‘Find the Breakthrough You’re Looking For,’ Says Former NFL Pro Bowler

DENVER — “Everybody wants a breakthrough, but nobody wants to be broken,” were just some of the inspiring anecdotes shared during the Syngenta-sponsored general session featuring NFL Pro Bowler Justin Forsett. His presentation was titled “Leading Teams Through Change, Adversity & Opportunity”

Forsett shared challenges he's overcome in life and on the football field and related them to those that pest management professionals must overcome.

Forsett recalled playing in a game with the Jacksonville Jaguars when he was tackled by the opponent and broke his foot. A few weeks later, he was put on injured reserve and a few months down the road, he was let go. It was in these moments of uncertainty that shaped Forsett into the person he is today.

“Greatness grows best in the shadows,” he said. “This means we get our greatest gains in life from our climb to the top, and when we’re constantly being stretched and pulled. How many [of you] have ever been labeled or limited or underappreciated in your life? How do you respond when your back is against the wall?”

Forsett said during his time playing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was placed in what felt like boxes, being labeled and not given the opportunity to reach his fullest potential. But it was in those moments, he learned his greatest lesson.

“I just needed someone to believe in me and to give me a shot,” he said. “Showing up for people and letting them know you care is how we build culture and employee retention. Service is the difference between being good and being great.”

During his keynote, Forsett shared these three “life hacks” for propelling people to the next level, personally and professionally:

You must excel at what you can control.

• Your attitude, character and communication must be at the forefront at all times. I grew up in a small town with 3,000 people in Mulberry, Fla., and not many make it out to accomplish their dreams and goals. I grew up in a family as a middle child and never felt like I fit in everywhere. I couldn’t control where I grew up or how I was in my family. I also grew up in a family that was not financially stable. I bounced around from house to house. I couldn’t control those things, but what I could control was how I thought about those things and used them to push me forward. I determined in that moment that diversity will never define me but refine me to push me toward my dreams. On our path to success, we need to be able to visualize it. If you can’t see it for yourself, no one is going to see it for you. What are you doing in the shadows when you’re not clocked in at work?

Build a huddle.

• Find a couple of people that you can do life with. A community that can lift you up in moments of heartache and disappointment and frustration. Peyton Manning would give me three things in every huddle: encouragement, warning and instruction. That not only applies to football fields, but our businesses. We need people that are going to be real with us. This is when we need to dive deeper into our relationship because when we are isolated, we form these narratives in our head that might not even be true. These people that are in your circle must add value.

You must serve.

• Serving is a currency to elevation. If you want more in your career, your family and life, you must serve. It shifts the perspective from living a “me” driven life to a “we” driven life and a “purpose” driven life. It’s about impact and having the ability to change lives every single day. It can be hard to find a reason to smile and find joy in your life, but the faster way to have that smile on your face is through service. Show up for people and let them know that you care. That’s how you build a winning culture and the difference between being good and being great. We have to make serving a lifestyle [component] in our leadership. It took me 15 years of doing the same things over and over again, with rejection and demotion and [dealing with] at what I can’t control, that I got a breakthrough in my industry.