In 2004, Deon Sanders (Coach Prime) visited my job to give a motivational speech. Unfortunately, I missed it, but I got the best of him on his way out.
At the time I was working well above what should have been my ceiling. My daughter was born only a few weeks earlier, and I was going through a tough divorce with her mother. Honestly, my life was so out of whack; I was lucky to have a job.
Having been a fan of Deon Sanders as a kid, naturally, I was excited to meet the star of Amazon’s new four-part series, Coach Prime, as was everyone on staff. However, when I tell you life was rough, I mean it.
Overwhelmed and jumping from disaster to disaster, when leadership announced he’d arrived, I took the opportunity to sneak out to the parking lot for a smoke (I’ve since quit) and another 1v1 with my future ex-wife. My sales were in the top one percent of the company, and at least professionally, I’d never had things so easy. So, foolishly, I didn’t think I needed to hear his spiel, nor did I have time for it (I thought).
Coach Prime on Amazon this week
Coach Prime gets people
After arguing for an hour or so, I bumped into Sanders’ driver, who seemed to be just as charismatic as Coach Prime. I was surprised he spoke to me so freely. He’d overheard a bit of my conversation and asked why I wasn’t inside listening to Sanders’ speech. We talked for a few minutes before I conceded that he was right; I should be inside, if not for Sanders’s speech, for my team. It wasn’t a good look to miss the big event.
Unfortunately, as I made my way back to the facility (this was a huge campus), my coworkers began flooding the halls. I’d missed every word. But a friend of mine pointed me in Deon’s direction. He said he was a friendly guy and I’d have no problem just walking up to say hello.
So I did.
Sure enough, I made my way through a few stragglers trying to get an autograph, and after a few minutes, Deon was able to separate himself from the crowd and made a B-line for the exit. But just before he got away, I managed to slip in front of him to apologize for missing his speech (like he cared).
After introducing myself, I explained I’d been outside dealing with a few personal issues, but I was a huge fan and wished I’d heard what he had to say. I must have apologized a dozen times. I wanted to give him more insight into why I wasn’t there, but before I could even rattle off my first excuse, Sanders just shook my hand and said, “I know, but you never quit.”
It didn’t matter what my excuse was; he probably wasn’t even listening to me; because, again, who cared if I was there? But he knew. That’s the great thing about Deon Sanders. It’s what makes him Coach Prime. He gets it.
That day I left work and knew I could get past my issues. Sanders was relatable, empathetic, and kind; he was a champion. No one gave him anything. If someone like Deon understood where I was in life by the pitch in my voice and the lines on my face, he only got it through grit.
And that’s what I wanted (and needed); more grit, more fight, more empathy. Deon was getting paid for his time with us, but he didn’t have to be there. He enjoyed it. He inspired me to think about something more than my own needs and problems.
Eventually, the clouds cleared in my personal life. But I committed to building resilience to failure, to take on issues that were meaningful to solve. Problems that were bigger than me. Honestly, I can’t explain why meeting him in person and hearing those words pushed me to think bigger, but that’s what happened.
Today, I declare war on anything that holds me back, including myself. Thanks, Coach Prime; I never quit.
Amazon’s Coach Prime drops this week on Prime Video.