Pop-Up Story / Confidence · Support · 3 min read
Before Joe Cool, There Was Self-Doubt
Before Joe Burrow became Joe Cool, he faced self-doubt at Ohio State. Billy Bruce reflects on self-criticism, confidence, and continuing to do the work.
“You’ve been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
Today, Joe Burrow is one of the last athletes we associate with self-doubt.
We call him Joe Cool.
The Athens kid won the Heisman Trophy, a national championship and became the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
But before all that, Burrow spent three years at Ohio State without starting a game.
And apparently, Joe Burrow wondered about Joe Burrow, too.
“I was putting in the same work that I always put in and wasn’t playing,” Burrow later told Chris Simms. “Of course there was self-doubt in that moment.”
It got bad enough that Burrow said he started updating his résumé and thinking about becoming an investment banker.
Spend a long minute thinking about that one.
One of the best quarterbacks of his generation once wondered whether he was good enough to continue playing football.
As a Bengals fan, I’m glad Burrow came back to himself.
There’s a lesson in there for all of us.
When things aren’t going well, we tend to believe self-criticism will somehow make us better.
You should be further along.
You’re not going to make it.
You’re not good enough.
Other people are better than you.
Some people call that motivation. I call it self-bullying.
Please always be aware of how you talk to yourself because you are always listening.
Burrow eventually transferred to LSU. Even then, he said his confidence was shaken. It took playing, improving and seeing the results before his confidence returned.
And please note this: He didn’t give up. He didn’t allow his self-criticism to cripple him.
He just faced the fear his self-criticism undoubtedly created in his mind and kept working while it was still there.
And then, his confidence started coming back.
“The reason that I’m so confident is I know the work that I put in,” he said after Cincinnati drafted him.
When he decided to leave Ohio State, he could have allowed his shaken confidence to crush his dreams.
But he kept doing the work he’d trained himself to do. And to say it paid off is an understatement.
Investment bankers can’t win Heismans, national championships, or lead their team to the Super Bowl.
When you continue even though you’re uncertain, you’re getting stronger.
When you find the courage to walk into your fears, you’re getting wiser.
When you don’t give in to doubt, you’re getting braver.
Joe Burrow didn't suddenly become talented when he arrived at LSU.
The guy who eventually won the Heisman was already inside the quarterback who was wondering whether it was time to update his résumé.
You've spent enough time telling yourself what you're doing wrong.
Tomorrow, try noticing something you're doing right.
See what happens.