Kenjon Barner: Inside the Mind of an Athlete

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Hustle.Believe.Receive., Motivation & Inspiration, Sports, Your Life Coach — 2 Comments ↓
The always smiling Kenjon

This is the third story in my four part series; “Inside the Mind of an Athlete“.  And this story is all about how you adjust to life once you’ve achieved your Ultimate Dream. It seems so easy, but like everything else it’s something that you need to prepare and plan for, because adjusting to living your dream can actually destroy you if your not prepared for it.

Meet Kenjon Barner, former star running back for Oregon. I asked Kenjon to tell me his story, share with us his dream and how he’s been able to achieve so much at such a young age. This is his story…

Kenjon grew up in a home full of love and competitive brotherly rivalries, his parents had their hands full; six boys and a girl.  So from a young age he learned that confidence was king! Being great at basketball gave him that confidence from the start. “I played basketball from the time I was three years old, it’s all I ever wanted to do.” He tells me when I ask him when football became his dream.  “I wasn’t really even thinking about football, I’d never played it, except with my friends in the yard growing up. But basketball was what I loved and was good at, and it’s what my family expected me to play.” 

Sarah: What changed?

Kenjon: In seventh grade (he laughs a little). My dad came to wake me up to go to practice, but I didn’t wanna get outa bed, so I told him I wasn’t going. I said I wanted to quit. My dad looked at me and said ‘then what are you going to do?’ It was such a huge part of my life, it’s like how do you quit the one thing you spend most of your time doing?  I looked at him and said ‘I want to play in the NFL’.”

Kenjon had never played football before, hadn’t studied the plays or warn a uniform, but when he said it out loud to his dad, and later to his friends they knew he was serious. When he set’s his mind to something, nothing stands in his way. “I’d always been a confident kid, growing up with five brothers you kinda have to be. I’ve always believed in myself.”

“But all through my freshman and sophomore year of high school I was just thinking, man I gotta find a way to get a  job when I graduate high school. No one in my family had ever gone to college, it’s just not what I was exposed to, not an expectation I had. But my junior year I got a scholarship offer to play football, and I thought ‘wow that’s crazy’ but in the back of my head I was still thinking I need to get a job.  But my mom was like, there is no way you are not going to college now! And by the end of my junior year I really got to that place where I believed it was possible for me.”

Sarah: When did you start to think that the NFL could be a reality for you? When did that become your dream?
Kenjon: As soon as I got to college, I was determined to make it to the NFL.  Football had gotten me this far, I knew it could take me all the way. 

Sarah: What was it like for you on draft day?
Kenjon: The most stressful, annoying, frustrating, happiest three days of my life! My agent had warned me not to watch it live and to just wait for a call, but of course my family and I watched it non–stop. But then when I got the call from Carolina on the third day, wow that was amazing. It was such a celebration for my whole family. It was the happiest day of all our lives. 


Sarah: So you’ve achieved your Ultimate Dream, you’ve been drafted into the NFL. What was the experience like the first time you put on the uniform, walked into the stadium and took the field as a Panther?

Kenjon: My first pre-season game I wasn’t nervous. I thought something was wrong with me because I just felt so calm. This is what I’ve dreamed about, have worked all my life for a moment like this. Looking up in those stands and seeing thousands of fans I was just thinking, wow this is so crazy.  And as soon as I got out there they called my play as the first play of the game, and then suddenly I was a nervous wreck, taking the field for the first time in the first play of the game. They give me the ball and I fumbled it, and we lost position of the ball.  When I make a mistake like that, I can’t let it go. I chose not to let it go, because it motivates me and keeps me present. I take that negative energy and channel it for motivation. And the next time they called my play I was ready, I ran the ball for a touchdown. 



Sarah: Had you ever visualized that moment and did it feel the way you expected it to?
Kenjon: In order to do something you need to be able to see yourself doing it. I visualize the game before I play, I see myself running for a touchdown. Then when it happens I’m not surprised because I’ve seen myself doing it and I’m prepared. I think of it as God gave me that vision, allowed me to see it, and then he enabled me to live it out. 


Sarah: At Oregon you were a huge star, what’s it like to be living your Ultimate Dream, yet be the “unknown” rookie?
Kenjon: For me it’s easy, I’ve always had to wait my turn. Sit and be patient, watch and learn. My dad always says ‘What God has for you, you’re gonna get.’  If you do what your supposed to do, and put in the work, then what’s meant for you will come to you. You have to trust the process and be patient and know that if you do all the preparation, then when your turn comes, you will be ready.


Sarah: What’s been the most challenging part of your transition into living your dream vs. working to get it?
Kenjon: Adapting to the lifestyle is always challenging. But I have great guys on my team and they talked to me about how to be a man, and how to handle my responsibility. How to deal with the girls, money, and life. Those conversations really impacted me. Those guys really took the time to show me the ropes. I’ve always surrounded myself with good people and people I admire.

Sarah: What’s your Ultimate Dream now?And do you think you will live it?

Kenjon: To be a valued member of this team, and of course to win a Superbowl! And to give my son all the opportunities I possibly can.

I absolutely believe that if you set a goal and a dream you can achieve it. I verbalize a goal and believe it, and know I’ll achieve whatever I set out to do. My Junior year of high school when it came time for the awards, I missed the award for first team all-state. I felt robbed, after the awards I was upset and told my dad I would ‘make ’em pay’. I told him ‘I’m gonna score 40 touch downs and rush for 3,000 yards next year.’  The next year I scored 48 touch downs and rushed for 3,024 yards.

You’ve got to believe it with that kind of confidence. If you don’t believe in it then how can anyone else? People thought I was crazy, but my family knew that if I said it I would do it. You’ve gotta have that faith that confidence. And always keep your hand in God’s hand. 

Sarah: What motivates you?
Kenjon: Fear of failure. I want my son to know that his dad was not a failure. Not letting myself down and being accountable to myself. And the fear of not fulfilling what God has blessed me to be. I know he put me here for a reason, I want to maximize that potential. 

Sarah: I know you, and I know you’re always smiling and positive…. do you ever have a bad day?
Kenjon: (Laughing) Absolutely! But if I’m having a bad day I try not to show it. It’s what you do with that feeling and emotion that’s important. My mom is huge on detecting that, she calls me 15 times a day and can detect the slightest thing in my voice.  Her and my sister, they sense it, and they always know the right thing to say to get me out of it. I love my friends and family. I mean I really LOVE and appreciate them, I know they are always there for me. This job is stressful so you compartmentalize people, the ones who bring drama get a very small space if any, the ones who are there to help you be a better person are the ones you keep. 

Sarah: What’s your Hustle?
Kenjon: Hard work. Sometimes three workouts a day. It’s being away from your loved ones. And always trying to get better. If you’re not willing to work hard, don’t expect it to happen. 


I’ve had the honor to know Kenjon for several years and have always been blown away by the way he thinks and his positive mindset and loyal friendship.  It’s really from our conversations over the years that I learned so much about how tangibly success can be achieved. That there was a simple formula and that it didn’t just need to apply to athletes, I could apply it to.  So I did. And he really inspired that because as you can see he believes like I do, that when you speak something it holds power. When you believe in something and work for it, you can and will manifest it. And above all be grateful and humble and try to bless others with the talents you’ve been given. Take his advise, it works!

Kenjon surprising Kanen for his 8th birthday, with Ed Dickson
After playing football with one very happy Kanen

Kenjon Barner is a running back for the Carolina Panthers who just finished his rookie season. Follow his dream and inspiration on Twitter.

 



Be sure to read Part 1: Derrick Malone JR story.
And Part 2: Lavaiser Tuinei’s inspiring story. 
Part 3: this one
Part 4: Jonathan Stewart
Part 5: Patrick Johnson 


BE SURE TO READ KENJON’S FULL INSPIRING STORY IN MY NEW BOOK #HustleBelieveReceive 

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Lavasier Tuinei: Inside the Mind of an Athlete. Part 2

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Hustle.Believe.Receive., Motivation & Inspiration, Sports — 8 Comments ↓
Inside the Mind of an Athlete: Part 2, is all about #TheHustle, overcoming adversity and never giving up. I wanted to share this story because it’s an unbelievable example of what is possible when you are committed to your dream, put the work in and don’t take “no” for an answer. It proves that you can overcome “bad luck” and any other obstacle that comes your way if you are truly committed to living your dream.

This is the story of Lavasier Tuinei, former Oregon Duck, and Rose Bowl MVP.  I chose “LT,” as he’s commonly known by friends and family, because his journey has been far from a bed of roses (pun intended), yet he’s remained focused on his goal and committed to his dream. As a kid growing up in Indiana, the son of an NFL player you’d think he would have been born with a football in his hand, but in fact basketball was his passion. His parents divorced when LT was very young, and his mother wasn’t at all interested in her son playing football, encouraging his love for basketball instead. But when he was eight years old he went to live with his father, and held a football for the first time.

Sarah: When did you discover your love of football? 
LT:  (I can hear the excitement and nostalgia in his voice). The first time I touched that football.  I didn’t want to put it down, I took it everywhere with me. I wanted to be just like my dad, who was playing for the Chicago Bears at the time. I asked him to teach me how to play and he gave me a choice. He said “go to sleep tonight and set your alarm for 5:00 AM, if you still want to learn how to play in the morning, come wake me up and I’ll train you.” The next morning I woke him up at 5:00 AM and we trained for two hours before school every morning he was home through high school.

Sarah: What is your ultimate dream?
LT: To play football in the NFL.

Lavasier transferred high schools his senior year hoping to get into a better football program, but the move backfired and he found himself ineligible to play at all his senior year of high school. Without playing time there were no college scouts and no scholarships. It seemed hopeless. But his dad wouldn’t let his son give up, he knew LT had talent, ability, and most importantly heart. So they drove together to colleges and tried to join the team as a walk on.  He was denied.

But his dad had an idea; move LT to southern California to attend the same junior collage that he’d attended and see if his son could get a chance to finally play ball. Things began to fall into place and for the first time in a long time LT was back on the field doing what he loved to do most, having fun, and turning in some impressive numbers. It wasn’t long before Oregon took notice and offered him a scholarship after just one season of junior college. But, “bad luck” seemed to tail LT and again his dream was put on hold as he worked out issues with his transfer and eligibility. It looked like his chance to play for Oregon was dead in the water.

Sarah: What did that defeat feel like?
LT: I felt like I was done. I couldn’t see a way out, the doors had all closed. I was just broken. Devastated. Here I’d worked so hard, gotten this close and was stopped by something out of my control, something the administration had done incorrectly. It didn’t seam fair.

Sarah: What kept you from giving up?
LT: Staying and playing another year for the junior college was not at all what I wanted to do, but what choice did I have? I guess I could have quit, but that was never really an option. When you have a dream that is part of your DNA it just becomes who you are. It removes the option to quit. Also my dad always believed in me, I wanted to make him proud. Show him I could do it and that all our hard work was worth it.

A month later LT got the unbelievable news that Oregon had fought for him and he was cleared to join the team. That spring training was a rough one. He’d never competed on that level, played with athletes of that caliber. He felt overwhelmed and under-prepared. “I sucked.” He tells me.  “I was this skinny kid from a little school with no credibility. I was dropping every pass. It was a mess. At the end of practice I went up to the coach and asked him if I could red-shirt my first year, I just felt there was no way I’d be ready to compete at that level by fall.”

But that summer, after classes he could be found at the practice facility studying plays. Every spare minute he had, he spent going over all the plays, learning the system, trying to catch up. And when fall training camp came around he didn’t drop a single pass. By the third game of his first season with Oregon he had not only made the team, he was named the starting receiver.

Rose Bowl MVP Lavasier Tuinei

Sarah:  You are named the MVP of the Rose Bowl, you have a great senior year at Oregon, did you expect to be drafted?
LT: I didn’t know honestly if I would get drafted. It’s a statistics game at the end of the day and I wasn’t sure I had the numbers the NFL was looking for. But when I didn’t it was another major disappointment. But I still believed in my dream. I knew I’d get a chance to play in the league. I knew that a team would see my heart, my athletic ability and take a chance on me. And then I got a call from Seattle.

Sarah: What has the last two years been like as an un-drafted free-agent?
LT: It’s been a struggle. A mix of highs and lows. In the past two years I’ve been signed and released by the Seahawks, Bengles, Cowboys and Patriots. It seems like every time I get my chance I have an injury that prevents me from being 100%. My body has worked against me, and I’ve pushed it beyond what it should have to endure and, played when it wasn’t healthy and I’ve paid the price.

Sarah: What was the lowest point for you over the last two years?
LT: The car ride home with my dad after I was injured and cut form the Bangles. He was so mad at me for getting injured and released. He said my career was over and that I’d never play football again. He told me I should quit. That broke me. Coming from someone you love so much and admire and credit for your success, that was devastating.

The hustle in action

Sarah: Where does your motivation come from?
LT: I have something to prove, to myself and to my dad. I know and believe I can make this dream happen, now I just need to prove it. And to my peers, at a certain point when your chasing your dream and you see other people succeed, you can start to get down on yourself for not being where you want to be. It can be humbling, but I’ve realized that not everyone is going to get my vision for my life and I’m okay with that. I’m doing it because it’s who I am, it’s what makes me happy and it’s what I love. Sometimes you just need to tune out what other people think of your dream and just use it as fuel and motivation.

Sarah: What is your Hustle?
LT: It’s every day. Putting in the work needed to get my body back to 100%. I’m in Hawaii now working with a trainer, training 3-4 hours a day, six days a week getting ready for that call from a team. It’s also keeping my mind right, I rely on prayer a lot for that. And… I play domino’s! (he laughs).  No matter how much you chase your dream it can never be all you do. Life is short you need to enjoy it, have fun, let your mind relax, save the next hustle for tomorrow.

Sarah: Do you believe you will achieve your ultimate dream?
LT: Of course! No doubt in my mind. I will make it happen.


I love LT’s story so much because he is a living example that no mater what comes your way, if you are committed to your dream and The Hustle it takes to get you there, and believe in it with your whole being… nothing can stop you. You will live it. He has already achieved so much. More than most men could even imagine, he’s lived those moments, been a member of several NFL teams. He is making it happen regardless of all the obstacles that stand in his way. And I love that not only does he believe in his dream, he realizes that it’s up to HIM to make it happen. He’s not waiting for some magic fairy to show up with a contract, he’s doing everything within his power, every day to get closer to his goal.

I also loved that LT doesn’t let other peoples negative energy sidetrack or destroy him. He turned that potentially toxic energy into positive motivation, making it just one more reason to be committed to achieving success. We all have “haters” in our life. People who don’t get us, and don’t understand why we would want to redesign our future and change our life. Let them hate, take that and turn it into fuel and additional motivation. People knock things they don’t understand or have the courage to do themselves, so just keep your eye on the prize, and know at some point when you’re super successful, they will come a knocking…. asking “how’d you do that, I want to try it now.” I can’t tell you how many times that has happened to me in the past few years.

Remember there is no such thing as “bad luck,” we make our own luck. We prepare and do our part and if it’s right for us it will come to us. If it’s not, the door will close for the time being, and when we are actually ready the right door will open out of thin air. So, be patient, and like LT; never give up. We are all going to face adversity on our journey to the life we are creating. It’s not going to always be easy, there will be many days when we want to give up, but just like LT said; when you’re committed to your dream, failure is not even an option.

So… are you committed to your dream? To changing your life? If you’re not, none of this will work. But if you are, guys like Derrick and LT and myself are examples that it can be done. It’s not rocket science, it’s not complicated. But it is life changing, and it will work for you too.


Lavasier Tuinei is an un-drafted, free agent in the NFL. Be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram to watch his dreams unfold.


UPDATE TO LT’S STORY: OCTOBER 11, 2014

After this story was published, LT did get a call, from the New York Jets. He flew to New York and worked out for a few days with the coaches, hoping to make the team.  But no follow-up call came.  So he went back to his #Hustle, coming home to Euguene to continue training, in hopes the next call would come.  And in July it finally did.  This time from the Canadain Football League (CFL), and the BC Lions.  LT packed his bags and moved to Vancouver BC, thrilled to finally be a part of a team, and for weeks he practiced, worked and waited for his turn to play.  But yet again, it never came.  Instead he found himself in the all to familiar spot, of being cut from the roster.

But instead of heading back to Eugene to train like he had done in the past, Lavisier made a decision that would change everything.  He stayed.  He took a lease on a nearby apartment and decided to wait out the rest of the BC Lions season; even though he was no longer part of the team.  He told the coaches he was staying in town, and would be there if they needed him, and then he went out and looked for a “real job” to pay his rent.  When he got hired on at a temp agency he was grateful to be getting a paycheck, and went to work. For several weeks he worked his temp job, and trained himself, never giving up on his dream, or questing his faith that one day his opportunity would come.

Last week it did. The Lions had lost several players to injury and found themselves desperately needing a wide receiver, and who just so happened to be in town waiting for his shot? Yup. It’s not luck people. It’s what I like to call #ManifestThat, the moment when #TheHustle meets opportunity.  LT was ready to go when he got that call, realizing this might be his last shot at his dream.  So every day he practiced hard, determined to prove himself to the coaching staff, in hopes of getting a shot to actually play.

Yesterday, just days after being called back up to the team, and an hour before kickoff he was told to suit up, that he was starting.   With just a few plays into the game, as a BC Lion, LT caught his first pass.  And the ball kept coming his way, and each time he was ready.  And then the moment he had worked and bleed for, believed in and pursued against all odds, came…. he scored his first ever pro-regular season touchdown. WATCH NOW

Congratulations LT for never giving up on your dream.   For pushing past the point when most people would throw in the towel, and for doing it with quiet grace. You are the definition of #RelentlessPursuit and #HustleBelieveReceive in action.  This is your moment to shine.  You deserve it.

Lavasier Tuinei BC Lions

Lavasier making his first pro start with the BC Lions

 

LT making his first CFL touchdown

Lavasier Tuinei  making his first CFL touchdown

 

Lavasier’s inspiring true story will be featured in my book #HustleBelieveReceive available in 2015

 

Be sure to read the rest of this series:

Part 1: Derrick Malone JR story.
And Part 2: Lavaiser Tuinei’s inspiring story.
Part 3: this one
Part 4: Jonathan Stewart
Part 5: Patrick Johnson



 

 

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Inside the Mind of an Athlete Five Part Series

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Hustle.Believe.Receive., Motivation & Inspiration, Sports — 2 Comments ↓

*Note this series launched the idea for my book #HustleBelieveReceive and all five of these stories are featured in my book. 

 

What can a football player teach you about achieving your dream and finding success? A lot. Over the next five weeks I will interview and share, five inspiring stories of Oregon football players who prove that anything is possible, for anyone. Five unique stories, five stages of the same journey, one common dream, united by a common brotherhood. Each is on a mission to fulfill their Ultimate Dream. What is their common key to success?  The answer to that question, and what they have taught me could change your life, the way it did mine.

Living his dream.. Derrick Malone Jr. 
This series will feature players with one common background, they are all alumni of the University of Oregon football program, but their stories couldn’t be more different.  I will feature each stage of the journey:
1. A current college player, with hopes of playing in the NFL.(Derick Malone Jr)
2. A un-drafted free-agent who’s been signed and released from several teams, still hoping for a contract. (Lavasier Tuinei)
3. A rookie finishing his first season in the NFL (Kenjon Barner)
4. A seven year veteran in the NFL (Jonathan Stewart)
5. And finally a retired Super Bowl champion. (Patrick Johnson)
My goal is to tell their stories from a new lenses. This is not just another football story, it’s the truth behind how they create their future, and manifested their dream.  But most importantly it is proof that “regular people” can use the same tools (visualization, prayer/meditation, mantras, belief, and hustle) to create the life of their dreams, the same way these athletes have. I have taken these lessons, and as a single mom in my 30’s applied them to change my life and live my dream.  You can too.  These guys are not “super-human,” they simply apply a common formula to achieve success.  And one I’ve been sharing on this blog for the past few years, and coach in my Success Coaching practice.  I want to motivate and inspire you to apply these same methods to live your dream. The stories are fresh, personal, with a new perspective, and FINALLY something positive about football players!

I have chronicled five different athletes in five different stages of the same dream, to show you that this is a life long journey and that success is not achieved overnight. Also to show you that even successful people, who’ve lived their “dream,” also face defeat and seemingly insurmountable adversity. It’s what they do to overcome this adversity, that makes them great, and their stories so inspiring.

The always smiling Kenjon Barner

The amazing thing you’ll learn is that all these athletes have a similar philosophy about life and success, even though their lives and backgrounds are very  different.  This is further proof to me that this mindset is self-created. Not something “special people” are born with.  Which is great news for the rest of us! We can create it too. These are some of the athletes who’ve helped shape my beliefs and given me motivation to never settle for anything less than my dream. Through the years we’ve learned a great deal from each other as we’ve watched the other apply the tools for success to achieve our own set of dreams. I am blessed to call these guys friends and even more grateful to them for sharing their inspiring stories with you.

I know we can learn so much from their successes and struggles, that we can directly apply into our own lives. And hopefully it will help you to see athletes in a positive light. I have immense respect for each of these guys and I have a feeling whether you’re a football fan or not you will see the game and players in a whole new light, and hopefully have some amazing aha moments along the way.

 

The relentless Lavasier Tuinei

 

Series Schedule: 


CLICK ON THEIR NAME TO READ THEIR STORY

Week #1: Derrick Malone Jr. Current linebacker from Oregon.
The life of a college player with his eye on the NFL draft day.

Week #2: Lavasier Tuinei, former Oregon Wide Receiver and current NFL free agent. 
What do you do when your dream is taking longer than you thought it would? What keeps you from giving up? 

Week #3: Kenjon Barner, former Oregon star Running Back and current Carolina Panther (NFL contract, just completed his rookie season.) 
What is it like to achieve your ultimate dream and go from a star to a rookie. How did it change him? What is his next big dream?

Week #4: Jonathan Stewart, former Oregon star Running Back and current starting Carolina Panther running back. League veteran. . How do you keep your focus, drive and stay grounded when you’ve achieved your Ultimate Dream? This stage destroys so many, is it “be careful what you wish for?”

Week #4: Patrick Johnson, Retired NFL star for the Baltimore Ravens.
How do you transition from “living your dream” to a whole new life? What is your dream now? How have you been able to achieve it. Do the same rules still apply? 

Get ready! It’s gonna be fun. Please share their stories in your networks and comment on their posts, help spread positive energy and encourage their dreams.

Patrick Johnson, making plays for the Ravens.


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Derrick Malone Jr: Inside the Mind of an Athlete

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Motivation & Inspiration, Sports — 2 Comments ↓

*This is the first story in a 5 part series titled “Inside the Mind of an Athlete“. Check the link to learn more about the series and see who else will be featured in upcoming articles. 

I chose to feature Derrick as Part 1 of this series because I’ve always chosen to associate myself with players who have a similar positive mindset. Ones that are focused on their goals, determined to stay grounded through the process of fame and success, and who are constantly looking for ways to grow and become better.

Derrick is known for his contagious smile and upbeat personality

Derrick Malone Jr. embodies these qualities. As the star starting linebacker for the Oregon Ducks Derrick has always impressed me with his positive attitude, uplifting social media posts, and general demeanor, so I was thrilled when he agreed to let me interview him for this piece. I wanted to know if what I’ve learned so far about the law of attraction and the connection I’ve made with it and athletes was true for him as well. I wanted to see if he lives his life by these principles without even realizing it. I have to say I got goosebumps with many of his answers, seeing once again how the simple formula Hustle.Believe.Receive. really does apply.

Malone grew up in the Southern California town of Culton, a community known for turning out pristine football athletes from it’s high school. As a kid, Derrick remembers how football was always part of his life from a very young age, even though he didn’t formally start playing until the 8th grade. But it was always there, his father Malone Sr. was an excellent running back in high school and had dreams of his son playing quarterback. But, Derrick was more interested in baseball and basketball, even though he spent every evening playing football at the park with his friends, or at recess or before and after class, he still wasn’t sure it was what he wanted to do. It wasn’t until his breakout game playing safety his junior year of high school, that he realized, maybe he was actually pretty good at football, as the college recruiters began circling like flies. It was then that he finally began to see what his family and friends had known for some time, that he had a gift and that gift could change his life.

When I asked Derrick where his confidence comes from today as a red-shirt Senior and a key part of Oregon’s defense, he says without hesitation; my family. Growing up our home was full of love. My mom, dad and grandmother believed in me to the fullest. They instilled that confidence in me, told me to never settle, and to always expect more, that I “deserved it.” That core foundation helped Derrick get to the place he is at today, one where he truly believes in his ability, the future and his ultimate dream.

Derrick’s first “impossible dream” was to play football for the University of Oregon. It had always been his top choice for colleges, and when they were the first to show interest in him, and ultimately the one he accepted a scholarship from it was the realization of his first ultimate dream. It was life on a grand scale, ESPN highlights, featured games on Saturday afternoons. It was more than most young players could ever dream of; the fulfillment of his big dream, being part of one of the top football programs in the country.
So I had to ask the Oregon Senior…

Sarah:  What is your ultimate dream now?
Derrick: “To get drafted into the NFL.”

Sarah: What makes that moment your ultimate dream?
Derrick: Because it makes everything you’ve done along the way, all the sacrifice, all the things you miss out on, worth it.  It’s the payoff. There are a lot of limitations that come with the responsibility of being an athlete, my life is not like the life of a ‘normal’ college student, there are sacrifices, and struggles that come with the glory moments. It’s the proof that all those little things really meant something. It’s the reward for putting in the work to  graduate with two majors, and the moment your family can be so proud of you.  It’s an opportunity for me to be a role model to the younger generation and make an impact on others and help change their lives. This is what we work for. That validation, that reward.


Sarah: Do you ever visualize that day? Imagine what it would be like?
Derrick: Of Course! Every day. It’s a lifelong thing. I close my eyes and visualize, I constantly daydream about it, all day every day. It’s a way of life. It’s been like that since I was a kid, I’ve always been able to make a movie in my head and focus on it. Football is a way of life, it’s who I am, it’s in my blood, it’s my family, my belief, it’s more than a game. It’s all day every day working towards that goal.
 
Sarah: When did you realize this was your ultimate dream?
Derrick: Honestly not until I got to college, probably my sophomore year. Even though my family always believed in me and told me I was the greatest, I don’t think I really believed it. In a lot of ways I think that’s what’s kept me grounded, always wanting to work harder and be better. But my sophomore year my coaches were the ones who really instilled that dream in me. They told us every day that making it to the league should be our goal, that we should work every day for it and that it was possible. I knew the odds where small, but I wanted to be part of those small odds. And over time I began to really believe it.

Sarah: Do you believe you will be drafted into the NFL?
Derrick: Absolutely. Everyday I get better. I’m better this year than last year, and way better than I was in high school. If I can improve like that with work and dedication then there is no reason I can’t continue to improve and make it to the league. It’s a progression and a process, it’s not overnight, but I know it’s possible if I stay focused and keep working. Anything is possible!

Sarah: Have you ever wanted to quit or give up?

Derrick: No. Never. I never quit, it’s not in my nature.
 
Sarah: What do you do to motivate yourself when you have a bad day? 
Derrick: When I need motivation all I have to do is call my mom. I hear the pride she has in me, and it makes me smile, and it just makes me want to make her even more proud. That is why I do this. And I do it for my Aunt who passed when I was in high school. She was my biggest fan, she believed in me and was so proud of me. I dedicated my senior season to her in high school. I wish she could have watched me play at Oregon. Every day that I want to quit I play for her. Those moments when you wanna give up you remember why you’re doing it and it keeps you going. You think about the moment you’re working for and helping your family and you just get back to work.

Sarah: What is one moment you’ve lived out that felt like standing in the middle of your dream?
Derrick: Running out the tunnel to play in the Rose Bowl. I had watched it as a kid at my grandma’s house and remember thinking those players looked so big, and it seemed so impossible, and then I lived it. Being with my family and sharing that experience with them, and holding the trophy after we won, it was the happiest moment of my life. A dream come true.  

Derrick holding the Rose Bowl trophy

Sarah: What’s your daily hustle? 
Derrick: Win the day (Oregon’s mantra). It’s tatted on my arm, and it’s what every day is about for me. Just go out and no mater what I’m doing, practice, a game, training, eating right, or choosing not to go out, all of that is my hustle. It’s all part of just winning today.  

Sarah: So what’s your dream once you are drafted?
Derrick: To renovate my high school locker room and weight room. I want to make my school, family and community proud. I want to give back. 

Derrick’s motto WTD (Win The Day) Tattoo, a constant reminder of his hustle.


Like I said, I got chills listening to Derrick talk about how he practices the exact same things I’ve been teaching on this blog and in my coaching classes. He’s applied the formula (without even realizing it) and has achieved the same results. He’s drawn on coaches and family to help him build his belief when he needed it, and over time it became his reality. I also love how his dream grew and changed over time. How at each stage he began to dream bigger, once his confidence and belief grew. And, of course I LOVED the fact that visualization is a constant in his life, not even intentional at this point, just automatic. And, as we know there are no results without the hustle. I loved how Derrick takes that just one day at a time, and when he wants to get down on himself he looks back and sees how far he has come. But one of the most important things he said is something I hope each of you take away from this, it’s a process. It’s a life long journey. It’s not something you do to get to a goal, it’s who you are. It’s what you believe in, what you eat, live and breathe. You’ve got to be committed to making this your new life plan if you want to see results.

Thanks Derrick for inspiring us and reinforcing our belief that anything is possible!


About Derrick:
Derrick Malone Jr is a journalism and advertising major at the University of Oregon and a starting member of the Duck football team. He is also an up and coming writer and poet, sharing his positivity and passion. Be sure to check out his blog: I am Poetic Soul and follow his twitter to learn more about him, and watch his dreams unfold. 


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Be sure to read the other stories in this series:
Week #1: Derrick Malone Jr -Current Oregon Linebacker
Week #2: Lavasier Tuinei -NFL Un-drafted Free Agent
Week #3: Kenjon Barner -NFL running back Panthers
Week #4: Jonathan Stewart -NFL running back Panthers
Week #5: Patrick Johnson -NFL retired WR and Super Bowl Champion

 

Be sure to read Derrick’s inspiring true story in my new book #HustleBelieveReceive 

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Shine.

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Motivation & Inspiration — No Comments ↓
Time to get what I want from this life.
Time to reflect, to redirect intention, replenish ambition create drive.
Time to reinvent.
Time to push on through, past the pain to the results.
Time to hustle, time to grind.
Time to shine.

If what you see outside your window is not a view you like,
Change it.
If the reflection in the mirror is not one that draws a
smile of self-pride,
Change it.
What holds you down?
Knocks the wind out of you?
Drains your power, towers above you?
Change it.
If the thoughts in your head haunt you, discourage and cage
you,
Change them.
If what surrounds you drowns you,
Change it.
This life is my
life.
This life is my
choice.
The results are the aftermath of my decisions.
Traded in my broke life, for a life in progress.
Traded in my old attitude for a new mind-set.
Traded the aftermath for RESULTS.
Traded disappointment for gratitude.
I Decided to shine.

 

 

Sarah Centrella is the author of the book Hustle Believe Receive An 8-Step Plan to Changing Your Life and Living Your Dream.

 

Ready for Love.

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Dating, Divorce, Relationships — 1 Comment ↓

Ready for love.

So in January of this year I made a new vision board. One focused on finding love. I’ve always had love represented on my board, but after reading The Soulmate Secret I was ready to break old habits and learn a how to attract the right man.

I believe strongly that everything happens for a reason, and that truth has lead my life in a positive and beautiful direction the past five years. It’s also helped me to weather any storm and given me confidence that my dreams are manifesting even if at the moment that is sometimes difficult to see. So when the show came to me about doing a piece on dating I knew it was not only a manifestation of my dream to share my story with the world, but also part of the “find me a man” vibe I’d released into the universe a few months ago.

I’m the first to admit that dating has been difficult for me. In fact it’s totally sucked! I’d never dated before age 35 and it was all a bit of a train wreck to say the least! I went out with guys I shouldn’t have, because I knew I wouldn’t be interested, but I honestly didn’t know how to handle it or what to do. It was two years of trial and error, learning what type of guy I was interested in and learning how to set limits and boundaries and respect myself. It was probably a lot like being in college for most people, going through all of that for the very first time. All those heartbreaks, stupid mistakes, bad decisions, you name it. My kids are with me full time, so on the two weekends a month they were gone, I couldn’t handle being home without them so I’d meet someone for a drink or dinner, or coffee or whatever even if I wasn’t interested, sometimes just because that was the first person I’d have talked to all day. I’ve been blogging through all this time, so feel free to read those old blogs and see some of that cringe worthy pain first hand, back in the 2009/10 years! It wasn’t pretty. And I knew I needed and was open to whatever advise or help in that area I could get, so that’s what my reasoning was for doing the show. It was a manifestation on both fronts.

So now I’m in a good, healthy place and I’m open to receive love. I believe it will find me, when I’m ready, and I’m daily doing the work needed to get there so I think I’m close! I know that the first step is to be open, and I finally think I really am. I’ve done the work, taken the advise and am ready to put it into action!

I actually just finished doing an interview with Live with Laura and towards the end of it she gave an unexpected plug for my dream guy! So hey, I know he’s out there and who knows maybe he’s listening or reading this. If you know him, send him my way!


Sarah Centrella is the author of the book Hustle Believe Receive which teaches you how to apply the #HBRMethod to change your life and live your dream.

Follow on social media: Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat | Pinterest | YouTube |Periscope @sarahcentrella

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Steve Harvey’s Dating Advice

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Dating, Divorce, My Stories, Single Mom Life — 2 Comments ↓

Steve Harvey’s datng advice.

So today was a pretty epic day… to say the least! I had my national television talk show debut on the Steve Harvey Show. I woke up this morning with that all too familiar knot in the pit of my stomach, the one that says “you are about to stand naked in front of the whole world, now’s a good time to freak out!” And I mean metaphorically naked of course, like the dream we had as kids giving a speech in front of our class naked, only this was in front of millions of people and I was totally (as is my norm) emotionally raw and exposed.

Sarah Centrella on Steve Harvey SHowBut it wasn’t long before the messages started pouring in on my Facebook pages, twitter and all the other media, and texts from people around the world, most I don’t know, supporting me and my dream. See I’ve had a dream for a few years now to share my story with the world on a talk show or reality show.  Although this episode was on a topic that is very relevant to me (dating), and not my story, it was still a huge manifestation of that dream, and I had a blast being part of it all. It was my first experience with all that, a live audience, camera’s out in a public place, hair and make-up and it was exactly what I’d always envisioned it to be.  It’s absolutely what I see in my long-term future and will continue to work towards.  Plus it got me a meeting with OWN/Harpo producers so I have nothing but gratitude for the entire experience, it was a dream come true.
Sarah Centrella Steve Harvey dating
Randy Ford was an amazing date and I had a blast

Not to mention I got some great dating advise, and if you’re a regular reader of my blog you know I need it! As I’ve said many times before Dating Sucks! I’ve struggled with my dating life since my divorce and will be the first one to say I totally suck at it. I was in a marriage/committed relationship from age 16-34 so dating is not really my thing, I’ll happily take any advise I can get!

I’m gonna keep hustling for my big dream and ignore all the haters, this was a huge step in the right direction and who knows hopefully I’ll even find love in the process.

If you have a dream go after it, even when it terrifies you, the biggest rewards come when you push past your fear and step out on faith. Thanks to everyone who’s loved and supported my journey, good bad and ugly.

Sarah Centrella on Steve Harvey
Sarah Centrella Steve Harvey
Click here to see more Feedback about my appearance on the show.

 

Sarah Centrella is the author of the book Hustle Believe Receive which teaches you how to apply the #HBRMethod to change your life and live your dream.

Follow on social media: Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat | Pinterest | YouTube |Periscope @sarahcentrella

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The Hustle. Are You All In?

Posted on by Sarah Centrella Posted in Health & Fitness, Motivation & Inspiration, My Stories, Your Life Coach — No Comments ↓
What to know how you get from where you’re at right now, to that moment when you’re living your dream? It’s called HUSTLE and commitment! I was coaching one of my clients the other day and she mentioned her husband always comes back with the same response any time she talks about making a vision board or changing her life plan… “How?” Is all he wants to know. How are you going to do that?

Hustle is the how.  Commitment is the when. 

Those are the big questions we face when we are starting out. We look at our current circumstances, the reality of our “now” and say, how the hell am I going to achieve that end result? And when will it get here? It seems so impossible and overwhelming.  So unattainable.  And we focus on that for a while, and then we start to get depressed, and convince ourselves that it’s crazy to have set goals/dreams so out of our actual reach, and we slowly resign to the “truth” we believe, which is that we can’t really do it, so why bother trying.

I will be the first to raise my hand and say I’ve used this exact thought process throughout my life when it came to dieting and working out.  You look at yourself in the mirror, or in a picture that someone with no-photo-taking-skills took of you, and say “oh my god! I need to make a change!” So you put a picture on your wall of a perfectly fit person and you tell yourself every day that you are that perfectly fit person. And then you tell your girlfriend that you intend to become that perfectly fit person while eating a bag of chips and drinking a margarita. And she looks at you and says… “Oh realllllly? How?”  And you look at yourself and then at the picture, and you say… “Damnit, you’re right. That is ridiculous. What the hell, let’s have another drink!”

But the how was there all along.  You just didn’t want to really face it, or uncover what it’s made of because you knew it sounded a lot like WORK! And just like your dreams, even the ones you have a hard time fully defining they also all involve work. And it’s just up to you to decide if you are all in or not. If you are then you will get results, guaranteed but if you’re not, you are on your own!

What do I mean by all in? You have got to be committed to your end result. Here’s a perfect example…

My Saturday Morning…

Three years ago I started training to run the Portland Marathon. I am NOT a runner. I have never been a runner, was not in particularly stellar shape, and did not enjoy running in the slightest. However it sounded like something a successful women who had her life all figured out would do, and when I “created” that women on my first Future Board it seemed logical that a women like that would also run marathons in her free time.  So I signed up with Portland Fit, a training program that helps wannabe runners like me prepare to run the big race.

I showed up the first day in March (six months prior to the marathon) with hundreds of other runners and began jogging. As the weeks passed I realized what a major commitment I’d gotten myself into. I had to find a sitter in the evenings so I could do my practice runs at the gym and one for those early Saturday morning runs that I’d unknowingly committed to every Saturday for the next six months.  This was the HOW. This was the path from point A to the finish line. If I just showed up every week, did what I was told, and believed in my outcome I’d be able to cross that line in October.

But someplace in the back of my mind was a voice that said “you are out of your mind! A girl like you does NOT run marathons!” But I kept showing up week after week, putting in the work, buying the equipment, changing my diet and sleeping patterns. Taking it one day at a time. Before long I was in the best shape of my life and actually loving it. When people would ask me about the actual marathon I’d change the subject. They’d want to know if I’d registered for the event, and would remind me to do so before it sold out. I didn’t. I put it off and put it off, all the while showing up for my runs, and getting up to eighteen miles one Saturday… that day I’d heard the marathon had officially sold out. So I quit. Just like that.

You see I was never fully committed to my end result. I never fully believed it was achievable for me, and I manifested that exact result.  I put in the work, I was committed on the micro level but not bought in on the macro level.  And what I believed is the result I got.

This year I signed up with Portland Fit again, and Saturday was my first real run since quitting three years ago. This time I signed up for the marathon the same day, and have convinced myself that no matter what happens this time I’m crawling, half dead, over that damn finish line!

To get to your dream, you have got to be 200% committed to achieving that end result. To living that moment. For me it will be the moment when I cross the line and give my son a hug and say “see I did it!”  The only thing that will keep you going in the tough times, the ones where you want to give up is that commitment. The determination that nothing will prevent you from living your moment. That mixed with the daily hustle, and the belief that it’s possible is what calls the universe to align all your stars and make the pieces you can’t control work in your favor. But it’s not a magic wand. It’s a formula. If followed results will come, so decide if your all in. And if you are let nothing stand in your way, and realize this is a for life decision. This isn’t for a month or two, it’s for the rest of your life, this is the new you.

Cheers to that! Margarita anyone?

Commitment and hustle this time are gonna get me over the finish line!

Follow my journey to run the Marathon every Sat morning live on Twitter @SarahCentrella #MarathonLife

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