In this episode of the ‘Hey, where’d you go?' podcast, David Fales, a former quarterback for San Jose State University and various NFL teams, opens up about his roots in Salinas, California, how a local QB coach predicted his success on the field, his introspective nature, his emphasis on practicing gratitude, and so much more.
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In this episode of the ‘Hey, where’d you go?' podcast, David Fales, a former quarterback for San Jose State University and various NFL teams, opens up about his roots in Salinas, California, how a local QB coach predicted his success on the field, his introspective nature, his emphasis on practicing gratitude, and so much more.
Want to hear more? Check out previous episodes, subscribe & leave a review.
APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/32M5E2T
SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/32AyXFq
Connect with Collin:
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CollinKushner
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/collinkushner/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CollnKushner
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-ku...
PERSONAL WEBSITE: https://linktr.ee/collinkushner
EMAIL: ckushner1@gmail.com
How you show up mentally and perceive things, that is your reality. Like if you think everything is you're unlucky or everything's against you and everybody's coming out to you, that that, okay, that's real. That that is how people, that's what's gonna come back to you. But if you're grateful for everything and like you see the opportunities and whatever you're showing up that has like, it's, that is real. I think when you set that intention of being grateful, it just that you put that on the world and it's gonna come back.
Speaker 2:Welcome back everybody, to another epic episode of the Hayward You Go podcast. I'm your host Colin Kushner, and we have another awesome guest, former San Jose State quarterback, n f l, quarterback and current account executive over at Zoom. It's David Fales. David, what's going on man?
Speaker 1:Nothing much, Colin. I appreciate you having me on here. Excited to, uh, to chat it up.
Speaker 2:You were born and raised in Salinas, California, which for those of you who are unfamiliar, it's pretty much in between Santa Cruz and Monterey. What was your childhood like and what was your family life like growing up?
Speaker 1:My mom and dad were from Nebraska and my dad was in the military and he got based in Fort Ord in, uh, in a military base. So that's how I ended up out here. So I didn't really have a lot of family here. Like none of my family outside of my mom and brother were here. And then they, they ended up staying. My dad moved back to Wyoming. They got separated when I was, when I was young, but it was really just me, my brother and my mom. Football didn't come until later. I got cut when I was, I think in fourth grade. I went out, went out to play and they cut me. I, I was like the last guy running. I didn't hit anybody. I never was really good. I never could really hit anybody, but definitely wasn't fast, wasn't big, wasn't strong, wasn't hitting anyone. So they cut me and then played flag football for a couple years and then I thought baseball was gonna be my sport in junior high. So then football came in. I grew a foot, played running back outside linebacker early in my career. Grew a foot, they needed a quarterback. I was like, okay, I'll, I'll try it out. And I wasn't good, but I, I couldn't play anything else really at that point. So that's, that was the beginning of my quarterback career. My mom did an awesome job. She was a huge influence on me and my brother, um, kind of had the foresight of wanting to put me in a certain private Catholic school. We weren't religious, but she knew that like Paul Mo was a high school here and they were known for having good sports. So she, she put us in there. I started there in junior high. Um, had a coach come in my freshman year and basically is still like a mentor to me, um, in, in life, but was like, basically taught me how to play the position. He taught me everything. Taught me how to read a defense, my footwork, how to, to throw a ball. And spent like five days a week, two hours a day with me. Um, and I could, we could do a whole episode on, on that guy's life and what he's done for me. But that, that was, um, a huge turning for point for me and playing football because then I, at that point I stopped playing baseball cause I realized I couldn't pitch and play football<laugh>. Um, so it was just basketball and football for me. Um, and I just progressively got better cause I just stuck with him. This guy kept showing up every day, taught me everything. Spent so much time with me and for what, like, I, I think it was just always in me to just like, I was super competitive, wanted to get, I saw that I was getting better every day and um, it was showing up on the field. I was not so good my freshman year. Got really good in my JV year, got better in my junior year, got better my senior year. So yeah, that guy, um, was a big influence in my life and still is
Speaker 2:The coach that took the time to really teach you the position and in the game at just an entirely different level. Like, can you kind of take me through like what that felt like to really start to grasp the position in the game from that perspective?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I, I look back, I mean the last two years, I, I, as I've spent a lot of time reflecting on like how I got to be, how as good as I was at the position and how I can apply the same principles into this next phase of my life. And like, so that I took it all the way back to that point. And like, it's, it's crazy the amount of, uh, foresight like that guy had in my career because I remember it was my freshman year, I went to throw with him once or twice and he came out to our car and tapped on my mom's window and he is like, Hey, he needs to keep coming back. He's gonna be really good. And I'm like, what the heck? What is this guy seeing? Like, like, and, and these are like questions I'm, I've been asking him in the last year we've been having lunches and I'm like, how, like how do you, how did you know, because I've thrown with a few kids recently just to help out and, and give back. And like how, how there's some kids that just don't pay attention. You could tell you're talking to him and they're not even listening to you. And I, so I wanna ask him, I'm like, Hey, was I that way? Like, were you talking to me? And I'm like, looking, you're just like talking to a wall. And he is like, no, that, that's like, as much as you were, I guess evaluating me, which I really wasn't, I was just like, this guy seems to know what he is talking about. I'm gonna keep showing up. He's like, I was evaluating you and he's like, you were always locked in. You had like a lot of things that made you really good that were already there. And I'm like, dang that, that's, so it's, it's been cool to hear his point of view now on how he just saw me at such a young age and, and how it's translated throughout my career. I forgot what your question was and why I was going there. You
Speaker 2:Pretty much answered it. I was just curious as to like, when you're working with somebody that just sees all of your potential and greatness and yeah, like kind of what that felt like to understand the position in the game from the perspective of, of a guy who, who believed in you. I think like, to me like that, that type of relationship, I, it's hard to imagine that not working out in some epic way down the line. You know what I mean?
Speaker 1:I was so lucky to have them because I never, I was always questioning it. Like even so, so he said that, that was my freshman year. Then my junior year I was fortunate enough to get enough game tape to put out to colleges to get recruited. Um, and I remember him again saying something to my mom where he was like, Hey, make sure you're looking at the quarterback history there and that they have a common theme of putting quarterbacks into the nfl. And I'm like, what the heck is this guy saying what is like, we're just trying to get school paid for? So, but he was like, no, we're not just going anywhere. We, you want to go somewhere where you're gonna succeed and go to the nfl. I'm like, whoa. And I like, I remember being in my mom's room and we're, back then there wasn't huddle or anything. You're putting together your, your envelopes with your paper, your, your highlight tape and like the cover letter and just mass sending those out in, in the mail. And then I'm, I'm calling the coaches that I like, specifically want to go to, to make sure that they're getting my tape. Cause they're, they're getting thousands of these, hundreds of these a day and not looking at any of'em. So I just, I remember him saying no. I'm like, wow, okay, now we're, so we're looking at like, how many quarterbacks have they put in the league the last 10 years? Like who are the coaches there and who, and have their systems put out quarterbacks. So that I still didn't really believe. And then ended up getting a division one scholarship to Nevada, which after my junior year, I had probably five or six schools that were interested D one schools. It was, uh, like Nevada, San Jose State, Utah, Kansas State, Oregon State. And a lot of these schools will have their summer camp around the same time and kids will just like bounce around. So that's what I did. I had like a two week stand where I went one school here two days later, another school, another school, and ended up getting Nevada. And um, I thought I was gonna get Oregon State. Didn't end up getting other schools, but, um, got Nevada and, and they weren't a school that I should have went to. Colin Kaepernick was there, and I don't, I'm not fast. They were still wanting somebody similar to him. But they said the way that they were selling it to me is the guy before Colin was, uh, Jeff Rowe, I believe, or Jim Rowe. And he was more of a pocket passer, not not fast. And that's kind of what they wanted to get back to. So we're like, okay, well let's do it. We'll, and we were super pumped. Like we're like, did we just get our first offer? We're getting a division I school paid for and like Nevada walking around the campus, it's sick. It's, it was really nice. Um, so we committed and that was like the first time I went against what Goodson. So Peter Goodson is a coach that I'm talking about. Like one of the only times I have not listened to him and should and like, and, and I should have. Cause then I'm there for six months, I realize like, I'm never gonna play here. Coach Alt who's been there forever has a bunch of records he told me I'll never play. Um, he's like, you can be like one of the third string quarterbacks here. We'll keep you on scholarship but you'll never play. I'm like, all right, I'm outta here. And I already,
Speaker 2:They say that to you like, you'll, you'll, you'll never, you'll never play Just shut the door. Just like that. Like
Speaker 1:Yeah. I think they knew they, I had been talking to junior colleges, like I went home a few times and met with a few junior college coaches just to see like, if I bounce back what I play, what would the opportunity be like? And I think my, the guy who recruited me got word of it somehow. Um, but either way, like you, you think they really wanted me. They'd be like, Hey, stay here. We're gonna develop you. We like you. No. They're like, yeah, you can go, you'll never play. And yeah, he literally said that. He's like, I'm you'll, you'll never play. You can be, he, he referenced another quarterback that was there for four years and never played. He's like, you'll be like him and we'll keep on scholarship. We like you but you'll never play here. And I was like, alright, I'll see you later. I told him like, yeah, I wanna play. So, which is, yeah, which is, it's, there's in like, in this story also in the last two years of just reflecting on my career, like there were so many times where I was confident in decisions that could have gone to like, I could have left that division one school and never got another one. You know, it could have gone a whole different way. Could have went to some like n ai school and and or a smaller school not have gotten an opportunity to go to the league. And that could have been like a deciding factor. Cause you could have stayed that Nevada and there could have been injuries. All of a sudden I'm playing and I actually develop into the guy I'm gonna be.
Speaker 2:What did you learn about yourself personally, David, from the experience at Nevada? You get there, you're all ready to go there. Like, Hey, you're never gonna play Colin Kaepernick's, our guy. You leave, you go to junior college, then you go to Wyoming for a couple of weeks, similar situation. I'm just curious what you've learned about yourself personally, uh, during that time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was like the, uh, before these last two years, the most self-reflective time I'd had, like I'd realized, okay, I had wanted D one, we were all pumped on D one, but I realized I wanted to play like, so I knew that I knew I wanted to play, but I also learned how to get better actually. Like, um, I think I had naturally, I definitely had naturally done it with my coach there cuz you, uh, through high school, we would show up every day. We'd have certain things we're focusing on and we'd have certain measurables that were like consistently getting better at. And I think in the beginning stages, as long as you keep showing up, you're gonna dramatically get better early on. Like, it's the same thing with like working out, when you first start working out the first six months, you're gonna make some huge gains, but then after that you're like, I've hit a wall at plateau. Like, and you gotta do, you gotta get a little bit more detail in whatever direction you want to go in order to make those changes. And it's, I think it's the same thing for me when I got to junior college. Like I had already built the foundation in terms of like throwing the ball, being able to read a defense, being able to go out there and, and play at a pretty high level. But I needed to like figure out the mental aspect because now I know how to play the game. But now I'm worried about like, is am I gonna, like, I'm worried about a bunch of external factors. I'm, I'm thinking about like, is this other guy, what's he doing? Is he better than me? Am I doing better today? Like every day I'm like, oh, at least I do better than him. And it's like, you get so caught up in a bunch of stuff that is irrelevant to you getting better. I, and I noticed that I, I started reading, uh, this book by Gary Mac called Mind Jim. I tell like every high school kid or anybody early in their career, like even now you can apply these principles to your life. Like, um, and there's other books that basically say the same thing, but it's ba creating. I was creating a highlight tape visualizing like generally, um, what I wanted to do, like, and in practice and in a tape. And it, it was crazy how it would show up in the game. Like I would get my few plays, like after you, after you have an idea of what you want the outcome to be, you can kind of visualize what that feels like, what it, what it looks like, what it would be like to celebrate, what it feels like to throw a good ball, what the grass is gonna feel like, um, certain like things that you can put together to create a visual in your body doesn't know the difference. And I had started doing that and it was like week by week, I'm like, holy crap. Like I figured something out. Like if I told people what's going on? Like, I saw this, but, and, and it would happen and I, I like continued my career. I just kept doing it. Cause I was like, uh, no doubt a hundred percent it was making me a better player. But the main thing that I learned at that point when I bounced back from Nevada was just like, control what you control. I'm gonna pick one to two things that I can like really focus on that are gonna overall make me a better player. Like if I focus on my footwork naturally I'm gonna throw a better ball because if my footwork is dialed in, my timing's gonna be on my, my base. Everything is gonna be a line that's gonna throw up a better ball. Instead of just like, oh, I'm gonna throw 10 perfect spirals. Like, ok, well how the hell are you gonna do that? You know? So picking things that like if I just worry about one thing, like this is gonna overall make me a better player and like then all of a sudden that's all I focused on. I'm like, I'm gonna get my three step drop better today. Like, I I, if nothing else, I'm gonna get my three step drop better today. And like, I just kept doing that every day at practice. And then all of a sudden you like pick your head up and all of a sudden now I'm starting and doing
Speaker 2:Well. Controlling the controllable is a massive piece, whether you're an athlete or you're not, because I think it's so easy, at least from my perspective, it's so easy for your mind to latch on to the things that you can't and then that distracts you from what you can. So it, it's really hard to develop and perfect your craft as an athlete, um, in the workforce when you're focusing on all that other noise. When if you can just take a couple seconds to think about what's really important, like you did, like, hey, I I wanna throw a better, a better ball, so I'm gonna work on my footwork. Then that's where you're gonna start seeing the magic happen. And that's just such a valuable lesson for, for all of us.
Speaker 1:I think. Fortunately for me, up until that point, I had enough experience in like education and playing the position that I knew, like what levers were gonna move the needle. I think for me now, like sometimes there are certain areas in my life that I dunno exactly what levers are gonna move the needle the most efficiently. So it's like get around and with, and the benefit of all these distractions is we have access to people, right? Like we can connect in a matter of weeks and have this conversation. You can do that with people who are two years, three years ahead of you now and maybe you think you want to be like this, uh, like someone in whatever area of your life that you wanna role model it off and like hit'em up. What are you doing? What are the like one or two things that helped you get to where you are? And then just like focus on that. Um, so I think that's something I've like kind of taken now too.
Speaker 2:That's so cool, man. I, I guess I want to know like, why do you think few teams were interested in you coming out, coming outta Juco given the fact you had your body work from high school, you got the offer to go to University of Nevada, you, you tore it up, you know, once you solidified yourself as the starter over at in, in Juco, like why, like, do you think it was, there were only, uh, two teams that were like, Hey, we want you.
Speaker 1:I think it's, uh, I don't know. I always drive scouts so hard now I'm like, scouts are soft. But I, it's like, um, if you're putting your life on the line, like it is your life, you know, you're put, when you evaluate a player and you're bringing a, a player in like even colleges, they have a certain territory and they put their name on this kid and then he's a bust. It's like, that's a reflection of you and, and which is ultimately gonna affect you and your family. So I think it's easy for guys to find all the, the tangibles. Like, uh, he looks the part, he's big, he's fast. You can't say like that, that then, then if that guy's a bus, it's like, well he had everything. I don't know where we like it was, we didn't develop him or something. It's not you. We brought in the talent. Um, and I was never that guy. Like if you looked me on tape, I'm not that fast. I'll, I'm not gonna have a hose. You'd have to watch me over his amount of time to be like, man, this guy is consistently like winning games, dropping dimes and, and just doing well. But like if you just looked at me, I'm, I'm, I was probably six one, maybe six and one 210 pounds. Like, not, not big or fast. So someone's gotta really know their stuff, I think, um, at the position to put their neck out. And I don't know, maybe it, it, like, maybe in today's day, like if I was going through, um, high school and college, it would've been a little bit easier because I have also more access, right? Like I, I was sending out DVDs in junior college too. So, um, I don't know. I, I don't know. I, I had something I always kind of question and like judge scouts and just people who are recruiting players in general. I'm like, how do you go about it? Cause I do think it is hard to find guys from high school to college because there's, I i, look, I was 1 95 skinny and then after like two years I was two 15. So it's hard to kind of see what guys are gonna turn into sometimes.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And that's the, the kind of the frustrating part. I, um, I had former Kansas quarterback Todd Reese on the podcast and the dude was a le a legend in college. And when it came to the pros, no, like, it was like, it was like David, it was awesome just to talk to him about like, here you are, like you're Texas state player, you're your junior year, you have very few colleges interested in you. Then you go to Kansas because head coach Mark Manino, like, I asked him like, what do you think he saw in you that the other schools didn't? And he was like, he said, I had that, I had the X factor, I had the it. And like I got chills hearing that because I think it takes a very special coach, almost like Peter Goodson with you to be able to, to get over like, well what's your hand size? How tall you are, what's your weight? And to be able to see like, to see through the facade and be like, that dude's got something. Um, I don't, but it's, it's hard though. It's kind of ambiguous. Like you're going, if you're a scout, you're saying that guy has something. But I don't know exactly what that something is. Um, I, you know, I don't know, like it's, and so to me that's kind of a hard sell, but I was just blown away by chatting with Todd about this cuz I'm like, dude, you had the body of work, all this stuff, and then they're saying you're too short. Um, your arm is weak. And it was just interesting to hear his perspective from that being away from the game now for as long as he has.
Speaker 1:It's hard, it's hard, it's hard to, it's like easy for me and probably even Todd to say like, yeah, what the hells wrong with these coaches? Look at us like at what we've done. But like, if you don't have, like, if you don't have the experience that me or Todd have and understand that it takes more than being six five and a hose of an arm to do it. Like it, it's hard for you to put your neck out there and especially if you're not gonna be the guy working and developing this person. I think like if it's a head coach that's putting his neck out there, he knows he's gonna give you the time and the reps and allow you to, to develop and, and have that fit factor carry over on the field. Even for me, with San Jose State, John Depo, he knew like I could throw the ball and spin the ball and he had worked with enough quarterbacks to understand that it takes more than being a giant, like a huge human and just all the other tangibles. Like he, he understood that and had worked with other people and knew he was gonna be working with me directly. So I think he had confidence in himself as well to like, he's like, I know you have enough of what I need to, to, to do, to do what we need. So it was easy for him to put his neck out. But even he left when I got to San Jose, like within the first month I got there, he went to the Raiders and then I wasn't named the starter at San Jose until week one of Stanford. And I just found out like a couple years ago that they were still kind of like, not sure if I was the guy. They just, I think I had done enough up until that point for them to give me a chance to see. But like, I didn't really, they weren't sold on me until after Stanford. Um, which is pretty funny. Um, but I I I, at that point I had been through so many things that I didn't care, you know, like it didn't matter. I was just kind of in the moment enjoying it. Like, if I wasn't the starter I was gonna be at San Jose. And if I was like, sweet, let's do it. Um, it was, yeah, I think my experience, my time at San at junior college and had really helped me like not worry about stuff I couldn't worry about. So I was like, I was in a really good spot.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's almost like a blessing in disguise having that whole like rigamarole of a journey to get to that point. Because once you get in there, it's like in your mind you're probably nothing could phase me now. Like, you can, you can say this, you can do this. I'm here, I'm gonna show you what, what y what I can do because you, you had already been through so much, you know, athletically to that point. And I think you, you alluded to it before you left the N F L like you said, like that was a period of time where you really had to go within and be super introspective at a super young age. How many people do you think at that young of an age are doing that? Probably not that many.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's like, I mean, what the beauty of sports like it, the, the things you learn, um, the skills you develop through sports is, is like awesome. It, it's all transferrable to life. Like, and I and you, when I played football till I was 30, so you don't really realize it as much until until you're out of it. And then, but being out of it last two years, I'm like, man, I'm so grateful for my time, the good and bad because everything I learned is transferrable into this next chapter of my life. The hard part I think for me is figuring out what avenues I really want to dive into that are, I'm passionate about ano as, as much as I was about football, um, which I think is a lot of guys cause up to this point, like football was really, was, was it? Um, and I, yeah. And there, that's another show we could probably dive into<laugh>.
Speaker 2:How do you kind of figure out that that next pathway you've dedicated yourself to something for so long where it can, it consumes you, your mind, body, and soul. So I like, I'm just curious like that ends, you have all these, you have millions of different avenues you can take, you know, it's almost like, do you find like another Peter Goodson except in, in the, in the outside of football to help you? Like how does this all happen?
Speaker 1:Yeah. Uh, and that, that, that kind of like ties into what we were talking about that LinkedIn post that i I put out like it's, uh, it's, it takes time. I think like with sports and football, fortunately for guys who played as long as they have like, there, it was a very clear path. Like for me, I had a dream of playing football when I was young. And then you're able to kind of see like, all right, it goes high school, it goes college, it goes nfl. You see like the level to, to get to and it's whether that's a pipe dream or not, like, you know where you're going. And like, I think for me and in life it's like you kinda get to create whatever you want. Like there is you, you kind of create the levels. It's, it's all determinant on what you want. Like, I mean obviously there's, you can join again the, this corporate world and there's ladders to achieve and, and, and ranks you can move up. But like ultimately I'm realizing like I don't wanna be in the same spot I was because I think I was so attached to my success as a football player and my identity as a football player that once it was gone and once I achieved that dream and you realize like, okay, now what, like you, I, I reached the nfl. I didn't really dream past that. I don't wanna really set myself up for, for that in this next chapter of my life that might get so attached to what I do. Um, so, and it just takes time. I think like, and connecting with other guys that have gone through the same thing have helped me. Cuz I think for, for me, when I first got out, it was, um, a lot of new feelings, a lot of new emotions. I had just done something for my entire life up to this point. And then now I'm like, all right, I'm not an NFL quarterback anymore. I don't, what am I working out for? Like, what are my days gonna look like now? You don't realize how structured my years, my quarters, my months, my weeks, my days have been like, I'd realized this was like a, i I had never been home for that long at one time. Um, there's so many things that I realized. Um, and like hearing other guys' stories too. Everyone, every athlete I think goes through this to some extent. And once you realize that and hear other people are thinking the same thing, it's like, okay, for me, as competitive as I am, I'm like, okay, if I'm not the only one and someone has done this, I, I got a chance. Like, and there's a lot of people that go through this, so it's just reaching out, um, connect with other people, yeah. And then kind of get spending time with yourself, listen to yourself, get exposure. I started networking a bunch, just reaching out to other people and seeing like what gets the juices flowing. Like what do I really wanna do? And I'm still kind of in that phase, um, a little bit. But, um, just learning to listen to yourself, I think, I think for us, uh, like just athletes, you found the love pretty early and it's like, all right, I like this. And there's so many things that go into it, why you like it, the, the camaraderie, the community, the competitiveness, the tension you get from this and, and evaluating why you liked some of that stuff. Because like the nfl, it's not normal and you'll, you'll never have anything like that. And that's ok. Like cuz you shouldn't, that isn't normal. Like being in going into a a thousand an arena with thousands of people, that adrenaline, like there isn't many things like that. And being attached to that I don't think is very healthy either. It's like, it's okay to want that. I think like sometimes I think about like going in, like speaking in front of a group of people, like that would be pretty cool and you probably get some similar juices swollen, but I'm not, I'm not worried about anybody ripping my face off, like which I, which I miss. I miss that. But, um, the cool thing is I can always tap into that. I tell, like talking to other athletes, it's the same thing they miss like, suiting out, getting, walking out into the stadium, just like filling that energy and vibe and like going into a hostile environment. Um, and it's easy to kind of look back on that and be sad and depressed. But I was golfing with somebody who was a little bit older, had a lot more wisdom, and he's like, man, look at that. Like, you can tap into that whenever you want. Like, nobody will ever be able to feel what you just felt right now by remembering that. I'm like, that's pretty cool. Like, and so we have, uh, some pretty cool experiences with that. And just like being able to, to lean on that and leverage it is, is huge. But networking, connecting with other people and trying to figure out what the juice is flowing is huge.
Speaker 2:How cool is that to be able to access those memories, you know, take a second, be still to access that because<laugh> I mean, you're, you're in the minority here when it, when it comes to being able to access and pull, like yeah, I played in th in front of thousands of bands through a touchdown pass, you know, in, in that lifestyle. But, but what I, I'm kind of curious about, David, is it's, um, there's a lot of fear I feel like that comes with sitting still with your thoughts to kind of sort through your life. How, from, from your perspective and from your own life, like how do you push through that fear? Is there something that really helped you through that?
Speaker 1:But like, yeah, just, just listening to yourself, like sitting there and trying to hear. Yeah, so I've, I've meditation, journaling, like for like, fortunately in my last couple years, I started, once I had my daughter, I had my daughter 2018 and I had like two or three more years after that. So I started waking up earlier because I realized like, man, if I don't wake up, like I go to the facility, come back and it's like it's go time with the kids. Like there is no me time anymore to like kind of reflect. And you, I think kids just change your perspective and, and how you wanna show up and, and how you wanna be because now it's not just you like how, how I show up and is gonna influence them. So I was just a little bit more conscious of it. So I started waking up earlier and like journaling. Journaling was the first thing I started doing. And you start seeing like a common theme that's showing up and, and it just, um, allows you to listen to yourself and have a conversation with yourself. And I the more times like you'd sit there and you're like, ah, I have nothing to write about. Those are like the craziest ones. All of a sudden I got like two pages of just a bunch of stuff that is coming up and I was like, I'm not, you just, I think it's so easy in, in today's world to just get distracted with whatever, whether it's like food, social media, Netflix, everything. Like you don't listen to yourself ever. You're just onto the next thing. It's like, all right, you're on social media now I'm hungry, now I'm gonna go chill with my kids and family. Now I'm watching Netflix. Like, you have no time to listen to yourself. So like being intentional before I went through this transition, like pivot from football, um, about carbon time out to like, be intentional about how I wanted to show up was huge. And I didn't realize like that this was gonna help me. But I, like I told you earlier, I, I was also meditating, like I was doing that mind gym visualization. It's kind of the same thing for me, like the intention's a little bit different, but, um, just taking time to breathe, like listen yourself. I've done a mix of just sitting there for 10 minutes and like breathing, listening, and then like guided meditations and like, I kind of bounce back and forth just depending on where I'm at. Um, and like reading books on that. But yeah, I think for me, like figuring out how to listen to myself again is just carving out time wherever that is, uh, to, to listen to myself. Like journaling, meditation, those have been the two that have helped me. And then I, I got, I, I work out like every day and st taking that time to take care of myself also again makes me a better version of me, which ma helps me show up in all areas of my life, uh, is the best version for my family. So I think, um, yeah, just, I think it was the journaling and the meditation that helped me like realize how I wanted to show up and the things that were kept popping up because like, even though I was doing that, I was still like on my phone or like using when there was like a drinking a little bit more than I was before or I was eating a little bit and I recognized that like my first six months out of the league I was like, I took a picture and I, I think I put on my Instagram, like where I started and where I'm at now. But I was like, I recognize, I'm like, oh man, this can go one or two ways. Like I'm gonna turn into like kinda a fat here, like eating, drinking a beer every night. Like it wasn't bad, but I was, I was like anxious, I was unsure. And like, you start finding ways to cope with that. And I didn't, I I kind of saw like, right, if I do this for another year, how am I gonna look if I dial this in and like get my diet in and get a little bit more routine and schedule like just a system in place, I I'll have a chance. So that's, that's kind of been my thought process and if it is like always evolving, like, so it's, it's a work in progress, but it definitely, definitely works.
Speaker 2:Dude, I think this exactly what you said can help so many current and former athletes because I'm just fascinated at how you built this awesome framework because if you think about like journaling and the meditation, it doesn't, I don't believe it takes that much time. I usually start my day with a 10 minute meditation, little 10 minute guided, boom, boom, boom, um, breathe during it, and then before I go to bed, it's, it's either like a whole journal session and to your point, the days where I feel like I have nothing to say, it's where I end up writing like a, you know, a, a novel, you know, while, while I'm doing it or do like a gratitude list. Three things like what am I grateful for? I'm grateful for this awesome roof over my head. And then maybe like, define that. Like these things don't take that much time. Like if, if you can, if you can go through the life of a professional athlete, everything you have to do, I, I feel like the, the transition into that type of framework shouldn't be too challenging, but it's about people putting, putting those tools and opportunities in front of you too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's, I don't, it doesn't take a lot of time. Like, and you start just because I think a lot of not, I don't know, I dunno if a lot of people but are, it's easy to not even think about, you know, how am I feeling today? And then all of a sudden you're an, you just show up and you're anxious and you're, you just don't take the time to think about how you're showing up and being intentional about whatever your issue is and, and how you wanna navigate that. So it doesn't, it doesn't really take a lot of time. I think something too that like reinforced it for me is, is in the process of just networking and reaching out to other people who have gone through similar things, like you just keep hearing reoccurring themes and like being grateful was one of them. It's like these people are making millions of dollars crushing it, and the secret sauce is like, we started a gratitude practice and I'm like, what the heck? That's it. Cause I think like as an athlete, you're always trying to figure out what it is that you can, um, implement to take you to the next level, right? And like even when I was a quarterback in the nfl, I was like, all right, what's what? I wanna be the best? Like I'm trying, my first couple years I was like, what is Brady doing? What's Bree doing? What are the top guys in this league doing? They're all going to Tom house and, and 3D qb like, so all these guys go there and I, I dropped a boatload of money to go throw with these guys for a month. And I realized like, okay, there is no secret sauce. Like these guys are definitely talented, genetically gifted, but they're not doing anything different. They're just showing up working and have put in years of time to get to where they are now. And it's the same thing. And I, it's, it's hard to realize that it's, but it is the same thing in this next slide, this next chapter of like, just regular life is like the people that are doing the things that you think you wanna do. It's easy to think that they're got some like crazy secret sauce because it's, they're probably showing it that way on social media and all you're seeing is these highlights, but they're not, uh, they're not doing anything crazy. And if you, like, fortunately for me, I've had access to some of these people and have gotta sit down and talk to'em. It's like, this is not crazy. They've just done it longer and they go through the same things. They're thinking the same things as you. They just have kept going. So, but the gratitude practice was something that kept showing up. They're just like, no way. Like that's it. Or<laugh>. But, but it is, it's all, it's like how you show up mentally and perceive things. That is your reality. Like if you think everything is, is, uh, you're unlucky or everything's against you and everybody's coming out that that, okay, that's real. That that is how, that's what's gonna come back to you. But if you're grateful for everything and like you see the opportunities and whatever you're showing up that has like, it's, that is real, you know? And um, I think when you set that intention of being grateful, it just that you put that on the world and it's gonna come back.
Speaker 2:I'm happy that you've been reinforcing that because I, I kind of had similar thoughts growing up. Like I grew up playing ice hockey and played one year in college and I thought to, to myself like, what are these? I was a goalie. I'm like, what are these goalies doing? And and the reality of it, of it all is like, they're really not doing much more of like, but just getting out there, like, it's like honing their craft. They're not doing something like magical and crazy, but the mind instantly is like, they must be doing some crazy, I I, right? And then it's just so funny how you're like, they, the these X N F L players are like, Hey David, gratitude list. And you're like, what? That's it, that's all I have to do. And they're like, yeah, man, that's it.
Speaker 1:Yeah. And I, it wasn't like guys who'd never played sports, they were just like extremely successful and whatever, it's real estate or whatever they're, they've done, they were like founders of tech companies. I was like, pr, gratitude practice. I'm like, no way. That's it.<laugh>.
Speaker 2:Well that's gonna be such an awesome takeaway here because I hope, I hope again, when, when people listen to this and, and, um, I mean obviously there is like a mental block because it is an easy thing to do, but there is some mental block with taking the time to do that stuff. But I hope if anything that's just reinforces like, hey, if you're out of time in your life, you want things to change or maybe you're in like a dark period of time. Like take take 20 minutes a day to, uh, journal gratitude, practice, meditate, and it's not gonna happen overnight. Like things take time. And I think, I mean you even alluded to that, um, in that LinkedIn post, like, it's gonna take time. It's just like every single day, like you're sharpening that iron and at some point it's gonna become second nature to you and then you'll eventually start to see the change.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think like it is gonna take time, but it's not gonna take as, as long as you think it's gonna take. Um, I think sometimes people, like they're unrealistic in how long it's gonna take and they're unrealistic and, and how fast they can happen as well. You know, like I just, I've gotten in the best shape I've ever been in the last two years and it's like, it could probably happen in like three months depending on where you're at. You know, it's just like you have to dial, you have to dial in the right levers and, and you'll get there. It's the same thing in, in other areas. So yeah, just being intentional about what you want to do and, and yeah, journaling, the gratitude practice that all that all will help in terms of like pointing you in the right direction,
Speaker 2:Reverting back to your football career. I, I, I don't wanna dismiss that at San Jose State. You tore it up, dude, 8,382, passing yards, 66 passing touchdowns, 22 picks in two seasons. Um, from there you did get drafted by the Chicago Bears in, in the sixth round, um, putting up those numbers at San Jose State, getting drafted by the bears, like can you kind of bring us back to that moment of, of what it felt like just to see the Windy Road high School, Nevada to Wyoming then back and, and how that all paid off for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it all happened so fast. That's like what, what I tell my wife too, it's like I just, my, when I'm reflecting on how we got to this point, how I made it to the league and stuff, I'm like, it just my head was down, I was grinding and like knew what I wanted at certain points and they were, it was hard, but like when you look back, like just time flies. And when I got to San Jose, it was like just a perfect timing. These guys that were there, they were juniors and seniors, they had been playing since they were freshmen and I had been playing too just in junior college. So I wa it wasn't like they had some rookie coming in to play with them. They just needed a guy to give'em the ball and get it to the right place. So like they had a, a vet offensive line, bunch of vets up there, veteran receivers, a really good defense and they, they needed someone to give'em the ball. So it was like perfect timing and they had been grinding out the last few years, um, just getting that culture and foundation in place and then I kind of like fell in line with that as well. So perfect timing for place. And then the next year that coach left and, and went to Colorado and it was tough. A lot of the, the new coach came in, was trying to create a new culture and it, it was tough, but we had a lot of good players and, and definitely should have won more than six games. But, um, I mean it was surreal. And then I, I went through the whole draft process and I remember after my junior year they, the, they asked me like, Hey, are you gonna make a decision? I'm like, a decision on what? Like, are are you gonna come out? And I'm like, what? Like, so that was when I didn't even, wasn't really thinking about the nfl, but um, that is after my junior year when they asked that, I was like, oh, okay, so this is real. And um, and, but I I, in my mind I'm like, we're, we had a lot of vets coming back, so we were gonna be even better the next year and I was gonna have even a better year. And, and we did have a really good year. Um, but then went to the draft process, went to the senior bowl, went to the combine, went to the pro day. It was around, like we had a really big draft class that year. It was, uh, bs, Manzi, Derrick John, um, Jimmy Garo, there was a bunch of quarterbacks that year. Um, and um, I thought like first it was gonna be second, third round my agent was telling me, and then it was like fourth, fifth round, then sixth rounds. So the draft day was, was pretty stressful just cuz I was thinking I was going earlier. Um, but when it happened, it was cool. I, I really didn't know much about Chicago. They had worked me out the week before and the coach was awesome. Again, like my, my career, like I look back and I obviously, I wish I would've played more, wish I could've played longer, but I was fortunate to be around some really cool people and good coaches and like, I got drafted to Chicago and it was Matt Kavanaugh who had, was our quarterback coach. He had been a backup to Joe Montana and played 15 years in the league and been coaching for like 15 years. So this guy was like, had so much knowledge and, and you just realize like usually the people that are one of the best in their space are also like really good human beings. And he was definitely that. And so that was like how I entered the league being around him. I had Cutler, um, Jimmy Coston was a huge help to me, um, and just like teaching me how to learn. So yeah. And then, um, I mean it was, it was definitely surreal. You kind of go from watching a lot of these guys on TV in high school to now I'm in the locker room with them and I'm like, oh my gosh, this is crazy. And then you're just on the sideline watching all the guys that I was, was playing Madden with on, on Xbox or whatever video games. So it was, it was pretty cool. Um, and I mean we could do a whole show again on like the journey through the N NFL because there's so many ups and downs there that I had to like lean on in terms of what I had learned in college. But um, overall it was like such a, such a cool experience.
Speaker 2:Do you miss football?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, yeah. So much. I miss it so much. And, and what, what you realize is you don't ne I don't miss throwing a football. I don't even really miss like, I, I mean I do miss throwing touchdowns and stuff, but you miss the guys. Like, you miss competing, you miss the camaraderie of just like-minded individuals because that's something I didn't, I didn't realize. I just kind of grown up into it. Fortunately I've been in San Jose, a bunch of high performing like-minded individuals, uh, working towards the same goal. And the N NFL is the same way. Bunch of just ballers for the most part, most part working towards the same goal, very like-minded. And then when you get out of that for an extended like six months, I'm just like, dang, where are my people at? Like, you don't, you don't, and that's the same thing. I go to these events with guys who've, um, performer players and that's just everyone's saying the same thing. It's like we, we just miss the locker room. We miss being around the guys. So that is definitely the number one thing I miss. Obviously I miss like being out competing and playing, but not, I not, that's not like, I mean I could go play in the XFL or the uss or whatever and I don't, I don't really have the desire to do that just cause I, um, I do have kids and I kind wanna figure out this next phase of my life. Like I don't wanna keep chasing the dream. Um, and cuz the dream has changed now. So, um, but yeah, definitely I would say I do miss it. I probably always miss it.
Speaker 2:David fails. I appreciate the time,
Speaker 1:Man. Yep. I appreciate it. Thanks for.