The Carolina Panthers are off to a historic start as they continue their quest to a perfect record. The face of their franchise, and without a doubt, the leader of this team is Cam Newton. Newton has become one of the biggest stars in the NFL, but before he was dabbing in the end zone, Newton was fighting to keep his dream alive.
Coming out of high school, Newton was a top ranked prospect who could go to any college he wanted. After deciding to attend the University of Florida, it was expected that Newton would be the next man up after Tim Tebow graduated. Expectations were high, but Newton’s dream suddenly took a turn for the worse.
During Newton's sophomore season, he was arrested for purchasing a stolen laptop from a student at the University of Florida; he was subsequently suspended from the team and his reputation had been tarnished. The charges were eventually dropped after Newton completed a diversion program, but he was no longer a member of the University of Florida football team.
Newton later transferred to Blinn College, a community college located in Brenham, Texas. This change in environment was a reality check for Newton because he had gone from playing in front of thousands of crazy fans to playing on a field no bigger than that of a high school's. Newton found success at Blinn and later transferred to Auburn where he led the Tigers to a national championship and won the Heisman Trophy in the process. He was selected as the number one pick in the 2011 draft and despite all the naysayers, he has developed into an elite quarterback in the NFL.
Now that you have a brief understanding about Newton, it’ll be easier to explain what you can learn from him. I think the most important thing you can learn from Newton is the art of having fun. One of Newton's signature qualities is his smile which seems to be the only facial expression he is capable of doing. He is always having fun with everything he does whether it’s scorching the opponent’s defense, giving a post-game interview or just walking down the street.
When you’re having fun, things just come easier to you because you’re not over thinking or worrying about messing up. Instead, you’re putting your best foot forward and enjoying the activity you’re doing for what it is. Notice how I said putting your best foot forward, having fun won’t happen when you’re going half speed, instead you have to be giving your best effort to have fun. The reason for this is because giving a half effort leads to thoughts of regret if the results desired are not the ones received and that regret leads to unhappiness. With all that being said, once you start having fun your presence becomes captivating and people will always want to be around you.
Another thing you can learn from Newton is being humble. A lot of people see Newton as an arrogant football player who thinks he is God’s gift to the earth, but all I see is a man happy to be where he is at. When Newton left Florida to attend Blinn University, he could have easily felt that the university was beneath him. However, he bonded with his teammates, embraced the university and won the Community College National Championship. This shows someone who is willing to put his or her ego aside for the benefit of the team. Another instance that shows Newton’s humbleness is his work ethic.
Newton didn’t become an MVP candidate by sitting on the couch; instead, he spent countless hours improving his craft. By working on one’s craft, one must acknowledge that improvement is needed. When Cam first came in the league, he was more of a dual threat QB, but every year he worked hard to improve his game in order to transform himself into a true pocket passer. An arrogant person wouldn’t do that because he or she believes that he or she doesn't need to improve because one is just that good. So remember to always keep improving on the area’s you need to work on and understand that sometimes things are bigger than you.
Having a heart of gold is the last thing we can learn from Newton. We constantly see Newton handing a football to a kid in the stands after a touchdown or him hanging out with a kid before the game. Many people don’t even know that he has his own foundation in which its sole purpose is to enhance the life of children. Now I know that we all don’t have the same influence as Newton does, but we still have the power to do things to bring happiness to the life of others.
Giving a stranger a random compliment, telling a kid they can be anything they want and actually meaning it, donating old clothes, participating in soup kitchens and spending time at a retirement home are all examples of things we can do to make others enjoy life just a little more. Remember doing nice things doesn’t cost a thing but it can be worth so much.
Oh, I almost forget. One more thing we can learn from Newton is that when a celebration is called for, just hit the DAB!
