Headlines draw ppl in – & it’s usually the train wreck story that does it. So…we rarely get the mushy nuanced stuff…the stuff we NEED to hear, that can bring us all closer together.
Bills WR, Stefon Diggs went off (in a good way) in an interview recently, about his own challenges…about the challenges of others.
Much like the AJ Brown story I wrote abt a few days ago, Diggs didn’t do it for an endorsement deal. He did it bc he’s a real dude, who was willing to get vulnerable when asked abt his own lived experiences. He did it bc – this is life & we are all human, & if you listen to his words, he recognizes that.
ESPN chose to focus their quote card, again, on what get clicks: “I was in a bad place and had to dig myself out.” In fairness this is WAY better than the usual headlines we read from many sports publications such as: “Hayden Hurst Reveals He Cut His Wrist In College”…or…”Simone Biles Pulls Out Of The Olympic Team Finals Because of Anxiety.”
ESPN’s take is more humane – more about the struggle itself…the dark place. But I feel like there were even more profound parts of Stefon’s share that deserve to be highlighted.
So, I chose this quote from his interview for this post: a grown man…a rough & tough NFL player, talking abt moving from tough love alone…to loving up on others who need it- bc there are times we all need it. Isn’t THAT message SO important? Isn’t that just plain real & raw & permission giving? It gives permission to the person suffering, & to those who can give out their love.
Other highlights – Stefon compared his situation: working to accomplish something & NOT achieving that goal & how much that can hurt – to everyday folks. He actually used the example of being an intern in an office, & not getting the dream job after working all those hours, unpaid.
A pro athlete talking about REAL life examples, & making the comparisons. He even shared how, naturally, we all handle different types of suffering…differently. What’s more painful to one person is less so to another. You can’t compare.
Two great vulnerable shares back to back: AJ Brown & now Stefon Diggs. Once again, this is true advocacy.
