Nnamdi Asomugha and Second Acts
Find what you love and then find what else you love...
Ten years ago, Nnamdi Asomugha was headed to another Pro Bowl, about to sign a $60 million contract, and widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NFL.
Last night, I watched him act for the first time in Sylvie’s Love. He did a fine job as the lovestruck Robert opposite Tessa Thompson’s Sylvie. It’s a solid production and a pleasant world to slip into for a couple of hours, but I don’t expect it to be in contention for any major awards.
The thing that did strike me was this former professional athlete having the opportunity to make art alongside the likes of Tessa Thompson and Eva Longoria. Not because of any stereotypical underestimation of athletes, but because he’s already excelled to the top of one profession and is now on his way up in another.
As someone ending this year between jobs and wondering what my next act will be, I was genuinely taken aback when I realized this actor was the same guy who was so good at his first job that quarterbacks rarely even attempted a pass to his side of the field. The chances of finding that kind of success and acclaim in one area is so rare that to then star in a studio film is downright moving for someone gathering the courage to pursue his own happiness.
We’re so often groomed to pursue safe, traditional professions, and the allure of a clear path of promotions, pay bumps, and other mappable outcomes is hard to pass up with the near daily failing of other institutions previously trusted to buffer us from catastrophe. It’s the only explanation for how I spent my college days with multiple future accountants.
Once you’re in that lane and on that track to the next promotion, it’s even harder to get off the treadmill. I admit that this transition is softened when you have the notoriety and resources of a professional athlete, and Asomugha is hardly the first to follow sports with a move into show business, but it’s no less impressive to follow your dream, especially when it’s your second time doing so.
As we look to the year ahead, I hope we all have a chance to step off the path we’re on and watch it carry on without us, at least for a time. Maybe that’s a conscious choice or maybe it’s the global economy that asks you to take a breather. Either way, the next time you’re feeling slightly better than totally exhausted, take some time to write down the things that make you happy and see if and where they fit into your current routine. Resist the temptation to make excuses for why they’re not in your life. Remember the times they brought you relief. Hold on to the list.