I don’t talk about this often…. but I quit my last year of Temple Football and never graduated.
I was just done.
At the time, I was embarrassed and had feelings like I let my team down.
There was something pulling me.
The first thing was I was 300 pounds and just felt very uncomfortable.
Just walking to class I would be out of breath and sweating.
The second thing was that I was majoring in business and taking classes like economics and accounting and I hated it.
I knew the NFL was not an option and started to get the itch to have some direction in my life.
In my quest to lose the excess weight I fell in love with fitness.
I got certified as a personal trainer.
Moved to California.
Got an Internship.
Got a job as a personal trainer.
Met my wife at that job.
Moved to New Jersey and opened a gym.
A painful somewhat embarrassing moment shaped my destiny.
If I had stayed and played that last year I most likely would not be writing you this email.
I’d probably be in an office somewhere in NYC, still 300 pounds, not married to Vanessa and not doing work I love to do.
But now I find myself in a tough spot.
I’m a small business owner in the middle of a pandemic and a recession.
Now I think about this decision and wonder if life would be better if I was protected by the corporate vail.
Meaning, you have this job in this big firm and you get paid your same salary to work from home, you have a nice benefits package and stock options.
There are days where I think about that life.
Then I snap back into reality and show intense gratitude for my freedom.
The freedom to do the work that I want to do.
The freedom to run my businesses the way I want.
Is there more on my shoulders?
Yes.
Is it stressful and times?
Sure.
But I am in control.
I rely on no one else.
If I want take 4 weeks off I can take it and I don’t have to ask anyone.
If I want to create a new service because I want to earn an extra 50K, I can do it.
I say this to you today because as hard as this is right now, there’s a lot to fight for.
Keeping going my friend, you’re doing great.
Vince Gabriele