​​From Janitor to NFL Superstar: The Power of Resilience w/ Terron Armstead

Summary

Podcast Summary: "From Janitor to NFL Superstar: The Power of Resilience" with Terron Armstead

Law of Attraction SECRETS
Host: Natasha Graziano
Guest: Terron Armstead, Five-Time Pro Bowl NFL Player, Miami Dolphins
Release Date: March 21, 2025

---

Introduction

In the compelling episode titled “From Janitor to NFL Superstar: The Power of Resilience”, host Natasha Graziano welcomes Terron Armstead, a distinguished five-time Pro Bowl NFL player for the Miami Dolphins. Graziano enthusiastically introduces Armstead not only as a top-tier athlete but also as a multifaceted individual with a passion for music. The episode delves deep into Armstead's inspiring journey, his resilient mindset, and the intersection of his athletic career with personal growth and creative pursuits.

Terron Armstead's Background and Journey to the NFL

Terron Armstead opens up about his humble beginnings and relentless pursuit of success. Growing up in Cahokia and East St. Louis, Illinois, Terron faced a challenging environment characterized by violence and limited resources. Despite these adversities, he found solace and direction in football, a passion instilled by his father from the tender age of five.

“I was flat broke at the time. Like, nothing to my name. I'm sleeping on the couch with one of my homies during the summer in Palm Love. I'm a janitor during the day, cleaning all the local streets.” [05:15]

Terron's dedication intensified during his senior year at Arkansas Pine Bluff, a Division 1 HBCU, especially upon discovering he was expecting twin girls. This life-changing news ignited his determination to excel, leading him to train rigorously and focus intensely on his football career. His perseverance paid off when he shattered the NFL 40-yard dash record at the NFL Combine, catapulting him into the spotlight and eventually earning him a third-round pick—the highest ever from his school.

Building a Resilient Mindset

Graziano and Armstead delve into the essence of resilience and the mindset required to remain at the pinnacle of success. Terron emphasizes the importance of never being comfortable or complacent, highlighting that continuous improvement is essential for sustained excellence.

Terron:
“It's just, it's having that, that, that drive, that self-motivation, that internal drive of never being comfortable. Really. Like never being complacent.” [08:38]

He discusses his disciplined approach, maintaining rigorous training routines even during off-seasons, and the significance of mastering the fundamentals of his sport. Terron credits this unwavering discipline as a cornerstone of his long-standing career in the NFL.

The Role of the Law of Attraction in Success

The conversation takes a philosophical turn as Natasha shares her personal experience with the Law of Attraction, drawing parallels to Terron's mindset. She recounts her transformative journey from a moment of despair to becoming a motivational speaker, emphasizing the power of positive thinking and intentional life design.

Natasha:
“The law of attraction is essentially designing your life, feeling it into existence.” [10:16]

Terron reflects on the power of the mind in overcoming challenges, relating it to his own experiences with injuries and personal setbacks. Both Natasha and Terron agree that mental resilience and a positive mindset are pivotal in navigating and triumphing over life's obstacles.

Overcoming Challenges and Bouncing Back

Terron shares anecdotes about facing lows, both before and during his NFL career. From scrubbing gym bleachers as a janitor to dealing with injuries and personal struggles, he illustrates how mental fortitude has been crucial in his ability to bounce back and remain focused on his goals.

Terron:
“I don't allow myself to have a whole rough day. Like, I have rough moments and I would sit with it, I allow myself to feel how I feel in that moment, but then I give myself a time where it's like, alright, it's enough.” [22:06]

This disciplined approach to handling adversity ensures that Terron maintains his performance and continues to strive for greatness, setting an example of resilience for listeners.

Terron's Pursuit of Music and Creative Expression

Beyond the gridiron, Terron explores his passion for music, highlighting how it serves as a therapeutic outlet and a means of creative expression. He recounts his journey from creating music in high school to collaborating with prominent producers and securing a spot on the Madden 24 soundtrack.

Terron:
“Me and a few others, Darren Waller, Ray R. McLeod, Melvin Ingram, we got some songs together. Rob 49 was one of the biggest artists that jumped on the tape.” [26:44]

His success in music demonstrates the versatility of his talents and the importance of pursuing one's passions alongside professional commitments. Terron's ability to balance his sports career with creative endeavors underscores the multifaceted nature of his resilience and determination.

Final Insights and Advice on Discipline

As the conversation draws to a close, Terron imparts valuable advice on maintaining discipline and continual self-improvement. He emphasizes the significance of challenging one's discipline and making sacrifices to achieve long-term goals.

Terron:
“Continue to challenge your mental, your discipline, your willingness to sacrifice certain things because you understand how temporary things are, how much you can do without.” [35:55]

Natasha echoes this sentiment, reinforcing the idea that a resilient mindset and disciplined habits are foundational to personal and professional success.

Conclusion

Natasha Graziano and Terron Armstead conclude the episode with a powerful message about resilience, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Terron's journey from janitor to NFL superstar, coupled with his ventures into music, serves as an inspiring testament to what can be achieved with unwavering determination and a resilient mindset.

Listeners are left with actionable insights on cultivating resilience, the importance of mental fortitude, and the transformative power of the Law of Attraction. Terron’s multifaceted success story not only highlights his achievements on the field but also his commitment to personal growth and creative expression, making this episode a rich source of motivation and inspiration.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Terron Armstead [05:15]:
  “I was flat broke at the time. Like, nothing to my name. I'm sleeping on the couch with one of my homies during the summer in Palm Love. I'm a janitor during the day, cleaning all the local streets.”

• Terron Armstead [08:38]:
  “It's just, it's having that, that, that drive, that self-motivation, that internal drive of never being comfortable. Really. Like never being complacent.”

• Natasha Graziano [10:16]:
  “The law of attraction is essentially designing your life, feeling it into existence.”

• Terron Armstead [22:06]:
  “I don't allow myself to have a whole rough day. Like, I have rough moments and I would sit with it, I allow myself to feel how I feel in that moment, but then I give myself a time where it's like, alright, it's enough.”

• Terron Armstead [35:55]:
  “Continue to challenge your mental, your discipline, your willingness to sacrifice certain things because you understand how temporary things are, how much you can do without.”

---

For more insights and inspiring stories, tune in to the Law of Attraction SECRETS podcast every Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8:00 A.M. EST.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Law of Attraction Secrets podcast. I'm your host, Natasha Graziano. If you didn't know that by now, honey, you've been living under a fucking rock. Today on the show we have an amazing player. Not the kind of player that you're thinking, not a love player. This is an NFL player. He's five times pro ball. Is that right?

[B]

That is correct.

[A]

Yo, five times pro ball. He's one of the best NFL players in the game. He plays for Miami Dolphins, one of my favorite teams. I love Miami. I love this human. He's so awesome. He's. He's also an artist. I love the fact he releases music. Welcome to the show, Taron Armstadt.

[B]

Thank you, thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm good, I'm good. How you doing?

[A]

I'm doing good. I'm doing good. I'm happy you're here. You're in your off season right now.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

So you get some downtime.

[B]

A little bit. A little bit of downtime hanging out in Dallas mostly.

[A]

Nice. I love that. Dallas is cool.

[B]

Dallas is cool.

[A]

Dallas is cool. I like Miami though. Miami's got such a vibe.

[B]

I love Miami. Love you.

[A]

It's a beautiful energy. I love swimming in the ocean there.

[B]

I'm not the best swimmer, so I don't have many. I don't have much experience in the ocean, but I do enjoy it too.

[A]

Even just walking along the beach is beautiful, for sure. Just like feeling the energy of the earth, just like tapping in because we have such busy lives, you know, you're also a father, which is so beautiful. You got twin girls, you said.

[B]

I do, I do. My twin girls, Trinity, Tatiana. Shout out. And I have my son, Truth. Seven years old. So.

[A]

What a name.

[B]

Yeah, I got three little athletes.

[A]

Oh, I love that. They all do. Some kind of sport.

[B]

Yeah, My twins play basketball. My son play football and football and basketball. The twins team, they. They are on the best sixth grade team in the country. They won AAU national championship last year. They will win it again this year.

[A]

That's incredible.

[B]

Coming up, they are a dominant force out of North Dallas. AB Elite shout out to you.

[A]

Yeah, I love that for sure. Wow, that's so cool. Okay, so tell me about your journey. You are a really incredible sportsman. You've done some wonderful things in NFL. Like every time, you know, when you Google your name, so much comes up of all of your big, big achievements. I would love to know how that journey started for you.

[B]

Yeah. So I've been playing football for a Very long time at this point. Got forced into it by my father at 5 years old and 28 years straight. I've been in this sport every fall and never missed a year. I just finished my 12th year in the NFL. My journey has been that. It has been a journey. Coming from Cahokia, Illinois, East St. Louis, Illinois. Grew up in a rough area. A lot of challenges, violence, things like that. I went to a school where you had to go through metal detectors before you go to the first class. Police had to take you to the bathroom during school if you needed to go. All that type of stuff. No, for real. But I never felt like I was poor or in a bad area. Cause it's all I had known. So I thought everybody experienced the same thing. I didn't know my experience was a little different till I got to college and then later into the pros.

[A]

I do hear that from people who have been raised where they came from, that kind of background, that their parents and their mom in particular, made them feel like you're kings. They never knew it.

[B]

Oh, for sure, for sure. Didn't know. Didn't know we were. Had less than anybody else or our situation.

[A]

Shout out to your mama.

[B]

Yeah, for sure. Mom's dad, grandma, all of them come from a big.

[A]

I love that. Keep going.

[B]

So I went to a Small School, Arkansas Pine Bluff, D1HBCU. Very, very proud of my, my university. But it was challenging. It was much of the same, really, of like my hometown. So dealing with the same type of violence and not many resources. So I'm at Pine Bluff. I'm doing industrial technology, engineering. I was always pretty smart, if I could say that myself.

[A]

I love that you can tell. Actually, I was almost about to say if you got a book, because it wouldn't surprise me if you got one. You're all good, but carry on your story. You're very smart. You can definitely feel that.

[B]

I appreciate it. So, yeah, I get to Pine Bluff and like, I want to go to the NFL, right. I think every kid playing football feel that way, but it's not much of a reality at Arkansas Pine Bluff. We don't have anybody in NFL. We don't have any storyline to follow or, you know, to kind of gauge that process of getting there. We don't have NFL scouts coming and watching practice and all those things. So my first couple years at Pine Bluff, I'm just. I'm enjoying the game. I'm. I'm having fun. I'm starting. I'm. I'm kicking ass. All that good Stuff. My junior year, I started to get a little bit of buzz, some. Some traction. But my senior season is when the twins were on the way. So I found out that I was getting ready to have twin girls and they are the reason I went to the NFL. Like, literally that moment ignited a new fire in me that I, like, literally locked in like never before. I was training like crazy. I'm studying the game. I honestly stopped going to class for real. Like, I was all in on. I need to get drafted to provide for these. I was flat broke at the time. Like, nothing to my name. I'm sleeping on the couch with one of my homies during the summer in Palm Love. I'm a janitor during the day, cleaning all the local streets.

[A]

Amazing story. From janitor to NFL, no bullshit. Life. You did it.

[B]

No bullshit. It's crazy because I really don't go through this. Yeah, sure. So it's crazy to hear it again. So, yeah, I'm cleaning gum off the gym bleachers and. And then after that I go. I go train, go work out. And I did that pretty much my whole senior season. My. My last year. And I got so much stronger, more explosive. My knowledge of the game, my diagnosis of what's in front of me, it all just be. It got significantly better. And scouts start coming. So we went from like one scout, one NFL scout a year. It was probably four or five a week. They're coming, they asking questions, whatever, whatever. And then after I finished my senior season at Arkansas, Pine Bluff, we won the first ever championship in the school's history. I got invited to a couple All Star games. So went to the All Star game. Was like the MVP of the first All Star game. So I got invited to another one.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Went there. And I'm competing against guys at Alabama, Georgia, lsu, all old school. And that's when I really got my test to see can I compete against, you know, the top, top schools, top players in the country.

[A]

How'd it go?

[B]

It went well. It went well. So, like, now I know, all right? I do belong in that cloth of player. So then I got invited to the NFL combine. And that's where I really made my name because I broke the NFL 40 yard dash record. Ballist alumni. I still have it too.

[A]

Wow. Oh, come on.

[B]

Oh, for sure. So we go through that. We go through that process, and then I break the record like 8am and I'm on the front page of NFL.com and NFL Network, like all day.

[A]

That must have been a day.

[B]

That was a day.

[A]

You Remember that, that your twins are here now at that moment.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah, they've arrived. They are, they're here. Yep. Yeah, I had them during my senior season. So like, like towards the end of the season. So yeah, they, they're here. So, yeah, I'm all over the NFL.com, nFL Network, and I get drafted, I get drafted out of Pine Bluff, third round, 75th pick, highest ever from the school. And it was the start of a journey. And that was all those challenges and hurdles to get to that point. My NFL career had a whole nother set of obstacles and hurdles and challenges. It, I was built for it.

[A]

You were so built for it. Let's talk about that. Being built for being at the top, right? There's very few people who understand that, but to be that you're in the top percentile of what you do, so you have the strongest resilient mindset above anybody probably, that, you know. So you and other athletes, people like me, at the top of my field, people who are at the top of our games, we know what the fuck it takes for success. It's like we, we wake up and we are driven. We go for even. Probably in your off season, I bet you're working on your music. Sure you're working on something. There's no way you're sitting going, hey guys, I'm gonna have a six month vacation. Like, I know you're doing shit right. Tell me about your resilience mindset. Like, what do you do to maintain that strength, that inner strength?

[B]

It's just, it's having that, that, that drive, that self motivation, that internal drive of never being comfortable. Really. Like never being complacent.

[A]

Yo, inside my book there is a quote you're gonna love. Oh, this book is for real? Yeah, for real. You are gonna love says that comfort is the enemy of growth.

[B]

That's a fact, right? That is a fact. And it's really that, like that that's my job. Never being comfortable or complacent. You can't. Anytime you sit and steal, you're getting passed up. Like, for real, you're not getting better, you're getting worse. Like all those cliche quotes and whatever sayings that we hear is like, it's true. And I live by it. Even throughout my 12 year career. Like every off day, I'm in the facility, I'm working on my craft. I'm taking the same steps and same reps that I've been taking for the last 12 years. And I'm still doing it over and over and over and over. The small little nuances of the game, the fundamental elements of the game. Like, I still practice over and over. So it's really that, like. And I had to come to learn it and create that. That. That discipline of going to do when I don't want to. And all the things that I could be doing. I could be on a trip, I could be in Turks, whatever, whatever. But, like, I've never wanted to get comfortable or complacent. Always chasing that daily progression.

[A]

Always more for sure, all the time. I love that. But that's what is taking you further than anyone. That's what's taking you this far and will continue to bless you because you have that mindset of resilience, of success. You believe that you are capable of achieving bigger and bigger and bigger. And so you continue to achieve bigger and bigger and bigger. Okay, I have a question, because I always love to know. It's about athletes. So in the law of attraction, which is. Do you know about the law of attraction?

[B]

I mean, vaguely.

[A]

Okay, so like attracts, like what you think about, you attract. Your thoughts become your feelings, your feelings become your actions, and your actions become your habits. And you are a walking bag of habits, honey, by the way, about 30, we are just a walking bag of habits. So the law of attraction is essentially designing your life, feeling it into existence. So once upon a time, I was in a really dark place. I was like, 20, 19, 2018, really dark place. Even before that, where I hit rock bottom, where I was, had no money. I was at hundreds of thousands of debt. I was a single mom. And I was like, fuck, how am I going to get out of this message? And the worst thing of all, I was unwell. So I had a health issue. So I was pretty much bedbound. And I was like, fuck, how do. This is so bad. My life had gotten so bad. But the reason I share this with you is because I decided in that moment to break free of that mindset. I decided to redesign my life. And I'd read and study the book the Secret. And the Secret is all about the law of attraction, right? And over a billion people have read this book now. I was like, I know if I apply this knowledge, knowledge only becomes power when applied. Knowledge only works when you actually do something about it. So I was like, get up. Do something. And I started listening to Denzel Washington. And I was preaching life over myself, saying, pain is just temporary. Pain is just temporary. You're going to get out. So I'm staring at myself in the mirror And I'm like, you are going to get out of this, step up and grow. And I hear this voice that says, natasha, you're going to be a motivational speaker. I was like, me, I can barely even use my voice at the time, but something inside me said, just listen and do so every day I worked on getting 1% better, 1% better, 1% better,. Until I ended up going on stage, until I ended up healing so much that I was able to share with the world what I had learned. And that was the whole. Was the book. So that's what.

[B]

No, that. That is powerful. That is powerful for real and motivational. God damn.

[A]

That's why I knew it, right? I was like, I know my calling, like, I know my calling is to inspire a billion people. So how do I do that? Well, I have inspire you to go and inspire your community and you reach millions of people. So my job is to inspire every person that I meet and that I coach to be able to go on and inspire their community so that they can light up the world too.

[B]

That's fire.

[A]

Then we reach a billion people. That's fire, you know? So, like, what's your purpose when you wake up in the morning? Is it your kids? What's your why? Do you get it? Like, what's your.

[B]

I do get it. Yeah.

[A]

What's your why?

[B]

I've been hearing that more and more.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah. No, for real. Finding that. Finding that purpose, but for me is to be the best in all aspects. To be the best me, honestly, like, no, it's an underlying competition. And whatever industry I'm in, whatever game or walk of life that I'm in, that willingness to compete, but outside of that is no competition. Cause can nobody else be me, you know what I mean? Or be me better than me? So that's really it. That's like my goal to be the best father I can be. Not the best father that, like, be the same father that somebody else has. Be the best father I can be. To be the best player I can be, to be the best community leader, to be the best media and broadcaster. You know what I mean? Like, to be the best artist that I can be. You know what I mean? That. That's my goal, that's my purpose.

[A]

So beautiful.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

And you will. But you're inspired through you being the best of who you are. It's like putting on the oxygen mask when they say in the plane, put your oxygen mask on first. We can't produce anything for nobody. Thank you.

[B]

Damn.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm still in that.

[A]

You should listen to my motivational album.

[B]

I will.

[A]

Every day. And you'll be like, I'm so inspired to go. People work out to this. Like, they listen. They're like, I did it with the big producers. Major. Oh, my God. I have to introduce you. You two will get on so well. He's like. He's one of the biggest producers. Said, Major, yeah, Major Grammy awards done. Everyone from Justin Bieber to JLo to this, everyone, Beyonce, the whole thing. He's really like. He's up there.

[B]

But what was your. What was your like after you had that realization, right, that you like enough is enough. I'm about to do something about it. I'm going use the knowledge. I have to go better my life. What was your first step? Like, what did you do?

[A]

The first thing I did, I decided who I wanted to be. So I got a bit of paper and I wrote down. I remember this, and I still have this bit of paper. It's, like, covered in water with my baby spilled water on it. Oh, my God. So I wrote down on this paper who I wanted to be. I wrote Natasha Graziano. Who is she? At the time, I was different surname, Natasha Grano. So I was like, very similar. So I was like, who do I want to be on that break? We're going to take a quick break and be right back. And I wrote on a bit of paper. I was like, okay, who do I want to be? So I didn't like the version of me that I was playing. And I believe life is a movie. You choose your character, you write your script.

[B]

Yo, your energy is fire. No lie. Your energy is fire. Yeah. No, for real.

[A]

So many people, they're not the same on Instagram that they are in person.

[B]

Not me.

[A]

I'm like, oh, my God. When I have my people with me in my life, my girl, my man, whoever I'm with. Oh, yo, they are 100xing their shit, like, out there daily. Like, motivational speaker that just pours in.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

To my children, to my friends. Don't I do that to you all the time? Like, we literally call me ever. She's my producer. We do so much. And I'm like, boom, let's go. Like, we're winning. So anyway, I wrote down this paper. I was like, okay, I don't want to be this version of me. So I wrote down who I was, and I screwed it up. I said, no, no, I don't. I'm depressed. I'm ill. My God. I think negatively. Oh, my I really don't like that version. For me, I never focus on what I don't want. I focus on what I do want, only. So now I start writing down a list of everything I want in my. In myself. I want to be wealthy. I want to inspire people. I want to be independent. I want to be healthy. Okay. I started really, really filling this out. 100 things. At least it was completely covered. And then I'm a little stick person in the middle, and I'm, like, looking at it. I'm like, what do I do for me? So now I start going, I got to be it. Oh, my God. If I could just fake this version of me, I'll become her. Not swear, be it until you become. It was born. Because I don't, like, fake it till you make it. I don't like being fake. I'm the realest bitch in the world about who I am. I was like, own it. Boom. Who am I gonna be? I'm gonna be her. And I stepped into that, and my whole posture changed, my whole energy change, my outfits change. I just drew so much out and then started to rebuild. I had no money at the time, so I go to charity stores, and I would, like, you know, buy little pieces or they'd let me borrow it or something for pictures. And I started to redesign. Yeah, right. I was in. What do you call it? Thrift store.

[B]

Thrift store, yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean? I'm Britain, so I was like, oh, you know, try it on. But that was how I got out.

[B]

Damn.

[A]

Have you ever had a low in your life where you've had to get out of.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. No, for sure I have.

[A]

When you were back scrubbing all the.

[B]

Gum off the thing. That was a. That was a low. That was a low. I've had. I've had. I've had him in the league, even with money, even, you know, during times of success and, like, just dealing with issues, family problems, health problems, injuries. Injuries is one that can. Can weigh on you really bad. For sure.

[A]

My friend who. It's really cool. It's called Monte Morris, plays the NBA. He had an injury, and he went through a low, too, after. He's not the only one. There's many athletes.

[B]

That's a fact. That's a fact. That's a real thing.

[A]

I was there for him after, like, wow, dang. You know, you've really got to, like, rebuild your strength of who you are. You always have to remember you're amazing, but you never. Okay, so yesterday. This is so ridiculously Small and nothing like a real injury. I was getting out the car, and I was taking my baby's car seat out, and it was a new one. And my nanny was standing next to me because she was going to help me. And I fell out of the car and I landed on my ankle. And I thought, oh, God, this is going to be an injury. It was real bad. But the weirdest thing happened. I just decided it wasn't. Didn't happen. I played. Now, obviously, if you actually fracture your foot, you're going to have a different thing. I was like, no, no, no, no, no. I was like, it's fine, it's fine. I'm amazing. It's strong. And I. And I visualized it being healed all day. And the pain went.

[B]

Listen, the power of the mind is a real thing. I'm a testament of it. So I know exactly what you mean. Power of the mind. It can be your reality for sure.

[A]

For sure. Right? Wait, this is what I'm gonna ask you is. It's so interesting, and I. And I love to ask athletes this. Do you do rehearsal visualization, like visualization to rehearse your sport before you go and play? Is it a game or a match?

[B]

It's a game. It's a game. But no, I mean, this is a match, too. You got a matchup, like in the NFL. You more so got a matchup. You got somebody that you're gonna see mostly most of the time or most plays. That's your matchup. But it's a game.

[A]

You gotta match up.

[B]

You know what I mean? But so as far as visualization, like, me personally, I haven't. But one of the greatest players of all time, he was my quarterback. Drew Brees, hall of Fame. Hall of Fame quarterback. Every Saturday we would have. So we go through the process of preparation. All week we Game plan. And Wednesday is base is what we call bases, like all of the foundation of our plan to attack this team. Thursday we go more of the passing game. Friday we go situational. So, you know, we need a touchdown right here or if we need to go kick a field goal here. What are we going to do? Saturday is kind of a walkthrough where we just touch. Touch up on everything. We literally walk through. We don't break a sweat. And every Saturday, I have to walk through. Everybody else would leave, grab lunch, go to the locker room, or head home. Drew Brees would take at least an hour on the field by side. He would wait till everybody's clear. He would sit on the side till everybody's gone. And he would literally stand at the. At. In the middle of the field and he would. I'm talking about, play the entire game, every play. Sometimes you'll see he'll take a step or like, pump fake this way, head will turn this way. But he would play the entire game, every scenario, everything that could possibly happen through the game. And he played for 20 years. He did that shit for 20 years. Every Saturday, same.

[A]

That's what I mean by visual rehearsal, for sure. That is called mental rehearsal is like the term for it. That is what makes you win. Like, when I visualize before I go out on stage to 25,000 people. Oh, my God. Yo, you have to come watch me speak.

[B]

God damn. 25,000.

[A]

I see 25,000.

[B]

No fear.

[A]

I turn the fear into excitement. Like, I'm going up on stage and I can feel. I'm like. And then I'm like. As soon as I go on that mind, like, I roar. Like in an arena, roar. Like, it's a big thing.

[B]

I have to see it.

[A]

You have to see. I'm doing one. I always do. Miami. I've got one in LA coming up. Probably only about 5,000 people. That's.

[B]

That's a lot.

[A]

Yeah, still a lot of people. That's coming up. It's called Driven. It's the end of March.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'll let you know the day.

[B]

Please do.

[A]

I will do it. Like, I speak alongside, like, other athletes sometimes. Who has big athletes, like, ex athletes. So many people. Like, lots of hall of Famers. Come. Come and speak at them. Dave Goggins is like, recently I've been on quite a bit. And so anyway, the point is mental rehearsal, like, when we see what we're doing, where we know this is how it looks. I visualize everything before I go on stage. I visualize my life, like, all the time. I visualize, like, my new book, like, feeling. A million people buying it. Like, feeling.

[B]

That's why, like, I love it. I love it.

[A]

You design your life. Yeah, but like, you. You read this, you've gotten back up. In fact, question. How do you usually bounce back after a rough day? When you. When you have a rough day?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What's your bounce back? Like, what do you. What do you do?

[B]

A lot of. A lot of what you're saying, like, I've been doing unconsciously and I've grown to. I've come to learn how to. And so I don't allow myself to have a whole rough day. Like, I have rough moments and I would. I would. I Sit with it. I allow myself to feel how I feel in that moment, but then I give myself a time where it's like, all right, it's enough. Enough is enough. You're still here. You're still breathing. You still got whatever you need to turn whatever's going on around and things that you can't control is something permanent, like a death to the family or something. That's something permanent out of my control. You know what I mean? So I feel that whatever feeling sadness, depression, whatever. I allow myself to feel that in the moment, but then I gotta retool my mind to get back. No, for sure. It's crazy. This is our first time meeting two people. So we can rehearse this. But no, it is. And unconsciously, I feel like I've grown to that because I've been through a lot of challenges. So if I allow myself to really feel the results of what I've been through all these times, I wouldn't be here at all. I wouldn't been in the league for long. I wouldn't be. You know what I mean? So I got the power of the mind. I've been training, and I continue to train it and, and work my discipline.

[A]

I love that. Well, we have to. Because the difference between people like you and I and some others who don't work on their mindset, who don't ingest knowledge all the time, like a good podcast like this, or read good books or have a coach, the difference is, is that when something happens, it pulls them down. Whereas people like us, when something comes, we're like, right back up. Like, I'm getting the fuck back up. Literally half my talk on stage is, are you an NPC or are you a winner? Are you a non playable character or are you a winner? Like, what the. Are you.

[B]

No, for real.

[A]

You understand? Like, I'm like, where are you? I should be NPC or mvp, Shouldn't I be? Like, what are the two?

[B]

I like it.

[A]

I like it. I'm like, what are you doing? Get up. Like, we have a resilience mindset.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So something can be hit at me. And it's like, okay, I'm gonna take that for whatever's going on right now and feel the emotion. We're human. But so quickly I'm back up because I don't turn my. The bad moments into a more than a bad day. Like, no one wants that the next day now I'm waking up and I see the sun. I see God's blessing. I'm like, this is an Amazing day. Like, I'm winning and I make people around me win. I'm like, what are you winning in? What do you want to win in? What do you want to win in? You know, like, that's why I te. Like, you'll see. Now you're my friend. I'll text you and I'll be like, what are you winning in today? Like, tell me your news to what is amazing.

[B]

I'll have a response for you, I promise. Every day. I love that.

[A]

I love that. Like, that's the difference. Like, you're on your game. You believe in what you want to achieve.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

You don't worry. You spend your time in the mindset of achievement. And, you know, let's talk about your music for a minute. Talking about achievement, that was the. The word association. Achievement. Music, your music. Let's talk about it. So you are now leaning into that more and more right now, and you're gonna, like, drop more stuff soon.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. So I had. I had been rapping for forever, since a little boy. I can imagine for sure. And then I put out some music in high. Well, not put out some music. I made music in high school with the homies back home and even in college made a couple songs. But when I got to the league, coming from a small school, it was that, like, shut up and play type of environment. Especially around that time, because some athletes started to try to do business off the field or off the court. KD was doing a little bit. LeBron doing some stuff off the court, and it was met with resistance. Shut up and dribble. Shut up and play.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

So when I got to the NFL, it was more so, like, you don't have time to be doing anything else. Like, you gotta see if you even belong in this league for real, coming from a small school. So I didn't touch the music at all for the first few years. And I couldn't understand, like, I was falling out of love with the game too. And I didn't understand where it was coming from. But it was that void of music and expression because that's like. It's therapeutic to me. It's like my form of releasing and getting away from the game. So I picked it back up, like my fourth year in the league. And I ended up meeting with a producer out of New Orleans who was Boosie's producer. He's done a lot of work with a lot of artists, multiple Grammys, all that good stuff. Right. So his name is Abby, Abby Urbina. So I meet with Abby. We put out we make our first song and then the second song we make, I put it out and it goes viral.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

It's playing in a stadium. Playing in a stadium every week. Like, no lie.

[A]

That's amazing.

[B]

No lie.

[A]

They play it in the stadium every week.

[B]

Every week. So it's called Boa bank of America. And I'm telling you, it's in the clubs, lounges. No, this was back in. Yeah, right. Yeah, when I dropped it. So it was jumping. And so that really was like all the confirmation I needed. Like, you got people that, you got people that resisted some fans, whatever. You need to focus on football. But you had a lot of that was receptive to it, that loved it, shared it, all that good stuff, no marketing, no pr, nothing. Just dropped it, went viral. So I got millions of streams on Spotify only just on that one song alone. And so even further than that, last year I did the soundtrack for Madden 24.

[A]

Yes, you said, that is so incredible. Oh, my God, I love that.

[B]

So teamed up with Interscope in the NFL and I got five songs on Madden 24, which was never seen before. No active player have ever been on a soundtrack or whatever. So me and a few others, Darren Waller, Ray R. McLeod, Melvin Ingram, we got some songs together. Rob 49 was one of the biggest artists that jumped on the tape. I got a song with Skilla Baby that's not out yet. Yeah, no, I've done some. I've done some incredible things in music and still, even now, like, I got some more things in the works that people gotta wait on, but it's coming.

[A]

I love this for you. Oh, my God. I'm gonna put your tags below. So please follow Tehran on Instagram and see the music and the vibe. And obviously you're going to watch him on TV and his sport when he goes back in the new season, but for now, you can just watch the music, listen to the music, download it.

[B]

Get a fan with me. For real?

[A]

Yeah. I love that. Well, your page is really cool. Like, that's what wanted me to bring you on. Like, I love the way you, you are on social media. You put yourself out there in the right way. I loved it. I was like, yes, he is so cool.

[B]

I was like, appreciate it. Yours too. You. Yeah, you pop.

[A]

Thank you. Yeah, it's a cool phase. It's like, I just. The truth is I wake up every day and I ask God, like, what's my assignment for today? Show me my assignment. And then suddenly I see, okay, this person's in my life. Oh, I gotta Pour into them. Or like a new client will come along or like, or I'll sit down with somebody and be like, oh, okay, this is what I needed to do today. We had to connect, to do something greater. And like, that's why I think God's put some of the biggest stars into my orbit so that I can help them to, like I say, go and inspire their communities.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

Like, that's what you got to do when you're a star. You got to team up with other stars. You gotta shine. Is why Rihanna is with asap. It's why Jay Z's with Beyonce. Like, I could list you the big power couples at the time, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt at the time. Like, people are in these couples because they couple up, they match up. Like you were saying, with people who are like minded. Like, I'm gonna walk out there and be like, yes. You're gonna walk out there and be like, yes. And then together, imagine that light that's revealed.

[B]

My favorite quote is if you wanna go. I don't know who said it.

[A]

Right, Right.

[B]

But if you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together. That's my favorite quote. I'm such a tame person all the time.

[A]

I love this quote. I know.

[B]

We locked in.

[A]

We're so locked in. I swear. So it's so nice when you meet someone you genuinely like. Oh my God, I could do this for hours.

[B]

No, for sure. Organically.

[A]

Organically. It's so beautiful. What star sign are you?

[B]

I have no idea. Leo.

[A]

You're a Leo. That's your star sign.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah. How funny. My son's a Leo, my daughter's a Leo. I make Leo.

[B]

So you fuck with us. Yeah, I make Leos. You doing it do around the same time of year?

[A]

Yeah, literally. That's so funny. It's like October, Halloween vibe, like. No, no, actually it was a bit later because it's like. Because she was early. It was. I don't even know whatever it was. No, you know what? It's cuffing season. That's when.

[B]

Oh, that's what it is.

[A]

Produce babies. So don't come when.

[B]

When cupping season starts.

[A]

That's, that's the like coming season. Like October, November, December.

[B]

I thought we'd get rid of people around that time.

[A]

Yeah, you also do. I go through. I. I got into a relationship, then I broke up that same time.

[B]

Okay. Because for Christmas before you got to bottom gifts and shit.

[A]

I know I missed all of that.

[B]

Gotta get rid of. Yeah, gotta get rid of People, Right.

[A]

I know. That's so funny. You know, Austin Akita's been on the show. Do you know him? He plays for Chargers.

[B]

Oh, Austin Eckler y. Okay.

[A]

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

[B]

Oh, it's the accent I got you.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

You fancied his name, like, so crazy. He should. He should adopt that, really. Thank you. I'm not exactly sure what you said.

[A]

I think it's nicer. I think people should. I say naughty.

[B]

Not naughty naughty.

[A]

You are being naughty like water. Or like, oh, yeah, take the bin out. What do you say for like. Right, exactly. There's a mess in the room. I put it in a bag. What is this bag called?

[B]

Trash.

[A]

This is a f game. The kids. We're going to play it. So I do. So I call it the Bib. Okay. When you go put the stuff in the back of the car, you put it in the trunk. Boot.

[B]

The who?

[A]

Yeah, the boot.

[B]

Boot.

[A]

Yeah, the boot.

[B]

That's a no one for me.

[A]

So, like, my household is so funny. Like, they have American accents, obviously. Like, my son has American accents. He's been here. But I'm British, so he'll say the British words when he's with me. How is it just like all these mad words going around for anyone who comes in? They're just like, this is hilarious.

[B]

The boot is crazy.

[A]

What else do we say? That's wild. Oh, okay. You know those metal things that you put that food come in, you know, like, you really got it. You keep them through, like, hard times in the world. Like, tuna comes in a can.

[B]

All right, I can see that one. I can see that one.

[A]

Isn't it funny?

[B]

That is crazy words.

[A]

We love it because it's like, I just. It's funny with the words I say.

[B]

Where you. Where are you from specifically?

[A]

So I'm a mix. I was born in the uk. I'm British, but my family is a mix of Lebanese, Greek, Cypriot, from Cyprus, Italian, Russian, Jewish.

[B]

God damn. That's a whole. Yeah, yeah. A bunch of ingredients.

[A]

I'm a mix up. I love it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm like a bit of everything, for sure. I love. I love culture. And I make really cute babies.

[B]

I think we all are, though, like, every single walking being today or a mixture of. You know what I mean? Nobody is like, so racism is crazy to me.

[A]

No, I know. Me too. Because everyone's a mix anyway.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

Like, it. It's so. It's ridiculous. Like, I just. I wish that never existed. Okay, give me a final message you want to share with the Audience like give me so you've given so much today. So I love it. Give me like a discipline that helps you. A discipline that you do every day. Do you meditate, do you run, do you watch your thing?

[B]

Yeah. Well, I will speak on discipline and give my advice in that realm. Not necessarily what I do outside of. I would say challenge your discipline, practice your discipline, push your discipline. Like it's something that if you like for the, for the young players in the league, right. If you're training and you're trying to get better, you're trying to earn a spot and all the homies going out and you got a workout in the morning, you can go out and still go to the workout in the morning. But to challenge your discipline or practice your discipline just for the sake of it. No, I'm a stay in and I'm going to just make sure I get to this workout on time and have energy for it. Just because so for me right now, and I want to clean up my eating habits just because I've been playing for 12 years and playing extremely well, eating all the same shit I've been eating. But just because I cut out fried food, snacks, sweets, completely cold turkey.

[A]

I cook then. Cause I make all healthy stuff.

[B]

I with it.

[A]

I literally, I do like beautiful healthy dishes, like lean meats, some vegetables, like a fish with like potatoes. Not fried, nothing fried like seasoned or like lamb chops or like fish with salad. And like I love it. Yeah. Oh, healthy stuff.

[B]

Two months ago I never would have rock with it. Yeah, I would have ate before I got to your house.

[A]

I know you would have too. Funny because, well, I had to learn to cook fried food cuz like my baby daddy ate all that stuff. So it's like I had to learn. But like you can't compete with someone who cooks who's from that. I'm not from. I don't know that. Right. So I let. If someone's better at it, you do your thing. You know what I mean? But I make healthy food. But it will look like a million things on the table. You'll be like, it's a Mediterranean spread.

[B]

See? Yeah. Right now I'd be all, I'm telling you, I'd be all for it.

[A]

So that's a habit. You've changed.

[B]

Just because though just to challenge my discipline. So like it can be, I can, I'll cut something out for a week or two weeks just to keep pushing and practicing my discipline. So I would say that like anything I would give as advice. Continue to challenge your mental. Your.

[A]

Your.

[B]

Your discipline, your willingness to sacrifice certain things because you understand how temporary things are, how much you can do without.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Once you start challenging it.

[A]

I freaking love that. I haven't heard that before. It's amazing. Oh, Taron, I could do this all day with you.

[B]

You are so fun.

[A]

There's so much we have in common. I've learned so much myself. And your story is so powerful. Thank you so much for coming today.

[B]

Thanks for having me.

[A]

Oh, my God. Amazing. You guys, if you've enjoyed today's show, make sure you share this with a friend. Maybe you've got somebody who, you know, loves sports, and they're going to be like, oh, my God, we got to hear from somebody we never get to hear in this way. Today we dove so deep. We went into so many amazing things. And I know for sure you've learned as much as I've learned, and I've loved it entirely. Thank you so much for coming.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

We'll see you guys again next week.