NIL has changed the dynamic of sports across the country. The same goes for my kids and their exciting news of inking their first NIL deal.
My 8-year-old daughter inked her deal highlighted by a wealth of access to Barbie’s and squish-mallows. Her deal reportedly includes ice cream options and the occasional run to Target for more toys. Reports indicate they’re still working through the details of how often ice cream and Target runs will be available. Grandparents may alter the terms of the deal.
My 10-year-old son just inked a deal that will get him free food for the next year, a luxurious room to stay in equipped with a bunk bed and charger for his iPad, and driving services to all his sports and school events. Reports indicate the deal includes Christmas and birthday presents. Negotiations continue for types of snacks post school and practice.
In all seriousness, in the craziness that has become NIL there was a story I recently came across on Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, a safety from the University of Toledo, that was against the norm. In an environment where it’s easy to jump from one school to the next chasing higher offers, Emmanuel chose to stay with his smaller school. The bigger money was out there. The more high-profile schools were calling. But Emmanuel chose to stay and continue to put in his time and work for his goal of the NFL.
In an interview with McNeil-Warren, he stated his focus wasn’t on short term money but instead setting himself up for long term success. He chose to pass on the higher paycheck for his final college season to stay in the environment he believed challenged him and developed him the most for where he wanted his career to go.
The short-term money is tempting. Is it worth sacrificing your growth and the way you want to be challenged for your long-term success? Sometimes we find the best of both worlds where we see the paycheck we deserve and it’s in an environment where we are challenged and can grow the way we want. Problem is reality doesn’t always allow this alignment to happen.
When we look at our current situation and consider what else may be out there, we so often are presented with a dilemma. We want the paycheck we think we deserve – let’s not fool ourselves. But there’s a bigger picture question we need to explore.
What environment gives us the best opportunity to explore our authentic greatness? Not just check some short-term box for making money. What’s going to challenge us so much that when we fast forward a few years, the short-term money is now just a minor detail of the past? This accelerated growth can put us in a spot where we’re reaching another level because we chose to prioritize our long-term growth.
*What environment allows you to explore solving problems that mean something to you?
*What opportunity surrounds you with Accelerators you can learn from and pick up clues to success?
*What environment makes growing and challenging one another a standard?
Of course, money matters but make this discussion more holistic. Explore what environment is going to bring out your authentic success. Align opportunity with holistic priorities and while money always plays a part, make sure it doesn’t overshadow how important the environment for growth is for your long-term success.
And if the money doesn’t fit your expectations, there’s always NIL opportunities for you, right?
Take your step: take time to reflect and memorialize what your right environment is to be challenged and grow in the authentic way you’re striving for. Find 1-2 gaps in how you want to grow and what your current situation is and explore how you can fill these gaps. Hopefully your current environment allows this change to fill these gaps but if not, challenge yourself to see if there is a better environment for your long-term growth.