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From Pro Baseball to Purpose: Jason Aspito on Mental Toughness & Life After the Game
27 Plays12 days ago
🌐 Learn more & Book a session with James O'Neill @ JourneyMindfulness.com
What happens when a pro athlete walks away from the game that defined his life?
In this powerful and deeply human conversation, former professional baseball player Jason Aspito opens up about his rise and journey with the Chicago White Sox organization, the relentless mental pressure of performance, and the unexpected injuries that sparked the start of his inspiring transformation.
We explore:
- 🧠 The mental health toll of elite performance and constant pressure
- ⚾ What the locker room doesn’t teach you about healing, identity, and emotion
- 🔄 Transitioning from athlete to entrepreneur and redefining success
- ❤️ How fatherhood, vulnerability, and mindfulness helped rebuild his life
Jason's honesty is raw and refreshing as he shares how chasing the dream eventually brought him face-to-face with everything he had been avoiding—and how stepping away from the game led him back to himself.
***
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Transcript
Jason Espido's Journey: Grit, Discipline, and Resilience
00:00:13
Speaker
Today on the Journey Mindfulness Podcast, we're joined by a former professional baseball player, Jason Espido, a man who knows firsthand the grit, discipline, and mental resilience it takes to chase a dream at the highest level.
00:00:26
Speaker
From the roar of the crowd to the quiet moments of reflection that follow, Jason shares his powerful journey of transformation, both on and off the field. Whether you're an athlete, high performer, or simply someone navigating life's curve balls, this conversation offers timeless insights on identity, purpose, and the inner game we all must master.
00:00:47
Speaker
Jason, welcome to the show and thank you for being here. Jason Thanks for having me. Jason Wong
00:00:56
Speaker
you wrote a post on Facebook, what a week or two ago, i too couple of weeks ago. And it seemed to, to stir, stir the pot.
00:01:08
Speaker
Uh, what prompted you to write the post? Uh, I had a buddy telling me I needed to share my story a little bit. Some people would be interested in, you know, it's not always uh, you know, sunshine and rainbows that everybody thinks to
Finding Identity Beyond Baseball
00:01:24
Speaker
be. And, uh,
00:01:26
Speaker
Basically, that it was for for some of the baseball guys going through it. ah there's there's you You're able to find something after the game. It doesn't identify you. You're not just a ball player.
00:01:37
Speaker
um All things I had to learn, that was my life. and that was That was how I felt. to Everybody knew me as just a baseball player or just an athlete.
00:01:49
Speaker
And then when that comes to an end, and it does for everybody, yeah you're not you're not just that. Yeah. what um like When did you know, i mean you obviously baseball was your passion for a long time.
00:02:04
Speaker
When did you know that you were going to kind of dedicate your life to that or a part of your life to that? Young, a young guy, like every little kid, uh, uh, if they're playing in the NFL or the leader leagues, that was, uh, I mean, you know, it's funny. My best friend growing up, uh, he played eight years NFL, both probably said we were going to play professional sports. And I recall a seventh grade teacher telling us that we basically had no chance.
00:02:33
Speaker
And, you know, it was funny. We were we together a few years ago. I said, remember that? And he remembered it to this day, too. so So it was pretty pretty cool to prove something wrong.
00:02:45
Speaker
Yeah. for For kids out there, it's like, that's your dream and you put in the work, it very well happened. You know, have the work ethic, talent, and and you have to have some luck, so.
The Reality of Making it in Major Leagues
00:02:58
Speaker
it's It's interesting, and I'm glad you brought that up, because when you look at the statistics, ah you know, um obviously you got drafted into Major League Baseball.
00:03:09
Speaker
ah Of those players, it's like less than 20 percent actually end up playing in the major leagues. it's It's unbelievable. You have to be really good.
00:03:21
Speaker
And everybody at that level is good. and Some days people go to a game. They don't see somebody have a night. We all have bad nights. But everybody there um that field is good.
00:03:34
Speaker
up so So with that, you have the right place, right time, just like anything else. It's all a timing thing. Sometimes talent overrides, any of that. Like you're just that dang good, that special.
00:03:48
Speaker
And um yeah. hello i could count i When I got traded to the Angels, there were quite a few guys like that. like It's surefire big league. They had long careers. so Yeah.
00:04:00
Speaker
Well, it's interesting, too, that you know your friend who played in the NFL, you remember that moment where someone doubts you, and you you know it sounds like the two of you had the mindset of, well, that's not me. I'm going to prove you wrong.
00:04:16
Speaker
Right, 100%. it's all it's all like you don't believe in yourself who's going to and in reality other than mom and dad mom and dad are always your biggest fans followed closely by siblings but if you don't believe in yourself nobody else is going to so coach should never believe in you more than you do know it's confidence yeah Did you always have that or did.
Sacrifices and Mentorship in Sports
00:04:49
Speaker
ah You know, I had some success at a younger age with the game of baseball. I also had lots of failures with the game where it was frustrating. I had a lot of success in football, so I was confident there.
00:05:04
Speaker
um And just in around other athletes, competitive. So I always wanted to be the best and just my head down worked, probably sacrificed, you some things that friends growing up got to do a little more or, or decided not to do go to the boobies. Sometimes I want to go to the batting. There's different things like that.
00:05:31
Speaker
or go take around balls backyard. I was out the backyard all the time working on, on things, you know, dream of playing in those stadiums.
00:05:42
Speaker
Yeah. Well, I got to see you play, man. It was, but it was a joy, you know, it was absolutely exciting to, to come out and and watch you. ah Was there a particular coach or mentor moment early in your career that helped shaped your mindset or work ethic?
00:06:00
Speaker
that you just referenced? Yeah, most of it came from my father. He wasn't necessarily a coach. i Like, he coached my older brother's teams and my younger brother's team more.
00:06:13
Speaker
For me, it was order coaching, sit down, watch, and even, thanks, was the biggest hit points. when it came to the sports and athletics, all that. um No one in particular, I, you know, all of them kind of, I took a little bit from everybody.
00:06:31
Speaker
yeah If I saw one of my coaches, I would know something that I learned from them or something I didn't want to do that they did as I got into it. play or coaching you know learn from their failures experiences and you know that's what kind of took me into the uh training aspect is i wanted kids to learn you know from my failures like hey don't do this try this trial and error this is how i failed what was really helpful uh different things like
00:07:03
Speaker
Is that part of who you were writing the the article to?
00:07:09
Speaker
You know, honestly, it was... He was just putting it out there. I'm not a guy I like... i As much as I love the attention when I was playing as far as how want people to watch me play, I don't love that type of attention.
00:07:22
Speaker
Yeah. A buddy basically told me, hey, you need to tell your story. have one. And... kids will benefit from it, but so will, ball you know, so will adults. And it was, I was, my wife was really like, wow, I can't believe the, uh,
00:07:43
Speaker
amount of people commented or liked or sent messages it was kind of crazy probably a little bit i think because i don't post a ton of stuff so so maybe it popped up and okay see what it is you know but yeah yeah i get it i get it but yeah the message is is uh is timeless you know and it was
00:08:08
Speaker
I, while I know part of your story, there there was obviously parts of it that I didn't know. And, you know, you talked about, you know, I've gone through ah knee injuries and that sort of ended my career, but that's, you talked about that, you know, like, were you, how did you work with
Overcoming Setbacks and Redefining Success
00:08:28
Speaker
that? Were you prepared for that or were you just kind of learning as you go?
00:08:32
Speaker
ah So, again, some things you benefit from. I had an old brother tenure, so I got to follow in his footsteps a little bit. He played collegially, pitched in college, and blew out his shoulder, but he had plenty of injuries ah growing up through football, and I saw him every time him come back from an injury.
00:08:52
Speaker
um So it almost, for me, was like, okay, it's a setback, but not the end. um and just work plug through it. I guess that the thing One time where you start to doubt things, I and was coming back. i I was playing again from my knee surgery, but from compensating from it, I ended up tearing my quad on the other leg.
00:09:17
Speaker
And that's where it was like, really, right now? You know, like, it beat you up a little bit. And it was funny because I had a good relationship with my manager that year. And I said, I'll be back in six weeks.
00:09:30
Speaker
You're not going to be back until next year. And to the day I was back, And like I busted my rehab. And the funny part with that is i hit my I hit a home run the first pat bat back.
00:09:43
Speaker
and And I think then followed that up with like the worst slump of my career, which was like one I don't even want to talk about. So yeah we are moving on. Yeah. Yeah. So it was like the highs of highs, close those of those. Yeah.
00:09:58
Speaker
it's interesting you know you look back at it and like and then you know now i'm a father i got kids going through sports it's it's fun to watch them play and uh you know hopefully they i can give them some wisdom and different things like that because they definitely don't want to listen to me when it comes to how to dress with the weather so hopefully they listen to me when it comes to some of the athletics Yeah, man.
00:10:25
Speaker
How would you say, you know, you're your definition? so I got into a conversation with a physical therapist and we were we were talking about, actually, you're a Chicago guy.
00:10:36
Speaker
ah were talking about Derrick Rose and like the definition of success and what that even means. You know, another guy who... You know, got sort of snake bit with the injury bug, you know, immensely talented.
00:10:51
Speaker
we were talking about, you know, what is the definition of success? You know, for him, it's it evolves, right? Like it's constantly evolving as we evolve, too. But how has the definition of success evolved since your days on the field?
00:11:06
Speaker
So, uh, never giving up basically. um, there's been plenty of days where you know, after the game, it's easier. I lived for that routine ah of showing up to the ballpark, having my routine, getting ready to play, play your game, it all over again. So I kind of, uh, um,
00:11:25
Speaker
you know learning how to not be in that routine and succeed, figure out new routine, different like that yes is, um you know, success. I have my family and a house to live in, roof over my head, being able to sit on the table, all that's success, right?
00:11:44
Speaker
So, now I look back at career like, success there was trying to make that ultimate goal. And you sta roses he He actually hurt his knee, I want to say right around the time out was injured. So please I relate to that very well, and he was an absolute stud.
00:12:06
Speaker
I was nowhere near his level of, you know, athlete, I would say. He was tough top of the food chain there. um and And, you know, to see him come back,
00:12:19
Speaker
And ah unfortunately it wasn't as explosive with the bull. became a great NBA player still, you know, a very good NBA player. Now, another one I think of is like a NBA, Penny Hardaway, you know, who's a stud superstar and then all of a sudden got hurt, but now he's a role player.
00:12:36
Speaker
But like look what he's doing at the college level. all look oh He's a well-respected college basketball coach, leading the Memphis program that he played for. so So there's always two doors opening.
00:12:49
Speaker
I guess that's that success to me is for opening new doors to break through. Hi, I'm James O'Neill, therapist, mindfulness teacher, and founder of Journey Mindfulness.
00:13:01
Speaker
If you're going through anxiety, life transitions, or just feeling called to grow and learn more about higher consciousness, I help people motivated for change, reconnect with their true self through mindfulness, hypnosis, and deep transformational work.
00:13:16
Speaker
If this speaks to you, please like, subscribe, share, and or comment and consider supporting the show with a donation. Your presence here means more than you know. Thank you for being part of the journey.
00:13:29
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, you have to be aware of them, or or you know, and seize them when they, when they do. And it sounds like you had an optimistic attitude about it.
Life After Sports: Identity and Mindfulness
00:13:40
Speaker
You do.
00:13:40
Speaker
ah You have to, ah Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of guys. And for a while, it's like, okay, what am I going to do now? What am I going to do? There's other guys who know exactly what to do when they're done playing.
00:13:53
Speaker
It's pretty crazy. um But a lot of us, I almost like... especially minor leagues, but I almost care it to i play so long.
00:14:06
Speaker
It's almost comparable to, say, a person who spent so much time in prison um and then they get freedom and then they don't know how to act, right? They almost want to go back to prison ah because they're so accustomed to that that life.
00:14:23
Speaker
It's institutionalized, right? So... That's kind of how we are as ballplayers. It's eat, you know, go to the ballpark, play, eat, go to bed, and then you're on a bus. It's like that life over and over and over again.
00:14:38
Speaker
that you get accustomed to that. So there's an adjustment to things. I've seen teammates who had great marriages when they were away playing it and loved life and they get released their home and now they're around each other all the time and they end up divorced. They're like, oh,
00:14:59
Speaker
okay, I see. called your life They became a different person because they're not playing anymore. Different things like that. so um i was fortunate. I didn't have any of that stuff go on for me, but life's hard.
00:15:11
Speaker
ah Yeah, and I, you know, with baseball too, and I don't know this. This is just me. you know You could speak to it more, but it's a grind to go from city to city and game to game like that. You guys are playing a lot of games and you're on the road a long time.
00:15:28
Speaker
Like I said, the highest of highs. I had my first full year in professional baseball. I was fortunate. My first game to appreciated was at South Bend. Nice. but day So so matt so ah um my dad was able to make it.
00:15:42
Speaker
i And then not too long after about three weeks later to a month later, we're playing in King County, which is about 30 minutes from where I grew up.
00:15:53
Speaker
And I go two for three, ah first game. And then the local paper writes up the article about me returning to town and blah, blah, blah. So a huge, huge showing of friends, family are at the ice cave and I'm facing a...
00:16:10
Speaker
Former teammate of mine, Nate Robertson, left-handed pitcher, pitched in the World Series for the Detroit Tigers. Overall, tough matchup for me, and I have a terrible, terrible night. Actually, both my brothers reminded me of that just last week in Arizona.
00:16:24
Speaker
So after the game, I was pretty bummed. i was pretty ball um Uh, we're leaving town. So buddy, buddy said, Hey man, keep your head up. go, we came to watch you play not the other way around. And I was like, well, that was great.
00:16:40
Speaker
Then the very next night I hit my first professional run at different park, you know, but it's like, why, what why didn't that happen the night before? You know, and you say it's a grind every piece of day. You gotta, you gotta show up.
00:16:55
Speaker
You gotta show up and understand you're going to take your lumps some days. Yeah. I mean, I have another guy play a baseball player. He, he describes it as baseball as a game of failure.
Mental Challenges in Sports
00:17:08
Speaker
hundred percent. How you handle the failure. I could have been better at handling failures, especially early in my career. ah You know, you mature as get older with dad. but Yeah. Nah, I had a football mentality at times, but that, you know, you understand you're going fail.
00:17:27
Speaker
i Just want when you hardest part with baseball is you can do everything right. It's still fail. So you square a ball up and you're out. Oh, and when you're trying to produce numbers, so can get an opportunity to play in the big leagues.
00:17:43
Speaker
Those, those start to catch it now. Yeah. So, so that's the hardest part day in day out. Um, you know, because let it, if you let it snowball, roll it down a hill, you know, pretty bad, pretty quick.
00:17:58
Speaker
The momentum could go the wrong way. Yes, sir. What would you say? where did, where did you see people have the most, uh, success with the mental game? Like dealing with that?
00:18:09
Speaker
Uh, So, i mean, people talk about all the time. tell you, for me, the biggest thing that helped me my older brother, had me read the mental game of tennis.
00:18:23
Speaker
i don't know I didn't really watch tennis. I didn't, as I keep growing up, you like Audrey Agassi, I knew all the dudes were, women players, but I didn't watch tennis.
00:18:37
Speaker
But it was very helpful in how to deal with the process first, just your result.
00:18:44
Speaker
I believe the guys who've had, i had it to an extent, right? My old brother played college baseball. i thought I felt like the guys who had somebody near them who had already gone to play.
00:19:00
Speaker
or like an older brother or father um to or a cousin somebody who had already gone through pro ball or been a part of that they seem to always be the most mentally mentally tough for me i think it because you know you see it with all the kids who were talented like but the sons work major leaguers or who were talented but they have that mental edge because embedded in them. Dude, you're going to fail.
00:19:27
Speaker
You're going to fail. You're going fail. You're gonna fail. And, you know, it's, that's the hard part when you have, like doing what I do now, who's dominating at 12 is trying to up the brakes a little bit, right?
00:19:42
Speaker
For the parents and the kid, like, look, it's only going to get harder. So it's great. You're doing well, but it's not always be this easy. Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:53
Speaker
And that that was helpful to me too. Like I played up like with older kids. um So I had, I wasn't always the best player on my team. And so I had to work.
00:20:05
Speaker
Work. And, um, you know, when you fail at your challenge, constantly had to step up to that challenge. I think, you know, I've seen more and more of it now, uh, people put their down to level to play against lesser competition first.
00:20:23
Speaker
And, um, can't remember who it said, it's a great way. It's how you perform against better competition. Yeah. Yeah. It's not, if you're better than somebody.
00:20:36
Speaker
should win, right? or should dominate. But if it's equal level of shoe and that's how you become mentally tough because challenged. You're going to fail. It's interesting that you brought that up because, you know, when if you ever look at, I mean, you, you, I'm sure, I'm sure you've been in the zone or in flow states, they call it in psychology, your, your skill level, like you, your challenge has to be at or greater for you to sharpen your sword, basically.
00:21:09
Speaker
and so And if you don't, then you're you're not, right? So your skill level is in some sense diminishing. You're not getting better just because you might look better in the game.
00:21:20
Speaker
You're not doing yourself any any favors in that sense other than, you know I guess, looking better. Yeah. Hey, and you know, it's, you said the grind, right? So Michael Jordan always talks about prepared.
00:21:36
Speaker
So he never felt pressure. Same with cheer. And I feel like a lot of us professionally prepare, like, The hard part is you're preparing and don't see some results.
00:21:48
Speaker
You have to still trust that process. When you're doing it day in, day out, you don't see the results for three, four days. It's okay. Is this my time that they're going to send me home? Or you so start having doubts.
00:22:00
Speaker
after You have to overcome those doubts. And you you're going to break out or it's going to happen. Those are, i mean ze I think a lot of minor league guys fight.
00:22:13
Speaker
Okay, is this going to be the time? ah i go to the field, they send me home. Cutthroat, it's no, there's no. Like, hey, come in the matters of, hey, you're going home tomorrow, you're flight home.
00:22:25
Speaker
know, or car and drive home. There's no, like, you way hey, we're letting you go in a week, just so you know, type of thing. It's see you later. And usually it's on the road.
00:22:37
Speaker
Yeah, down the road. So, yeah, it's kind of crazy. My son just ah asked to watch Moneyball with him. They go through that scene of like, all right, go cut a player now.
00:22:51
Speaker
You know, and it's just like very cold. It is. It is. And it... You know, I know it's tough on those managers because they do have relationships with players, you know?
00:23:04
Speaker
And sometimes minor leagues, like managers... Hands are tied on and the lineup a little bit. Lineups come from, sometimes they come from front office people. Like, this kid could be tearing it up, but he's not a not considered a high-money prospect. So you got to sit him.
00:23:22
Speaker
Yeah. And he's outperformed the high-money prospect, but, you know, so now you have to go explain, hey, man, just keep doing what you're doing. It's your opportunities. Yeah, so...
00:23:34
Speaker
See it. And then you see those superstar prospects who are superstars for a reason. Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure you got a bird's eye view of that. i mean, that's had to be interesting to watch to see the variety of players and their experience.
00:23:50
Speaker
Yes. And it it's cool. The longer you play, you get to play with guys, veterans, been around the game for a long time and then come. the mentor a little bit too, as younger guys come up through. So, know, you see a couple guys shine that, you know, Hey, I had some conversations with him on the bench before a game or in the clubhouse. And you're like, you may hear something you said to him in an the interview, that's cool, man. I kind of played a small part in that dude's career or whatever it may be.
00:24:22
Speaker
Yeah, no, you definitely had that impact, um you know, as a player, you know, among your your teammates and then also as a coach, too, ah you know, which which was pretty extensive after your your playing days.
00:24:36
Speaker
What would you say, I'm curious your thoughts on this, because... kind of what we talked about, like there are some guys that are just uber talented. They just have insane amount of talent. And then there's, there's other guys that, that grind it out or they, they work hard.
00:24:51
Speaker
And so I've tried to impart to my son, like, you know, we all have varying levels of, of ability, but it's your, your effort that matters the most.
00:25:02
Speaker
um represent you What would you, say I mean, like, what do you teach you to the players that you, you train with, or you help out with now? So, so i try to be brutally honest, uh, with everyone with that, uh, get out of it, what you put in.
00:25:18
Speaker
And, uh, you know, so as a former athlete, um, all I harp on with my girls is we'll, uh, we'll go do something or we're gone our way to the game. I'm like, what do you control your hustle and your attitude, you know, your effort, and your attitude.
00:25:38
Speaker
whether you have a good game or bad game and work on all that, but your, your effort, your attitude, um, are probably the most important because they're going to bring that every day.
00:25:51
Speaker
know, you can bring that every day. ah sometimes the players could be a tough matchup for you do or, Hey, you know, see, you know, and then you can ask what he's work on, but, but, uh,
00:26:04
Speaker
hustle and after hustle probably the thing talked about the least a lot of coaches i walk up to when i was coaching baseball and i'd walk up to the field and i'd watch a team that's winning uh be allowed to kind of walk off the field everybody's cracking jokes and laughing and and all of a sudden that score changed in an inning like they booted a couple of balls now the coaches want to a switch they're like you better start hustling. and you bet you know like If your message is the same constantly, there's no turning that switch on or off. This is the standard.
00:26:40
Speaker
It's how it is. It's unfortunate that I feel like everybody's about that win-loss right now, especially the Houston level. Win and loss is a result of the effort process you put in.
Youth Sports: Focus on Development vs. Winning
00:26:58
Speaker
I'm picking on yeah time I grew up Michael Jordan era, where you make everybody better, don't go form a super team and just try to win trophies.
00:27:11
Speaker
No. um I just feel like that's the way this world's turned a little bit. yeah I'm sure you're seeing it with your son and different sports. I was just out there at the hockey tryouts. My brother's telling me some of the stories. I'm just like, geez, it's every, it's everything, every sport.
00:27:26
Speaker
It's come just stack a team, like, What do got out of that? You know, it's better for your kid to be on a team where he's playing ah every day, getting reps versus, hey, got to play half the game, but they hey, you got a trophy out of it.
00:27:40
Speaker
want Winning is a part of develop. 100% it is, but it's also, think kids are learning, not love playing the game, competing, they just love winning.
00:27:56
Speaker
they don't lose. yeah And that's, that's what, that's what's aggravating me. So like, you know, hustle out attitude and hit good teammate.
00:28:07
Speaker
That's, I bet you, that's proud to stop. mode That's the thing I'm most proud of my daughter. Both of them, great teammates. Genuinely excited for when they score or do something.
00:28:22
Speaker
that They're just as excited for that, probably more so than when they score first do something na know good. It's pretty cool. pretty cool There is power in connection.
00:28:33
Speaker
ah Just saw it with ah my son's soccer team, like one of the, you know, quote unquote stars left, but it was, a you know, didn't, was not a great teammate.
00:28:44
Speaker
Did not, did not want to pass. Didn't want to share the ball in, you know, the team suffered because of it. yeah ah When it was like, you know, if you had that camaraderie and you guys enjoy it, like,
00:28:55
Speaker
talked and like had you, I wanted you to succeed as much as you wanted me to succeed and we played together well, like that's, you know, formidable. Yeah. Addition by subtraction is kind of, you know, uh, there's kids.
00:29:11
Speaker
And again, some of it's, they, yeah they don't know any better yet. Right. So they, they have one mission. So that's, that's part of it too. ah ah they have the opportunity to, because they can, their guy score, score a goal versus, Hey, your teammates wide open there. That's learned.
00:29:31
Speaker
Now that's learned a hopefully developed by coaches, but yeah, that's where it's failed at the youth level. I don't feel like that's being taught. It's, We just scored another goal. So we won instead of, Hey, awesome.
00:29:44
Speaker
High five. But your teammate was wide open there. You know, you could, could have passing as the level goes up that that's going play more than trying to beat somebody one-on-one there. You know, those types of things.
00:29:57
Speaker
Yeah. No, absolutely. i completely agree with that. And to go back to your point about winning, one of the things that is sort of a pet peeve of mine is if I don't know that I'm going to win, like I'm not trying.
00:30:10
Speaker
Or it's it's like this fear of failure or like maybe it's perfectionism. like i you know And part of that goes to you have to play competition that's better than you. like You have to almost have to want to fail in the sense of like, okay, this guy's better than me, but I'm going to get something. I'm going to get a lot out of this. Actually, there's a ton of value to get out of this.
00:30:31
Speaker
It it's crazy to me how I don't know when it's changed so much, but, but it wasn't like this when I was younger. or if it was, it wasn't like this in my house where, i ah but what I mean is,
00:30:47
Speaker
yes kids showing up and oh, we're probably going to lose today. This team's got so-and-so and so-and-so and so-and-so. And zone I'm just saying myself, those are the guys I want.
00:30:58
Speaker
Like I want to beat them because now I have bragging rights. It was always that way. Like big the bigger they are, and the harder they fall. was to be the best, you have to beat the best. dad yeah And I don't know when or where that mindset changed. Now it's, I just want to be the big man on the block.
00:31:17
Speaker
We're all great bullies, but once we get punched in the mouth, we can't fight back, right? so and And that's competitiveness. It's not a fist fight. I'm just clarifying that for anybody takes it the wrong way.
00:31:30
Speaker
how um But it's one of those... ah I wanted to face every single day. I want the picture at the best pitcher that team has. I want to face...
00:31:42
Speaker
you know If this dude's a form ah future first-rounder, let me me go against him. ah He's got to throw it over that white thing shaped like a house. or yeah oh ah If that's the best football, it was for me, if this the best offense, state let's go. Let's find out how good you are. it and you know That's the power competition. I don't ah don't understand where that mindset's changed so much, ah but I'd like to get back to Hey, I don't care.
00:32:11
Speaker
but Everybody puts their pants on the same way. Let's go. yeah and And don't get me wrong, there's times I know, hey, I'm overmatched, so so I got to find out.
00:32:21
Speaker
And that's the other thing. like Nobody finds different ways to beat it. Let's just look at Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball has turned into every team's the exact same. Swing for defenses and strikeout.
00:32:35
Speaker
ah but Back in the 80s and 90s, teams went differently. The Cardinals won a World Series because they stole bases, punted, and played great defense. You know, Oakland A's were sluggers, right?
00:32:47
Speaker
So why does it why does everybody have to be the same?
Parallels Between Sports and Life
00:32:50
Speaker
Hey, build your teams to win differently. Seen in the NFL, everybody's trying to win the same way. It's like, if you were a smash mouth football team, go be a smash mouth football team.
00:33:01
Speaker
had it. I don't get it. I don't know. i mean, you you um brought up you know Michael Jordan beating in that era and in Chicago during that that time period. um you know He got punched in the mouth and bloodied by the Pistons, right? So then it was...
00:33:18
Speaker
I'm gonna go work hard get into the gym get get bigger get stronger you know um I was just uh just met with a a marine this morning and we were just talking about like you know you have to you're constantly in your life adapting and overcoming you you have to adapt and overcome and and somewhere in there it did change I don't know when I'm curious to to dive into that a little bit more but
00:33:43
Speaker
it ah And again, I don't know if it's the youth sports that has gotten so, i i don't know, so geared towards college scholarships versus competition.
00:33:58
Speaker
You know, I don't know oh where that change happened, but it happened. Yeah. And not for the better, but.
00:34:08
Speaker
bye
00:34:11
Speaker
I mean, you want strong, healthy, resilient kids, you know, and human beings. yeah And you don't get it by, you know, playing it safe and that type of thing.
00:34:23
Speaker
Yeah.
Transition to Entrepreneurship
00:34:24
Speaker
Jason, you... ah One of the reasons I wanted to have you on too is that you made the transition from pro sports and you have your your unique perspective on um transitioning, starting a family, and a successful business. um What helped you make that pivot in that transition?
00:34:50
Speaker
ah Well, all along when I was playing, I wanted to open a facility, a training facility, a couldn't do when was playing, but when I was done, I knew I wanted to least attempt it.
00:35:02
Speaker
Did that. ah I couldn't have done that without some help. I had a good partner. uh that that was successful in his business had kids coming up so it was like hey this is great you know i'll get training for my kids too uh um and then know i had support of support of family with it all uh which makes it easier and i and i you know I play, I guess I, I'm a hypocrite a little bit. i played safe. I went with i not what I knew best and that was athletics.
00:35:39
Speaker
Uh, um, so I'm very confident when it comes to teaching it, very confident in understanding the games and things like that, what it takes. Uh, but, uh, you know, now my wife, I still train now. My wife and I have a real estate business to get there.
00:35:56
Speaker
Um, am I as confident? I hope, but, uh, uh, you know, that's, you know, she's, she's a great resource. She's, she's probably a little more, uh, uh, it's a team team thing for me that made it easy. You the transition, uh, she's been, uh, the leader when it comes to that stuff.
00:36:20
Speaker
Uh, and, you know, we work well together with, with,
00:36:27
Speaker
Yeah. So what, but you, you had the willingness. Like, you yeah, I, I guess I'm always a risk taker to an extent. Uh, where go big or go home type type person.
00:36:42
Speaker
Um, and I didn't want to, I do, I didn't want to go to work for somebody else per se. Um, not that that's a bad thing. I just, you know, there's been some flexibility that's worked out for our family where I could watch the kids if she had an appointment or, you know, she could drop the kids off at the facility and I could be with them. um different things like that. So that,
00:37:05
Speaker
A lot of how we ended up the way we did was because of flexibility, we wanted to raise our kids, uh, not have ah daycare or different things.
00:37:16
Speaker
Not that that's bad, just that's not what we wanted. Yeah. And, um,
00:37:24
Speaker
So was almost like, well, it's this way. And there's been plenty of times, don't get wrong, her and I have talked about, why don't think about looking at this or that and get to, and then all sudden things start to swing back the other way, you know? And that's entrepreneurship, I think. It is kind of like baseball. You can have your, know, I saw a great quote the other day. You got to post up, no matter what, you might bring home $7 $70,000 as an entrepreneur day.
00:37:51
Speaker
or day you have to work the same amount whether it's 7 or 70 you know so um that's that's kind of where where it's coming from uh i didn't want to just live the uh rat race i guess and just have my i lost some weekends but i had flexibility today so let's give it take with everything right until you really until you really make some money um so it's it's it's it's been cool
00:38:23
Speaker
like Yeah. Yeah. No, there's i mean it's just things you touched on in there. Like there I definitely hear like core values like freedom, ah flexibility, ah you know, and then risk taking, you know, is is a I would say a strength. It's something that I would say, you know, for me, too, as an entrepreneur, it's like you have you have to take risk if you want the payoff.
00:38:48
Speaker
Right. And then we say all the time how nice it would be to, to, you know, to have that regular paycheck monthly knowing, Hey, I put in my time, the regular paycheck, but, but at the same time, that same token at what cost. Right.
00:39:06
Speaker
So, so, um, perfect world. You're taking it to those, but yeah. But it's, you know, it's like ah I was out in Arizona for a week.
00:39:18
Speaker
i don't get to work for a week far as far the private training side of things. And I don't get to work and I don't make any money. And, you know, so it's like, OK, I still have the same amount of bills each month, you know, so.
00:39:34
Speaker
Have look at things just a little different, I guess. Yeah, absolutely. Jason, what do you hope that your story gives to others?
00:39:44
Speaker
ah You know, those navigating changes or challenges in their life? Yeah. um yeah I don't know that I hope that it gives anything other than like a, Hey, uh, everybody's story is different type of thing. And that's how I've always looked at it. That's why for me, it was weird when somebody's like, you should tell your story. And I got the feedback. I was kind of like, wow, okay.
00:40:11
Speaker
Maybe, maybe there was some to to that or everybody relates to it in their own way. It's basically my, I want out of it. I never quit. Go, go for what you want.
00:40:24
Speaker
And, uh, you don't Don't let anybody ever tell you you can't. Yeah. Those are the things, you know, and then learn from other mistakes, you know?
00:40:36
Speaker
Yeah. Because there's something to be said for somebody. They really want something. that They go after They could do it in a sleazeball way. You know, you want to do it with integrity.
00:40:47
Speaker
want to it with no character, morals, all that. so So doing it the right way, I guess. Yeah. It's, ah you know, I know you weren't looking for attention, but your story does have a lot of value for those young and old to to glean from. So I appreciate you taking the time to share It means a lot.
00:41:14
Speaker
Appreciate you having me on, man. It's going to catch up to a little bit, so. Yeah, well, we got ah i got another Notre Dame year coming up here. 100 days, actually, until Miami. Okay. it's just so I just saw that.
00:41:30
Speaker
100 days until Miami, so. It's funny, i had ah my last guest was a a really cool physical therapist. He's Ohio State guy. He was a professional lacrosse player, too.
00:41:43
Speaker
And he was giving a shout-out to Marcus Freeman and just the job that he's done and how his he's gotten his team to really buy into him and and what he's trying to do.
00:41:55
Speaker
Yeah, it's great. It's great. They needed somebody like him at the helm. You know, i hope he continues to do what his his word is elevate. So I'll get a little better each year. Maybe they host trophy at the end of one these years.
00:42:12
Speaker
Before I'm dead. Before I'm dead. because Because the last one was 88. I thought it was happening a lot. And it hasn't. no Well, I'm optimistic.
00:42:24
Speaker
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. All right, Jason Despido, everyone. Thank you so much. Till next time. Yes, sir. Thank you so much for tuning in today and being with us. May you find joy, flow and adventure on your journey.
00:42:38
Speaker
And if you got something from it, please like, share and subscribe and or comment. It means a lot. Thank you.