We often think the rich and famous have an easy ride to the top, but NFL player Nathan Shepherd's journey was one full of multiple trials, tribulations and a great deal of self-belief.
The defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd played football in high school where he eventually landed a spot on the roster at Simon Fraser University. However, after playing for 2 years he could no longer afford the costly tuition at Simon Fraser.
Unable to pay for his tuition Nathan had to withdraw from the team.
Nathan wasn't about to give up just yet. Nathan found himself doing all sorts of jobs including working as a Security Guard and doorman at a number of venues. During his breaks he later told reporters he would do over 1,000 push-ups, making sure he took every opportunity to stay in shape. He had some help too- his trainer would send him motivational texts on a daily basis pushing him to keep going.
Nathan finally got a lucky break when one of his college coaches reached out to Fort Hays State to offer Shepherd a walk-on spot in 2015. However Shepherd still didn't have the funds to pay the full tuition and so with a partial scholarship to help, he continued to work security jobs at sporting events, basketball games and on nightclub doors, all whilst studying and training.
Shepherd knew it was paramount he kept in shape even with the long unsocial working hours he was putting in to keep his head above water. His dedication paid off when the New York Jets drafted Shepherd in the third round, signing him to a four-year contract for $3.5 million.
Perseverance, self-belief, dedication... just some of the ingredients needed to get you to where you need to be. Nathan's resilience and determination finally paid off and so let that be a lesson to anyone!
They say Nathan Shepherd still holds an active security licence till this day!
Source - www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2018/07/29/how-new-york-jets-defensive-lineman-nathan-shepherd-went-from-a-bouncer-to-the-nfl/#5d7b81854b78
