Former NFL running back Merril Hoge joins Fox Across America With Jimmy Failla to talk about the inspiration behind his book, Find a Way: Three Words That Changed My Life.
I did not foresee disaster somewhere along life’s journey, and it hits me at age 30 where I completely lose my career and have to start my life over at 30. And that’s probably where I learned more about the responsibility of taking ownership of your life. I sat there for nearly a month. I was angry at the doctors. I was angry at the Bears, I was angry as the National Football League. Everybody you could possibly think of I was angry at. And none of that was changing where I was, where I needed to go for the future. It was my responsibility to get off that couch and make the first initial steps. And, you know, I’ve worked with the government actually in a lot of different programs with mental health. And regardless of the program that’s ever created and I’m not minimizing help from others and that you need help from others in other resources. But I’ll get to that in a second. But the first initial step is, is you taking ownership and you taking action and you doing something about your circumstance. When that’s initiated, well, then, yes, other people start playing roles, you know, different programs that you might need depending on, you know, the particulars. And the value in ownership, though, is that is indestructible. If you if you command it and that you live it and you do it, then all those things and help that you need along the way. I tell people all the time I have been people challenged me and inspired me to find hope in people no matter where or what I’ve done. But it’s always started with me. And where do I want to go, what I want to do and what I want to be. I’m responsible for taking action. And when people start doing that, I’m telling you that’s when you really are rewarded in life. You know, nobody hands an award for doing that, but you’re rewarded with things that are sustainable and lasting peace, joy, happiness and your own personal success in life. And I learned that. I probably learned more by challenges in my life than I’ve learned on dreams and successful adventures or dreams and goals initially.”
Merril also tells Jimmy about what it was like growing up in Idaho, and how he made the transition to the East Coast after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Listen to the podcast to hear what else they discussed!
