“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.”

– David Singletary

That quote has stuck with me. Not just because I am competitive, but because it reflects how I see life. For me, “the game” is not just a metaphor. It is a mindset. It is about showing up with determination, tenacity, openness, and self-confidence.

I did not develop these values from 17 years of elite-level soccer, or from summiting Colorado’s fourteeners, even though both experiences shaped me. They came from my family, who taught me that living with integrity and being of service mattered more than status or income. Those early lessons guide the way I think, act, and connect with others.

Herb Brooks once told the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, “You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.” That line speaks to me. My “moment” happens anytime I get to make a meaningful impact, even in small, unexpected ways. Like helping a co-worker of mine navigate the challenges of his online computer science program. He misses a lot of classroom nuance, and I genuinely enjoy breaking things down for him. I do not do it because I want to be a hero. I do it because I can, and that matters to me.

Lionel Messi said, “You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.” As someone who continues to look up to Messi as a role model, this is what gives me grit, discipline, and determination to keep going, even when things get difficult. I have learned that chasing a dream is not always about reaching some big, defining moment. More often, it is about showing up every day with purpose, doing the hard things that no one sees, and finding meaning in the quiet progress along the way.

I am not focused on winning. I am focused on playing. That means showing up, learning, adapting, and contributing wherever I can. What I do may shift over time. How I do it might change too. But the mindset stays the same. I am here to play the game. Playing it in a way that truly makes a difference.