Marques Ogden: Bankruptcy to Keynote Speaker | Pro Athlete Interview Series - Episode 2

In this captivating interview, join us as we delve into the inspiring journey of former NFL player Marques Ogden. Once facing the depths of bankruptcy, Ogden has risen to become a beacon of resilience and success. 

From his humble beginnings to the challenges he faced transitioning from professional sports to the corporate world, Ogden shares invaluable insights and lessons learned along the way. 

Discover how he transformed adversity into opportunity, ultimately establishing himself as a renowned international keynote speaker and entrepreneur.

Transcript

Marques Ogden |  Charlie’s Interview - Also attending in Dec

Hey, and welcome back to our pro athlete interview series, brought to you by the Family Office Club. In case you're new here, this is our investor club. We have over 7,500 registered investors, we've hosted over 275 events in the past 17 years, and we have over 12 million social media followers. After having pro athletes, doctors, private investors, and billionaires on stage at our events, we decided to dive deep into what it takes to be in the top 1% of performers. We thought, how better to do that than by interviewing a series of pro athletes about their mindsets, investments, visualization practices, affirmations, discipline, and more. And that’s why we’re here today with Marques Ogden. Marques, how are you doing today?

I’m doing well, Charles. How are you, sir?

I’m doing great! It’s a little bit cloudy here in Portland, Oregon, but hopefully it’s a little better over where you are.

It’s not bad here in Raleigh. We’ve got some good sunshine, and things are coming along pretty well, so yeah, everything’s good in that regard. Lovely weather in Raleigh!

I love it! Okay, well, let’s get started. Why don’t we take a minute or two to learn a bit about where you’re from, how you got to where you are today, and then we can dive into the questions we have for you?

Absolutely, Charles. I’m from Washington, D.C., but I live in a small town called Fuquay-Varina in North Carolina, about a half-hour from Raleigh, our state capital. I’m a national keynote speaker—I’ve actually spoken for the Family Office Club down in Fort Lauderdale and met your brother, Richard. He’s a phenomenal guy, and your family office is top-notch. I also do executive coaching, business coaching, consulting, and I’m a podcaster. I’m a bestselling author, and I’m also a former NFL athlete. So, I have a lot of experience when it comes to pushing yourself to be in that top 1% and how you have to keep going, no matter what life throws your way.

That’s awesome! And that’s exactly why we wanted you on both stage and here on the show. So, thank you for being here. Now, I guess we can dive right into the first question: What’s a visualization technique, affirmation, goal-setting ritual, or strategy that you’ve used in the past, either as an athlete or now in your business life, to help you be in that top 1%?

For me, Charles, what I’ve done is I’ve learned to visualize exactly what I want and where I want to be. For example, I was recently divorced and found myself in an apartment for seven and a half months. It was dingy, dirty, and had only two windows. I didn’t feel like my energetic, vibrant self. So, what I did was I visualized what I wanted. I wanted a home for myself—I didn’t know what it would look like or where it would be, but I knew I wanted a place with windows and also one that would give my daughter her own room, her own playroom, and her own space. I started visualizing this in January 2023, and by May 2023, just five months later, I bought my dream home, six months earlier than expected.

So, when I struggle, or when my body’s not where I want it to be, I use my mind as a tool to get myself out of a dark situation and visualize a brighter future ahead.

Do you do this every morning? Is it something you practice before bed or first thing when you wake up? How do you integrate this into your daily routine?

Every single morning, Charles, I visualize. Even to this day, I take five minutes in the morning before I head to the gym to visualize. I ask myself: What do I want to get done today? How is today going to push me toward my future? Visualization has to be a daily practice. For me, it’s best done in the morning, but you can also do it at night. But I do it every morning without fail. I take those five minutes, and I focus on what I want and how I’m going to get there.

I love that. Do you have a system for setting goals beyond just daily visualization? Do you break it down into weekly, monthly, or annual targets?

Yes! I break it down daily, weekly, monthly, every six months, and annually. So, every day, I ask myself, what’s going to move me toward my goal? What do I need to accomplish this week to progress toward next month? What can I do over the next six months to push me closer to where I want to be this time next year? That system really pushed me out of my comfort zone, especially when my back was against the wall in that apartment. I realized that if I didn’t make a change, I’d be stuck saying, “I used to be married, I used to have a business, but now I don’t.” So, you have to learn to push through the curveballs life throws at you if you want to be in the top 1%. You’ve got to keep going no matter what.

I think that's a great system. It's about focusing on the small, daily actions and the bigger picture over time. And speaking of that, do you have a $1 million lesson that you’ve learned, either as a pro athlete or in your business life, that you could share with our audience?

The $1 million lesson I’ve learned is to never let your ego get bigger than the good part of your soul. Anytime your ego takes over, you start to think you know more than you do, and that can be dangerous. I’ve created two acronyms for ego: one is “Exaggerated Glorified Opinions,” and the other is “Edging God Out.” When your ego stops you from listening, being humble, and appreciating others, you’re headed in the wrong direction.

How do you check your ego? Do you have people around you who help keep it in check?

Yes, I’ve learned to check my ego, especially after losing everything in my construction business and going almost homeless. But I still need help from my business partner and others I work with to keep my ego in check. If you don’t have a business partner, get an accountability partner. Find a mentor or business coach who can help keep you grounded and remind you to stay humble. Don’t let your ego make you lose everything.

That's great advice. And it ties into how we talked about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Now, shifting gears, what’s the costliest financial mistake you’ve made, or one you see athletes making often that can be avoided?

A big mistake I see a lot of athletes make is treating business deals as if they’re based on past relationships. Every deal stands on its own. I went bankrupt because I made that mistake. I worked for a big client in Baltimore on a job where everything went great—they paid me early, everything was fantastic. But when the next job came around, I assumed they’d treat me the same way. I didn’t dot the i’s and cross the t’s, and that job ended up costing me everything. The lesson? Every deal is its own deal, and you’ve got to make sure it’s structured properly.

I learned the hard way. Always get things in writing and make sure everything is clear from the start.

I think a lot of people will take that lesson to heart. And do you have any practical steps you take now to avoid making that same mistake again?

Yes! It’s all about getting it in writing and making sure that all agreements are formalized. Don’t do extra work without signed change orders. That’s what led to my downfall. They asked me to do extra work on a handshake, but when it came time to pay, they walked away. So, always get signed agreements. In court, a handshake doesn’t hold up.

Got it. And last question: As someone who’s succeeded as a pro athlete and now in the business world, how can people outcompete others in their field and rise to the top 1%?

First, you have to create a plan and know your purpose. Be driven by your purpose, not by motivation. Be hardworking, focused on yourself, and not on your competition. The key is to stop comparing yourself to others. Focus on your skill set, your strengths, and what you’re good at. Collaborate with others, get help where you’re weak, and then just go for it. Beast mode is all about knowing what you do best and executing with confidence.

I love that. It’s all about focusing on your path, not getting distracted by what others are doing. Do you have any final thoughts to share with the audience?

Yes, if you want to get that beast mode inspiration, check out the Marcus Ogden app on Apple or Android. You can get exclusive content, listen to our podcast, “Get Authentic with Marcus Ogden,” and just connect with great people and resources. And I’ll leave you with a quote by Aristotle: “In times of extreme darkness, focus on the light. You are the light that can blaze the trail for others.” Believe in yourself, and everything else will follow.

Thank you so much for being part of our pro-athlete interview series, Marques. It’s been a pleasure, and we’d love to have you back on stage again soon!

Thank you, Charles! Have a great day!