No kidding. That's awesome, brother Yeah, she's got to be so proud of you So we fast forward you end up getting a scholarship to see it. Did you I just curious did you play with Donovan McNabb at Syracuse at the same time? I did I did I didn't play with Donovan McNabb and that's an interesting story man, you know most people You know, we're all product of our journey. And I think it is our journey. It is our experiences. It is those things, those moments of our life. We really take personal inventory. We'll see, you know, how they impact this, why we do what we do. So I remember going to Syracuse. Most people may get in the car, hate, a family, you know,

bunker everybody up. Let's go to Syracuse. let's go to college, take, you know, son and nephews or daughter to college. Well, my college journey, I was at a Greyhound bus station and didn't know there were one suitcase. I had one new outfit that we purchased in a suitcase to go off to college. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. My mom outside the window just bawled it. Because to her, it was a mix, it was a bittersweet.

On one hand, her son that she's proud of is going off to start a new journey. On the other hand, she has no idea. I'm the first one on the middle child of five. She had no idea what's about to happen. And so, you know, it was, again, it was these moments, man, that just really just trigger. And I say that so people that's listening. You know, there are again, it was these moments man that just really just trigger and I say that so people as listening

You know, there are some individuals that may go through life You know, if you're starting a new job, I'm a business and a relationship, whatever it is You know, you're one decision the way and sometimes you don't really know what's going to happen next But it takes courage, you know courage is not what you have you know any absence of fear or uncertainty. The courage is that you take in the presence of it and that's what I had to have and that's what was instilled in me and I believe that that's one of the characteristics and attitudes that helped me throughout my life. Well that is wonderfully said. That's like one of these moments you stop this and you go replay those last two minutes because that's powerful right there. So

this is I want people to hear this because he this man leaves his mother leaves high school on a Greyhound bus. Not like your normal kid who's going to school with fanfare and the flowers and the balloons and rolls up in a car with the family. This guy gets on a Greyhound bus to go to Syracuse, right? And so some of us in our lives right now we feel like we're on the Greyhound bus and our lives, right? A lot of us listening to this right now, we feel like we're on the Greyhound bus in our lives, right? A lot of us listening to this do. Now listen to this everybody.

This man goes away to Syracuse, his mother waves at him. I'm obviously she saw him throughout college, but she sends him away on a Greyhound bus, but he comes back and it's draft time. So take me through this day, because this is a life-changing day, and everyone, there's a metaphor here. Not all of us are gonna get drafted to the NFL, but there is a day,

there is going to be a day for those of you that have that courage Donovan is talking about where you are going to get drafted into your dream. You're going to step in, you're going to go, my God, I'm getting my call now, this is my time, right? So tell me about this, this first round pick everybody, but you don't know your first round pick necessarily, right? That day, I know because I was drafted, I wasn't a first round pick everybody, but you don't know your first round pick necessarily, right? That day, I know, because I was drafted, I wasn't a first round pick,

and I know no matter what the scouts tell you, unless you're those first three, four, five, eight guys, you're not 100% sure you're going that first day. So what's that day like? Cause this is the day you step into your dream. You go away on a gray hound bus, you come back, I assume you're with your family that day, and now you're about to step into your dream.

What's that day like? Tell everybody what that's like. That's a great question, Ed. And actually, if I could, I want to take another step back because I believe in life, life will call you and life will test you. And I remember receiving two calls in my life. One of them was a dress time and I was here. But I went to back up just a few years, a couple years earlier when I was in college.

So I'm off the Syracuse. I'm a junior, a junior college, and we had spring ball. It was around, we had spring ball. We just completed it, and I did home to my dorm room. It was, in fact, it was April to 18th. I'll never forget the day. And I seen a voice message light on that there was you know

There was a message. I picked up the phone and it was my mom and I my mom used to leave me messages and people used to leave Me a lot of time, but it was something about her voice this time as that was different in other time She said down that I need you to call me We're waiting and for me I mean, I heard say that at different time, but it was never that way This you can imagine what's going on inside of me like, what is it? You know, what happened? So when I called my mom, she said, Donovan, I got some bad news.

She said to brothers, Antoine and Chris, who were both in high school at the time, said they were at high school. They were in a gymnasium at the crack practice. And somebody walked up in the gym with a gun. And they said, hey, if y'all don't do ADRC, then we're going to kill y'all. And so I'm here. My mom told me this on the other line. And I'm feeling like what in the world is going on? You know, what happened? What can I do? And we talk about life going to call you. These moments going to call you what you were purpose for. What's your name here for? A lot of

times people have a lot of weight on them but guess what God had never put more on you than you can bear and so before I can even think about it the words on my mouth said mom put them on the bus and send them to me and so that was on a Tuesday my mom's after we held the phone

she put she got it we got a ticket for her and put my two brothers on the bus another greyhound bus They sent them up to live with me as Syracuse. So you can imagine instantaneous in a matter of one day I was not only a full-time student, a full-time athlete. I became their brother. I got legal custody of their father figure. Okay, and I was their friend. all this while I'm in college. Wow. And so that called to me was that call of leadership.

It was letting me know that listen to you, it was for this purpose, not even that you are here. It is because of the drive that you know, the desire to want to impact and motivate and inspire and help other people that now you're going to receive the call versus somebody else. And so fast forward, people always say, down the road, what was the most exciting time for you? Was it getting drafted? Was it having the first baby at the time? Was it being married? No.

My biggest moment was being able to receive my brother's graduation. Because had I not answered the call, and had individuals here on this phone and watching this had not answered the call. And individuals here on this phone and watching this have not answered the call. God don't need those. What could have happened to them? Wow. And so I'm so grateful that life will call your life a testion so fast forward. That's an amazing. So I just want to acknowledge that. That's unbelievable right there. Just so you know, but can 40 tells you this. Can you all feel this man's spirit? You know what I'm talking about, right? You can hear it and feel it. There's a different energy with people that are special, that are leaders that have answered the call.

You can feel it when this man speaking to you. It's just different. This man's an influencer. You can hear that. I'm gonna tell you in a minute, by the way, how you can get access to him, but you gotta hear the draft story. So give us that, Donovan.

Man, so April 18th, I'm in Del Wendell, Jersey. Everybody is on draft 8 college or NFL team. So you can go first round, second round, and not draft at all. So you can imagine my mom in Del Wendell, Jersey lived on the second floor apartment building. That day, it was so stressful because you have no idea think about it. Somebody calls your phone again, and you can either be on the West Coast and California, of Northwest, of Northwest Washington, and Seattle, you can be on Florida, you can be wherever. And so I was kind of stressed out because I felt the weight. I felt the weight of that moment. So I'm sitting in the white tea chair, and I'm listening to music, just trying to get away, block everything out. And I was listening to this song.

It was by a singer called Yolanda Adams. And the name of the song was, the battle was not yours. It's the Lord's. And so to me, what that meant is, down to the end, you did everything you could to get up to this point. Now you just walk in faith and trust the process that your steps out ordered. And what is going to happen, you're going to be prepared to do it. And so it's amazing like as I was listening to that song my eyes was closed, my brother who I had in college with me knocked on the window.

And he knocked on the window and said, Donovan, Jacksonville is on the phone. I said, what? He said Jacksonville is on the phone. I got out that car. If it was, if you could, if it was a 40 yard dash and you could time it, I got from my car up to the second store, top steps. In a matter of 3.5 seconds, I would have gone all record. That's how fast I got up there. But what was so amazing at that moment is that the whole room, about 500 square foot in its apartment, had about a hundred people, Tuesday I have nine of the house, and people in there.

But all these people that was in there, as I was coming up the steps, they're all parted like the Red Sea. And what I saw when I got to the top of that step was my mom at the other end of that part of the crowd with the phone holding up in her hand. And then I still get emotional today when I think about it. Because with every step I took to get to her, I kept thinking about every moment that she sacrificed,

every tear that she whipped, every time that she wanted to do, every game that she came to, and every moment and opportunity that this represents. And so I got the phone and it was close Coralson on the line. He said, Donovan, we're about to draft you. Man, I was so excited. Everybody in the house was up and down and then so what happens at that moment is then the Paul Tathalie aboot a commission that gets the car, walks across the stage and on ESPN is finding millions of people. He

said with a 25-pick of the 1998 draft the Jacksville January, I select Donovan Darius how to search is then everybody in the house went crazy man. Hey, by jumping up and down man my brothers and them they thought they were prosthetic. I knew he's gonna be trapped. No, nothing. In that moment, in that moment I heard something in the back of my mind. It's a leadership. It's a purpose.

It's at everything that I've been through led me up to this moment. And that I am here to have a purpose to lead not only my family, that's in this room, but my wife at the time, my children and the team where I go, I still live in Jacksonville to this day. I was here to impact this city. I was here to impact the school with the teams, the organization, the people because leadership, leadership has a culture. It will call you and it will test you. And so now it was an amazing, amazing moment for me, man.

It's amazing. I never look back man because again those calls man those calls that come they come at the right time They come they come they come because I truly believe deep inside you are prepared Well, you're being prepared to walk until that stage in that platform Wow, I'm picturing your mother with the with the Greyhound bus and then your mother with the phone when you walk in I just like honestly, man That's just like that's an emotional it's amazing and you I just wow I just a picture in it I see you answer in this call right now just so everybody knows he gets called for his dream And these aren't words this man saying and I'm gonna tell you what he's done on and off the field too

So this isn't just you know this isn't rara. This is, this man lives this, right? And so he gets that call. A lot of guys get drafted, a lot of first round picks. Very few guys play for 10 years. Very few people, this man was franchise tag three times. And those of you that don't know what that means, that basically means this was the guy that that team was at the right to protect that they could not lose

three years in a row. I don't even know if there were any defensive players at that time that had been franchise tag three times. Were you the first one to do it that many times? Yes, yes. I was the first one. So I tell, I can tell my kids now, and if anybody have kids and you ever did something in life, you would never know you did anything in life because the kids really don't care. You know, you're like, listen, I can tell you how to do this, whatever that. But that's my old tell you, right? I'm sure I'm not the only one I do do that, right? Yes, it's the only question. Yes, I was the only player at the time that only defensive player

that he comes to this day that has ever been franchise. Matter of fact, after they did it the third year, they changed the rule books in terms of that you can't do it the same way because they abused it, but at the end of the day, I was honored. I was honored because they said, and as I share with people and I share with organizations, are you irreplaceable? I tell people about this, about the law compensation,

which I think is so impactful and so powerful for anybody that ever desires to make a lot of money to earn, to earn a tremendous amount of wealth and to make a tremendous impact. The law compensation says this, it says you were earned in life in direct ratio to three things. You earn in direct ratio to number one, the need that there is for what you do.

So whatever line of business you're in, if there's a need for it, then you're going to earn exact ratio to that. You also want to earn in direct ratio to your ability to do it. So if you're just averaging your skill level, if you're just averaging your ability to close or your ability to communicate or your ability to be consistent, then you're going to earn average money.

And also if they can get somebody else to do it, you're going to not never go on up either. And then the third thing, the third law of the conversation says you are earning direct ratio to the difficulty that there is in replacing you. And so all right, when I talk to people, I say, listen, are you irreplaceable? Can they just get anybody in your field to do what you do?

Because if they can, then they can, either, you know, if they can, they can be replaced, and the other person is going to continue to increase. But it is because you become irreplaceable. Okay, so how do you do that? Let's talk about the show. Let's talk about that. How do you do that? So you end up, so just everybody knows, the team every year, those those three years,

this is the man, this is the player, talk about this, the highest level and professional sports everybody, right? And Donovan, you know this, a lot of guys can run a four or four, a lot of guys are six, one, two, 20 or whatever, right? There's a lot of guys can run a four four a lot of guys are six one two 20 or whatever Right, there's a lot of guys who could play and you get to that level to stay is one thing But to stay and then have a team say this is the dude we cannot lose we are protecting this one football player What did you do? What are some of the things you did to be irreplaceable other than being fast and hit because little everyone at that level does to be irreplaceable other than being fast and hit because the little everyone at that level does what separated you What did you do that someone in business or a young person in school right now? That's listening to this at any level and anything. What are a couple things you did to separate you from these other guys?

Sure, that's a great that's a great question That's a great question, and I would say these are some of the components that I see up to the day great question and I would say these are some of the components that I stayed up to the day. Now you, number one, you got to have grit. You have to have grit and to me grit means a great result and internal toughness. That means no matter what comes at you, you have a great result. You may bend but you don't break it. You may take a step back but you keep moving forward. And you have that internal toughness that says you know what, there's greater in me than whatever it is that I'm going to face. And so I actually have control of that.

I have control over the effort I give. I have control over what I watch or what I don't watch, what I listen to and what I don't listen to. And so I also, to understanding grit, the other thing is how did I look at adversity? You see, I believe mostly people look at adversity as a big stumbling block, but you look at adversity as your stepping stone, understanding this, that adversity comes here to do three things to you. Number one, it comes to teach you. It comes to show you at the end of the day that you have to do and or learn some different

things. So it comes to teach you. You ever go to school and you're in class, what happens if you don't pass the test? You've got to take it over. And so when people look at their life and like, man, the same thing, she's having it over and over and over. My question to you is, have you learned a lesson that life is trying to teach you? If not, adversity continues to come to teach you. adversity also comes to train you. You see, when we had to go out, whether it's new skills or whatever it is, backpelling, tackling, whatever the skill is, we couldn't just learn it one time. The coach couldn't just tell us one time of the thing we had it. We, matter of fact, couldn't just try it out.

There is no trying it out. You have to be trained by it. That means you have to put in repetition over and over and over. You've got to do the dirty work. Here's the thing in the NFL, okay, there's about average of 65 plays per game. But we all know out of 65 average plays a game, there's only the difference between winning or losing comes down to three plays. So that means for 62 other plays, you're doing a mundane, same thing, same thing over and over and over. And for most people, when they get tired of the training and they get tired of doing a mundane thing over and over and over and over, they're not prepared and ready for those three plays. And so understanding that it's going to be 65 plays, three of them I have to be ready. So that means I train all year, don't you offseason, for those three plays.

You will in the train, you will in the training for the right opportunity. You have to ask yourself that. Nobody can tell you that. Nobody can give you that. Nobody can control it. It's only once, it's only one space of the universe that you're in control, and that's your mind. That's the things you think about. That's how you post life. And so adversity is here to teach you. It's here to train you. And adversity is here to test you. That is absolutely awesome.

Mm. Keep going. Keep going. Everything has everything to do. Testing has everything to do with testing to see how bad do you really want it? How bad do you really want it? You see an inner and the inner fell and football see there's two seasons, but there's actually three seasons. There's the preseason, the regular season and the postseason. The preseason when people report the preseason, we put the pads on, it's new, you're aggan acclimated to the heat, you start heating and contact and your body just gives sore, you neck hurt, you back hurt, you see her, you hands hurt. But you see the purpose of the preseason is to only get you ready for the season.

You see I have a teammate, I can never trust anybody who hadn't made it through preseason. You know why? Because they weren't tested enough. And in life, if you have never got to the point where you are ready to give up, you're ready to quit, you're ready to turn back and you decide not to, then you haven't been tested by life yet. But ones who will succeed, the ones who make the most impact, the ones who their influences, the ones who will be, you know, me who will create massive success are the ones who have been tested and they overcame and now they're here to talk about it. So after the other preseason you

got the season now. So now they have about 90 guys from the preseason and by the end of the end of the preseason comes the level one they cut it down to 53. So, that means you basically have 37 guys that was there and didn't make the cut. Didn't get to the preseason to the regular season. And here it is, 16 games. You're being tested, 16 weeks to see, okay, who's gonna put themselves into the best position. And then at the end of the,

at the end of the preseason, you've got the postseason. Here's where you hand out the rewards. And I want a lot of stuff, man, I'm literally tomorrow, which you guys doing at the World of the pre-seed red receipts and you got the postseason. Here's where you hand out the rewards. And I want some out of stuff, man. I'm really admire what you guys doing at the World Financial Group. You know, I'm beginning to have postseason, I'm getting on that stage. You put a microphone in everybody's mouth, you okay, I'm fine everybody, and you ask them, how did you get here? Did you have to overcome adversity? Where you tested, yes. Where you being trained, meaning doing the things that take over and over, yes. over yes and where you tested it feel like you wanted to give up or you ever discouraged but yet you had told everything within you to take one more step

yes and that's the same way it is in the national football league when you make it to the postseason as well and so it was great that really helped me man that I hold on to and his understanding and understanding adversity man So that was my god of it that's honestly one of the best honestly that's one of the best five minutes I've ever had on the show. I mean I just brother that is so freaking. I'm gonna ready to run through a wall right now Right, but listen everybody that that what he just told you about that that 65 and that it was really for three plays You got to remember that when whatever your business you're in you're making phone calls That what he just told you about that 65 and that it was really for three plays. You got to remember that when whatever your business you're in, you're making phone calls,

you're recruiting people, those 62 mundane ones, you're get, you're, you're refining your skill. You got to be perfect for those three. They're going to change your life. Those three big time clients, those three big time recruits, those three big time, whatever they are, you're practicing for them. And then if you haven't been tested, I love this. If you haven't been tested to the point where you were ready to quit and had to face it, you haven't been tested yet. That is, I mean, everybody, just so you know, because I know you're listening to this going, this is amazing.

This is, I'm getting into the mindset of an elite athlete, an elite businessman, an elite father. This is what he thinks about. You probably want more of it. And I want you to have more of it. And so I want you to, I want to direct you to a couple of things. And then in a minute, we'll talk about his TV show, but Donovan's got a book called Next Level Motivation. And you can get that book on Amazon. I think

you know by right now, I don't need to give you a commercial. You need to get that damn book. Okay. Next level motivation. That's where the tips, tips like these reside. And also Donovan is a speaker. He's a trainer. He's a motivator. Does it for companies? He does it for teams. This is a man you ought to a trainer. He's a motivator. Does it for companies? He does it for teams. This is a man you ought to bring in to speak to your organization. You could feel it right now. You know, this is a guy, no one will be the same after they hear him.

Okay? And if you're wondering whether he's qualified, not only is this man spent the 10 years on the gridiron and the NFL, but let me also tell you something. This man is a certified transitions life coach for the the NFL just so you know what that means they introduced Donovan to new players retired players And he helps them transition into the league and he helps them transition into their life afterwards That means that one of the most successful organizations in the world trust this man to be a life strategist on their behalf That's a big deal. He speaks at the rookie symposium and, I think if he's good enough for the NFL with these elite performers, he'll be good enough for your company or your organization as well. This is a qualified person to help you. And you can feel

it when you're getting these insights from him. I know you can sense that as you're talking to him. Don, give me one example. I just cares. Take people into a huddle or into a game. Just real quick. I don't care if it's a preseason postseason regular season. Was there a moment? Did you ever have, you don't have to name the guy? Was there ever a moment when you went, whoa, you know, I'm gonna have to step up because this guy can't or is a football team

like anything else. There are guys on that team who you know you can depend on. Guys, you aren't. Was there ever a time in a game where you went, I'm gonna have to step up my game or you had to check yourself where there are gut checks even during games for you can you think of any situation like that? Almost definitely and so people like we football was a business for us. For most

people sports entertainment you know hey we want you guys to win if it's my weekend you know make me feel better from the week I had broke Well, for me and for us, that was our business. And so we always understood it, and NSLs meant for not so long. And so you had to make sure that understanding that every year, they're trying to replace you with somebody quicker, faster, stronger, smarter, and definitely cheaper. And so you have to be on your pees and chews at all time. And that doesn't, and we all know as we live life

And if you haven't learned as well up to this point life will continue to come at you Murphy's law said if something back can happen it will happen and so you understand that you're out there on the field and Preparing to play against you know an elite elite member this Less than 1% of all the population makes it to the NS. To date, to date, there's only been 30,000, 30,000 NFL players ever in the history, in the history. And so when you're out there, you understand that you are part of the elite, of the elite, but just like everybody else, we all have situations. We all go through ups and downs.

I'll give you a story, man. I'll give you a memory. I used to have, I remember it was, it was my rookie year. And we were planning against Pittsburgh dealers. And we're up there. It's my rookie year. And the team, the year before, the Jackson Maggiar, before they drafted me, they used to have a lot of big running backs in that lead. And so those running back Eddie George, Jerome Bet is Cory Gillan. I mean, you talk about guy 6, 3, 260, or 250 pounds, Jerome Bet is 6, 2, 250 pounds. I mean, we have some big guys. So they drafted me because they said, I'm in with a physical safety, a fast safety, but a physical one out of Syracuse. And So I remember we played against a three-rovers stadium and

November 22nd. We're out there. The whole first half, they had this running back at Kisberg and I'm sure everybody knew he had a nickname. His nickname was the bus because you know what a bus does? It carried people around. It carried kids in school. It carried them home from school. So another word again they felt it was carrying guys around, cat players like myself, but around. But we get up there this first, you know, this game, and man, they had these terrible towels. You can just see them, yellow towels, just waiting who it was like the whole crowd was yellow. The whole first half, Ed Jerome, that is the bus,

is running through everything. It's you might, youF5 guys around, but he found a way to get his free. He was going to Hyzen and Poses. He was celebrating with the crowd. And so we got to locker room and we were down. And I had one of those moments. I sat on my chair and I looked around and listened. And I went in the back of my mind, I said, you know what? Something got it changed.

Something has to change. And as I was watching and listening to dies, I kept this is what I heard and saw. I saw guys talking to each other complaining. Oh, man, coach didn't call it his play. Oh, man, this person missed this block. Oh, man, I should be this. I should be that complain complaining. And so as I'm sitting there, and I'm just watching, taking personal inventory, what are your life on the lead? You see, everybody, somebody who may be new in their business, they may be new in their company, new in their organization, and they're looking at other people, and because they're older, doesn't mean that they're more experienced, or they're better.

And so here I am sitting on my chair, and I'm watching, and I hear that in the back of my head, that you know what, if you want something to change down a bit It starts with you and so when that happens I'll wait a minute, but I'm just a rookie I'm just 6122 These guys are huge. This is a big test. It's a big adversity. He even got a nickname. He can't people around And so at that moment I made up my mind. I said, this thing starts with me. I had to do personal personal responsibility. I had to do ownership. I had to walk this

thing out in integrity. I had to be in integrity, I had integrity with myself. I had to persevere and get everything I had to maximize potential. So what I did, I grabbed my helmet, and I walked to the bathroom, and I put my helmet right on the counter. You look myself in the mirror. And I said, Donovan, this thing starts with you today. You will not come back in this locker room the same way you came in at the first time. We went out to the second half, man, and I'll tell you, the first play, in that effect, if you got down, you can go this, this play I'm telling you, is on YouTube right now. If you go look up Donovan Derrick football highlights of things like two or something like that

you'll see it the first player to get out a second half I'm in my stance and Jerome Betis is sitting in his stance behind Cordell Stewart first play right out of half time first time out of half time first play out okay that effect was 14 minutes and 56 seconds because they got a touch I'm telling you and so I'm in my scenes and What else do we want to snap the ball? He gave us cadence green lady Green lady said, huh? He hyped the ball and hands his own bed is under own bed It was standing back seven yards deep and this cat was growling. I was like man

Did this feel great? He was growling. He was in Finslow, but he didn't realize that I was in the other side and I had made it my mind If this thing starts with me today, and I want to be the game changer I want to turn this thing around and so as he handed him the ball after I read my read and I saw there was a run I came down full kill and I worked my technique to Perception and I hit this Joker some harps Right in the hole is probably one of the first guys that ever sent him backwards. Right in the hole.

All bit of 220 pounds of me and all bit of 260 pounds of him. He went back. I got up from the ground and I stood up over top of him and I just plumb my arms like a gladiator. And I was excited because at the end of the day you can imagine that was the biggest challenge that I had. Yeah. That was a moment. That was a mountain. Sometimes we may have situations that seem like it's mountains to you. You may looking at the be looking at the bills. You may looking at you know what I mean is your health. You may be looking at the opportunity. You may be seeing people get ahead of you but just like you make up in your mind. This thing starts

and stops with me today. Yeah. So every moment that man, we always, you know, we had mutual respect for one another. We always will come up to each other. If you sort of game, yes, it let's have a good game. Dude, that is such a great story. Was it because doubt wasn't there? No. Was it because fear wasn't there? No. Was it because I wasn't nervous? No. It's because I made a decision. It made a decision and made my mind up. You gotta go.

He starts with me. And I'm made for this. It's my moment. We gotta do this. It's gonna happen now. And that's where the world's man. Ah! It's so good.

It's so good. Everybody, you know, if you listen to this on the road, you just drove off the damn road. You know that, right? That is so good. Listen, listen, I'm not listening. Who would not want this man in their damn business speaking to them, right?

Reading his stuff, okay? I'm telling you, this is, you can hear it. This is special stuff, because not only it's rare to be that way, but it's also rare to be able to talk about it the way you do, Donovan. Those are multiple layered gifts that you've worked hard to refine. And everybody out there, there's a bus of life that you're going to eventually have to smack down, right?

All of us have that bus coming out of us in our life. And he just gave you the dagum formula. That was so good. All right, we only got a few minutes here. By the way, at least stop right now and tell you thank you because I do a lot of these. You can hear it in my voice. Only a few of these move me, right? I'm moved.

I'm intense right now. You got me ready to roll. I'm not appreciated there. You're just such a brother. You're so gifted, right? And when you all meet him, when you bring him out to speak to your stuff, you're just gonna feel his spirit.

You're gonna feel like there's this humble, good man who's there to serve you. He wants to make a difference. This guy, just so you know, he's got his Donovan Darius foundation. He works with you. He don't know. He's a ton of his time and money to young people. This is a guy. He's one of sports Emmy. He didn't even tell you about that for his next level training and performance stuff he does with athletes. This is a very accomplished man. And here's another way you can get access to him. And so Donovan, tell him a little bit about this. Donovan has just started a new TV show and it's on the Cardone Network, the Grant Cardone TV network. It's called the Road to Sunday Glory Show. How do they get it, Donovan? What's it going to be

about? What are you going to do with it? Man, I'm so excited about this and because it's called Return to Sunday Glowery, man. Everybody that I talk to and I take six interviews today with guys that have played 20 years, 15 years, 10 years, they even interview Super Bowl coaches. And the whole premise is my show Return to Sunday Glowery, which you can find on a Grand Cardone Network, is an interview series where I give a chance to interview the most successful athletes in the world. They reveal their stories, their victory, and their challenges that have defined them pre-during and post their career because at the end of the day, it's all about finding

how they found that return to that Sunday glory, how they found what it was. And I share with people with this. Think about this as a player, as a professional athlete and to the mind of professional athletes. One of that's still, in between those lines, is one of the most only places that you felt totally present. But I mean this. In between those lines, physically, you were totally present.

I mean, every bit of bone muscle ligament was needed and required there. In between those lines, you were emotionally there. That means everybody in motion was necessary. The anger, the frustration, the hate, the love. I mean, you name it, that you had excitement. Everything was appropriate there. In between those lines mentally, you were totally present. You were strategizing. You were disciplined. You were doing all of these things. And in between those lines, the spirit of you were there. You felt like you were part of a team, part of a family. But when you get outside those lines, there isn't anything or anywhere that requires that

total amount of presence. Like, you can't be totally physical in the mall. You can't be totally emotional, which is why he's well-hundred. But it's in between those lines, and so a lot of guys feel like a void. They feel like a void. And so doing a show on the show, returning to Sunday glory, we get a chance to talk about their journey. Their journey from early on, even through college, to legal over the time like their moments, and would it that return to Sunday glory like now? They also get a chance to share some of

their mindset. They share some of their hate, their habits, some of the things that help them to mentor. And so again, if you're interested in being successful, you're interested in learning from other people, which again, I think at the end of the day, if you stop learning, okay, you're going to start losing. So you need to keep learning, keep learning, keep learning, keep learning, because you're going to live your life long learner. And so you can see that on the turn of Sunday, February on the Grand Cardone Network. It's a weekly series we do, and I'm really, really excited about it. Yeah, I am too. The guys my full stamp of approval on this man and the things that he's teaching and I want you to get more access to them. Donovan also, by the way, Donovan everybody is

D-O-N-O-V-I-N, dairy as D-A-R-I-U-S. So they probably go follow you first on Instagram. Would that be the first place you'd want to start to have people find you on a daily basis? Or where would you like to go to? Yeah, I would definitely say you could follow me on Instagram, Donovan Derrius on there, Donovan Derrius and Powers. You could follow me on Twitter, you know, and there, but you know, Facebook, Donovan Derrius, Public Page. If anybody requests and they want me to come out and speak and we already started booking a lot for 2018 and stuff but again they can go to the website. It's under construction right now but you can access anything and everything you want. The most important thing is to get connected with me. I would love to partner with you. DonovanDarius.com. I did want to share something with you. We're to audience. Here are some of the things we said. What did you talk about. Here are some of the things we've done and what do you talk about?

What are some of the main things? Well besides sharing what I share with you guys now, I do speeches and I do workshops. I do workshops three to four hours on leadership, teaching individuals about responsibility, integrity, and smart action ownership. I do a mindset, development, one where again, people want to develop that mindset to overcome,

whereas you said to run through a wall, but also at the end of the day, to accomplish those things that they want. And then I do a goal setting, vision setting, and then when I do speeches, key notes, whatever it may be, you know, I have something that I created. It's called the corporate game plan. Seven steps, you know, for processes for success. And then one of the things I love too is I talk about leadership, but all per leadership, making it impact in the 21st

century. And then the other one I talk about is it's called the fourth quarter, keys overcoming and growing through adversity. And so again, man, I'm here to serve. I've made up my mind as you have to live a life. You could we were born rich, we could have died, empty man, and poor all this stuff out. You poured out today, Donovan. I'm telling you right now. This was so good. And it's just a taste, everybody. Donovan, I want you know, I'm real grateful for you. And I want to say, no, this is my pleasure. No, I thank you for doing this today. And I know the people listen to this, feel a debt of gratitude for you as well.

Man, you changed my state, you changed my energy level. I've written here a page and a half of notes on the different things that you talked about. And that's how you know you've invested a great hour. So everybody, this man's an example of maxing out every area and every season of your life. So Donovan, thank you so much for being here, and you and I'll be connecting here real shortly.

I know we're gonna do a ton of stuff together. Thanks, brother. Yes, we will, man. I look forward to it, man. God bless. Okay. Thank you, God bless you. I wanna be the best. Get coached by the best.

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