How has it felt since you’ve received all of this feedback about your story?
For the past few months, it’s been a whirlwind, but I’ve always just tried to keep the main thing, the main thing and focus on what I’m supposed to do. I didn’t have any intention of inspiring people and hearing you say that it’s inspired thousands of people and it’s about to touch millions. That’s not something you can even fathom of dreaming, all I was doing was just trying to work hard every day as efficiently as I could.
I knew it was going to be a long-term plan. I didn’t know that I was going to be at ESPN in five and a half, six years. There was no way I had that in my plan, but I knew I would be somewhere as long as I put the work in every day.
What are some of the characteristics it takes to get to ESPN?
You have to have that inner fire in you because a lot of people are going to tell you no. [I put in] 250+ applications just to get in the TV business, some people are misreading it wrong on the internet … [applications] from Quincy, Illinois; to Sacramento, California; to Tyler, Texas.
I remember everyone’s name. I’m not taking it personally, but I still remember. That was just to get in the TV business, that wasn’t in order to get to ESPN. I waited 14 months after I graduated college just to get in … you got to have the inner drive. You have to be determined to say, “I don’t care what’s in my path, I know, it’s going to be hard.” In order to get to ESPN or figure out your goals, odds are, it’s not going to be easy.
