Michael Griffin: Retired NFL Safety with the Titans explains how to develop a Competitive Edge
09/02/21 • 57 min
10 year NFL safety Michael Griffin sits down with Barton to talk fatherhood, cupcakes, and his experience growing up playing football in Austin, TX. He takes the listener on his journey from Bowie High to the Univ. of Texas, and to the NFL. In this episode, Michael explains why aspiring athletes must get up early, do the work in the gym, and be determined to be the best on their team.
Mindset to Stay In the Game
Much of the attention is given to the physical aspect of football since it is a contact sport. However, Michael always thinks of his back against the wall, which is traced back to his high school days. He explains that when he is in that position, he can see the goal and how he can get to it. Michael then questions himself if his goal outweighs the barriers and everything else. He says that it is easy to make every excuse possible on why he could not do it. So what does this have to do with the physical aspect? Well, Michael has to know the difference between hurt and injured. An injury would mean not being able to play, and with that, it gives a window of opportunity to another player to take his spot. Therefore, Michael has developed a sense of durability with the mindset to push himself hard while securing his place in the team. Due to this way of thinking, he played with a dislocated shoulder twice. He learned to adapt quickly instead of getting off the field in order to keep his position as a safety of the team.
About Michael Griffin:
Two-time Pro-Bowler Michael Griffin’s stellar professional football career spanned ten seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and the Carolina Panthers. Since retiring in 2018, Griffin’s focus has shifted to entrepreneurship, opening up a subsidiary bakery under the Gigi’s Cupcakes franchise outside of his hometown of Austin, Texas, with his life-long friends, fellow NFL standout Brian Orakpo and college classmate Bryan Hynson.
Griffin’s magnetic dexterity has served him well throughout the years as a football player, entrepreneur, and most recently, the star of a hit Microsoft commercial with his friend and former Titan teammate Brian Orakpo. Griffin resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife Shantel and their children.
Outline of the Episode:
[01:47] Lessons from sports applied in raising three kids
[07:54] Challenges that arise from communication outside the football field
[11:10] Factors that made Michael go back to Austin to raise his family
[19:21] Family dynamics: parenting strategies in creating a team within their children
[21:52] Humility goes a long way, whether in sports or fatherhood
[23:23] A competitive attitude made use in high school football
[32:48] Michael’s experience having a sports scholarship at the University of Texas
[41:30] The magic behind the team’s success, according to Michael
[45:02] How Michael handled the physical aspects of football and kept himself primed to play
[52:37] Football mindset used to put up the cupcake business
Resources:
IG: @thecupcakeguys
IG: @Mikegriff33
Michael Griffin’s UT Highlight Reel: https://youtu.be/ynFNxQ3b5-U
2006 R
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bartonguybryan.com
Use this link to get a 30 minute discovery call scheduled with Barton regarding the Team Bryan Wellness Concierge Fitness Program
https://calendly.com/bartbryan/conciergecoachingcall
My 3 Top Episodes of the first 100:
7 Essentials to Building Muscle after 40
3x Olympic Gold Medalist Brendan Hansen
MMA Strength and Conditioning Coach Phil Daru
10 year NFL safety Michael Griffin sits down with Barton to talk fatherhood, cupcakes, and his experience growing up playing football in Austin, TX. He takes the listener on his journey from Bowie High to the Univ. of Texas, and to the NFL. In this episode, Michael explains why aspiring athletes must get up early, do the work in the gym, and be determined to be the best on their team.
Mindset to Stay In the Game
Much of the attention is given to the physical aspect of football since it is a contact sport. However, Michael always thinks of his back against the wall, which is traced back to his high school days. He explains that when he is in that position, he can see the goal and how he can get to it. Michael then questions himself if his goal outweighs the barriers and everything else. He says that it is easy to make every excuse possible on why he could not do it. So what does this have to do with the physical aspect? Well, Michael has to know the difference between hurt and injured. An injury would mean not being able to play, and with that, it gives a window of opportunity to another player to take his spot. Therefore, Michael has developed a sense of durability with the mindset to push himself hard while securing his place in the team. Due to this way of thinking, he played with a dislocated shoulder twice. He learned to adapt quickly instead of getting off the field in order to keep his position as a safety of the team.
About Michael Griffin:
Two-time Pro-Bowler Michael Griffin’s stellar professional football career spanned ten seasons in the NFL, including stints with the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, and the Carolina Panthers. Since retiring in 2018, Griffin’s focus has shifted to entrepreneurship, opening up a subsidiary bakery under the Gigi’s Cupcakes franchise outside of his hometown of Austin, Texas, with his life-long friends, fellow NFL standout Brian Orakpo and college classmate Bryan Hynson.
Griffin’s magnetic dexterity has served him well throughout the years as a football player, entrepreneur, and most recently, the star of a hit Microsoft commercial with his friend and former Titan teammate Brian Orakpo. Griffin resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife Shantel and their children.
Outline of the Episode:
[01:47] Lessons from sports applied in raising three kids
[07:54] Challenges that arise from communication outside the football field
[11:10] Factors that made Michael go back to Austin to raise his family
[19:21] Family dynamics: parenting strategies in creating a team within their children
[21:52] Humility goes a long way, whether in sports or fatherhood
[23:23] A competitive attitude made use in high school football
[32:48] Michael’s experience having a sports scholarship at the University of Texas
[41:30] The magic behind the team’s success, according to Michael
[45:02] How Michael handled the physical aspects of football and kept himself primed to play
[52:37] Football mindset used to put up the cupcake business
Resources:
IG: @thecupcakeguys
IG: @Mikegriff33
Michael Griffin’s UT Highlight Reel: https://youtu.be/ynFNxQ3b5-U
2006 R
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bartonguybryan.com
Use this link to get a 30 minute discovery call scheduled with Barton regarding the Team Bryan Wellness Concierge Fitness Program
https://calendly.com/bartbryan/conciergecoachingcall
My 3 Top Episodes of the first 100:
7 Essentials to Building Muscle after 40
3x Olympic Gold Medalist Brendan Hansen
MMA Strength and Conditioning Coach Phil Daru
Previous Episode
Chris Issendorf: Pushing the Limits of Ultra Marathon Canoe Racing
Elite endurance athlete Chris Issendorf discusses the sport of ultra marathon canoe racing. Chris is among the best in the world when it comes to canoe racing. In this episode, he dives into his mindset as an endurance athlete before and during a race. He digs into how he carves up the 35 hour Missouri River 340 into little races to keep his edge.
About Ultra Marathon Canoe Racing
When it comes to canoe racing, endurance is everything. Chris explains that ultra marathon racing is a sport that lasts a minimum of eight to ten hours with some races lasting as many as hundred hours. A lot of training goes into building the mindset to keep going despite the pain and fatigue the body goes through. Chris gives Barton a description of what a typical canoe race looks like. Canoe racing can be anything from a single person to a six-man rig, using kayak paddles or double-blade canoe paddles. Some races start with the canoe on hand a quarter-mile away from the river and involve running, getting on the boat, and paddling. Some start on the water aboard the canoe. On average, a race can go for 35 to 40 hours nonstop for top teams, and the cutoff is at the 100th hour. Most people do not know that participants pack their food with them, and it takes strategy of when to take breaks in between. The sport is of the rigorous type that is not for the faint-hearted, but Chris is motivated despite the arduous work.
About Chris Issendorf:
Born in New Jersey, Chris has always sought out tough challenges. As a young man, he worked on a fishing boat and learning the grueling skill of deep sea fishing, working long hours and pushing through days without sleep. He now lives in Dripping Springs, TX with his wife Shannon and his two children. His wife and oldest son Kyle both compete in ultra marathon canoe racing and Chris has a goal to race with his son in the Texas Water Safari in 2022. Chris runs a smal business installing brick pavers and chooses to live in the hill country outside of Austin). In his off-season, he runs trail races and recently in 2020 Chris won the Cactus Rose 50 mile Ultra Marathon with a time of 8:24:00, more than 30 min fast than the next competitor. He is not on social media by choice (sorry listeners!)
Outline of the Episode:
[01:47] A background of ultra marathon canoe racing
[06:45] The race that earned Chris first place and a record time
[13:16] How to stay focused and win a race that spans for hours and even days
[19:52] Take the lead, trust the preparation, and not make a mistake that will derail the finish
[24:15] Developed mind game to keep the body at the right spot
[29:00] Bathroom breaks in the middle of a race
[32:44] Preparation for the AuSable River Canoe Marathon amidst COVID-19
[36:52] Why Chris puts himself into a rigorous sport such as canoe racing
[45:09] Chris’ feeling when he and his partner crossed the finished line of the MR340 race
Resources:
AuSable River Marathon 2021: https://youtu.be/CwIl4IJss4s
AuSable River Marathon Website: https://www.ausablecanoemarathon.org/marathon/
Austin Rowing Club Event: https://bit.ly/3zRVklo
To join t
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bartonguybryan.com
Use this link to get a 30 minute discovery call scheduled with Barton regarding the Team Bryan Wellness Concierge Fitness Program
https://calendly.com/bartbryan/conciergecoachingcall
My 3 Top Episodes of the first 100:
7 Essentials to Building Muscle after 40
3x Olympic Gold Medalist Brendan Hansen
MMA Strength and Conditioning Coach Phil Daru
Next Episode
Solocast: Barton discusses how we can bring our "Authentic Self" to performance
Barton tells stories from his past as an Opera Singer, learning to "let go", and find his authentic voice. he asks the listener to think of times they too showed up big in important moments. Goal: How can we level up our performance in the things we seek to improve on by bringing our authentic self and finding joy.
Backstory about Barton:
Barton lives in Austin, TX with his wife Valerie and their 7 year old son, Jack. Barton's been a personal trainer for 13 years. Barton and his family love outdoor hikes, traveling, and living a healthy lifestyle. His background in the arts, sports, and working in Africa all inform his unique perspective.
Barton hung up his basketball shoes after high school and decided to pursue music; specifically vocal performance. He never sang at Davis High School, but when he arrived in San Diego, CA for college, he went for it! Barton sang in operas like "Marriage of Figaro" and "La Boheme," took acting classes, and performed a solo concert to receive his BA in Music. Before graduation, he spent a year in Aix-en-Provence studying French and traveling Europe and North Africa. Barton's two trips to Morocco instilled in him a curiosity and profound respect for the diverse cultures of West Africa. Once back in the US, he applied for the Peace Corps so he could travel back to Africa and immerse himself in the culture and learn about their way of life. Barton spent two years in Diadjibine, a small village of 2,500 people in Southern Mauritania, West Africa. As a Peace Corp volunteer, he taught English, helped build water pumps, and started a solar-powered computer center. The time in Mauritania shaped Barton's mindset on the importance of community, teamwork, leadership, and supporting hard-working people who don't have the resources Americans have at their fingertips.
After Peace Corps, Barton moved to New York City to pursue singing and acting. He was accepted into the Maggie Flanigan Studio and spent two years studying Meisner technique and writing a one man show about what he learned as a Peace Corps in West Africa. His show opened up new doors for him and he performed it around the country. On one of his trips, he traveled to Austin, TX where he met Valerie. Barton moved to Austin after graduating from the Acting Studio and four months later, they were married.
When Barton moved to Austin in 2007, he became a personal trainer. concurrently, Barton created a voluntourism company taking people to East and West Africa to do volunteer work and enjoying Safaris. He was introduced to Camp Gladiator in 2012 and his love for performing and passion for fitness made Camp Gladiator a perfect fit. He sold his tour company and went all in to his new role with Camp Gladiator.
The Mindset Forge Podcast is Barton's newest passion. Barton hopes the podcast will help people find the tools and inspiration to go after the things in life that matter most to them. He deliberately chooses guests from a variety of athletic and artistic backgrounds to help listeners gain multiple perspective of how they show up big for performance and how we can too.
Austin Rowing Club Event: https://bit.ly/3zRVklo
Join Premium: https://themindsetforge.supercast
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://bartonguybryan.com
Use this link to get a 30 minute discovery call scheduled with Barton regarding the Team Bryan Wellness Concierge Fitness Program
https://calendly.com/bartbryan/conciergecoachingcall
My 3 Top Episodes of the first 100:
7 Essentials to Building Muscle after 40
3x Olympic Gold Medalist Brendan Hansen
MMA Strength and Conditioning Coach Phil Daru
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