That question is at the heart of my new book, Finding Your Summit: How to Build Resilience and Faith to Conquer Life’s Peaks.

For most of my life, I chased external definitions of success. I wanted to be the best football player I could become. I wanted to compete at the highest level. I wanted to prove I belonged.

That journey led me to the NFL.

I was fortunate enough to live out a dream that millions of athletes chase — playing professional football. I spent five seasons in the NFL with the Raiders and Saints, surrounded by incredible teammates, coaches, and competitors who taught me lessons about discipline, preparation, teamwork, and perseverance.

But eventually, the cheering stopped.

The stadium lights faded.

The identity I had built for decades suddenly changed.

And I was left asking a question many successful people eventually face:

“What’s next?”

Success Doesn’t Always Answer the Bigger Questions

One of the hardest transitions in life is moving from a season where everything is clear into a season where the path ahead is uncertain.

Athletes experience it when their careers end.

Executives experience it after decades of achievement.

Entrepreneurs experience it when the company they built changes direction.

Parents experience it when their children leave home.

At some point, many of us discover that success is not just about reaching a destination.

It is about discovering who we become along the way.

That realization changed everything for me.

I began searching for a new challenge — something that would test me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

That search led me to the mountains.

From the NFL to the Seven Summits

Climbing mountains became my next classroom.

The mountains don’t care about your résumé.

They don’t care about your past accomplishments.

They don’t care how many touchdowns you scored, how many awards you won, or what title is on your business card.

The mountain only asks one question:

Are you prepared for what comes next?

My journey eventually led me to climb the Seven Summits — the highest mountain on each continent — including Mount Everest.

Standing on the summit of Everest on May 23, 2021, was one of the most incredible moments of my life.

But the truth is, the summit was never really the destination.

The mountain revealed something much deeper:

The greatest challenges we face are rarely the mountains outside of us.

They are the mountains inside of us.

The Real Summit Is Personal Transformation

Finding Your Summit is not just a story about climbing mountains.

It is about climbing through adversity.

It is about rebuilding after setbacks.

It is about finding purpose when your previous identity no longer defines you.

It is about understanding that every person has a summit they are trying to reach.

Your summit might be:

• Building a successful company
• Becoming a stronger leader
• Recovering from failure
• Finding meaning after a major transition
• Creating a legacy

The summit is different for everyone.

But the process is universal.

The Lessons of Leadership Under Pressure

The NFL and Everest taught me many of the same lessons about leadership.

Great leaders are not defined when everything is easy.

They are revealed under pressure.

On the football field, pressure comes from the final drive of a game.

On Everest, pressure comes from changing weather, exhaustion, uncertainty, and making decisions when mistakes can have serious consequences.

In business, pressure comes from:

• Navigating change
• Leading teams through uncertainty
• Making difficult decisions
• Maintaining focus when the outcome is unclear

The best leaders develop the ability to stay calm, communicate clearly, and keep moving forward.

That is what resilience is really about.

Resilience is not avoiding difficulty.

Resilience is learning how to respond when difficulty arrives.

The SUMMITS Framework

Throughout my journey, I discovered that success comes down to a series of principles that apply whether you are climbing a mountain, leading a company, or rebuilding your life.

The SUMMITS framework represents those lessons:

S — Strength
Develop the foundation required to handle challenges.

U — Understanding
Know yourself, your purpose, and your mission.

M — Mindset
Your thoughts determine your actions.

M — Motivation
Connect your goals to something deeper.

I — Integrity
Lead yourself before you lead others.

T — Teamwork
No great achievement happens alone.

S — Sacrifice
Every summit requires commitment and discipline.

These principles shaped my NFL career, my business journey, my climb to Everest, and now my mission to help others find their own summit.

Your Next Summit Is Waiting

The biggest lesson I have learned is this:

You are never finished climbing.

There is always another challenge.

Another opportunity.

Another version of yourself waiting to be discovered.

Many people spend their lives chasing the next achievement without stopping to ask:

“Why am I climbing this mountain?”

That question matters.

Because the goal is not simply reaching the top.

The goal is becoming the person capable of reaching the top.

Your summit is not just a place.

It is a purpose.

It is a calling.

It is the journey of becoming more than you thought possible.

That is what Finding Your Summit is about.

It is my story.

But more importantly, it is an invitation for you to discover yours.