5 Things Everyone Can Learn From Steven Jackson
By chance, I had an invitation to join Steven Jackson's box at Sunday's NFL Game with the Atlanta Falcons versus Chicago Bears. I had never seen an American football game, on television or live, and when the invitation came, I leapt on it like you wouldn't believe. It's an experience, and possibly a bucket list item that I should do while I have the chance and am staying in a city where everything seems accessible.
Through friends, I met Steven Jackson and the first thing that I learned about him was his ability to hold a conversation by asking the right questions. You would think that someone with his type of fame, the type that comes to very few people, would be so used to talking about themselves that they would be completely out of their comfort zone when roles are reversed. Wrong. This man not only has great range in conversation, he is incredibly well travelled and has had experiences that most of us just put on our bucket list, but never get around to doing.
Through friends, I met Steven Jackson and the first thing that I learned about him was his ability to hold a conversation by asking the right questions. You would think that someone with his type of fame, the type that comes to very few people, would be so used to talking about themselves that they would be completely out of their comfort zone when roles are reversed. Wrong. This man not only has great range in conversation, he is incredibly well travelled and has had experiences that most of us just put on our bucket list, but never get around to doing.
The second thing I learned is that he has impeccable manners. He will always be the first to open the door, to politely pay the bill or to wait until you have finished what you are saying before giving his point of view. Clearly his family have brought him up to be the ultimate gentleman in every circumstance.
Thirdly, Steven Jackson is an artist, and with that, he recently had his first exhibition at the famed Hamilton-Selway Fine Art gallery. His photography isn't what you would expect. It's creative, edgy, deep and bold. By showing this to the world and risking ridicule, he has taken a step closer to being seen as the first sportstar - artist in America, and has shown his other sporting counterparts just what a future outside of the big sport may look like.
The fourth is his relationship with the women in his life. This man has always been surrounded by women, and great, interesting, brave role models. His mother looks 20 years younger than her age, and his sisters are smart, sassy, insightful and intuitive women. They all play a pivotal role in his life, and the love, adoration and support that they all give each other is phenomenal. They are a family-first gig, and everything they do, they do it together, as a team and without question. His respect for women and his upfront endorsement of women reaching their full potential, through giving them the reins, is out there for the world to see. He lifts up the women in his life and 'tells them to fly' without saying a word. Incredible to see.
The last is the fact that we all know and that is that he is an elite sportsman who has achieved what many could only dream of. Eleven years in the NFL, and he continues to be a force to reckon with. I went to a game that may have been his 11,000 yard milestone (I pink I can #sj11k), although that was not to be on this occasion. He trains and treats life like any other high achiever, not prepared for second place, nor interested in giving it anything but his best shot. He clearly has goals and knows how to reach them.
He uses words like passion, resilience and loyalty on his website - all of which epitomize who he is. I don't know him well, but I have to say that I am impressed. It is great to see such an amazing role model for young people who have big dreams living in Atlanta, and to see him being so accessible to everyone around - it's something that we should all take our hat off to.
A quote from his website: www.sj39.com
"I have had some great success," Steven said after hitting 10K. "I’ve been blessed. I have an amazing support group in my family and my mom and dad. I never forget that I was a young guy just dreaming of being a part of the NFL. When you hope and wish you never know if its going to come true. But i’ve consistently been able to show up and be a blue-nosed hard-working kind of guy."
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