What does motivation look like for the country’s best pro football players? It’s certainly not the fame. For retired and current NFL players Reidel Anthony, Travis Benjamin, Antone Smith, Pernell McPhee, and Anquan Boldin, their biggest motivation came from the inside — or, as Anthony described it, “a chip on your shoulder. It .... makes you want to be great.”
Wanting to provide for their families and to be the best they could be is what helped many of these players stay focused on their work and on their game. McPhee, for example, came to realize his higher purpose of becoming a role model: “You look in the mirror, you look at yourself and say, ‘Do I want to be like this the rest of my life, or do I want to better myself?’” The desire to be a better person but also to create a better world is a driving force behind both the NFL and The United States Marine Corps.
See what else these players have to say about motivation, and think about what inspires you to be your best.