Cam Newton gave a speech years ago to high school football recruits that still hits home today. His message was simple but powerful…. do not chase the biggest name just because it looks good. Go where you have a real chance to grow, play, and prove yourself.
Even though he was talking about college football, I felt that message in my own life.
Coming out of high school, I thought the military was my main path. I spent four years in JROTC getting ready to join the Air Force. In my mind, that was the plan. I had put time into it, I respected the uniform, and I thought that was where I was supposed to go.
But life has a way of humbling you.
When I took the ASVAB, my scores were not even close to where they needed to be. Not even for the Army. I will be honest, that hurt. I already knew I was not always the smartest guy in the room lol, but I was willing to work. I was willing to learn. I just needed somebody to guide me..give me a shot
The hardest part was not just being told no. It was how fast it felt like I was moved to the side. My recruiter did not really say, “It’s fine. We are going to help you study and make this happen.” It felt more like, “On to the next person.”
That stuck with me.
I also looked into becoming a police officer around that time, but that path came with its own runaround. Doors were not opening the way I thought they would. I was trying to find my place, but it felt like every direction I wanted to go came with a wall in front of it.
Being a firefighter was not what I thought my future would be. But I had been an Explorer with Clayton County for years, and because of that, somebody gave me a shot.
That shot changed my life.
At first, I did not have everything figured out. I was still learning. I was still growing. But once I got in the door, I was able to show what I could do. I was able to prove that I cared about the team..about the crew. I was able to show up, work hard, and earn trust over time.
Now, almost 13 years later, I am glad life did not go exactly how I planned it.
Cam’s message makes sense because sometimes people chase the biggest opportunity without asking if it is the right opportunity. In football, a player may want the big college name, but if he never gets on the field, nobody sees what he can really do. In life, we can do the same thing. We can chase a title, a uniform, a school, or a dream that looks good from the outside, but that does not mean it is the best place for us to grow.
Sometimes the smaller door is the door that changes everything.
I also believe we need to stop acting like college is the only way to be successful. Does college help? Yes, it can. For some careers, it is very important. But is it guaranteed success? No. A degree does not promise money, happiness, or purpose. There are people in trades, public safety, business, transportation, and other fields who are building good lives without taking the traditional college route.
Success is not always about where you start. It is about what you do when somebody finally gives you a chance.
I did not get the Air Force path. I did not get the police path at that time. But I got the fire service. And that chance gave me purpose, growth, leadership, and opportunities I NEVER saw coming.
Looking back, I did not need the perfect path.
I just needed a shot.
