Get inspiration straight to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

podcastwithmolly

Episode 57- Inky Johnson on Overcoming Adversity

As a college football player, Inky Johnson dreamed of playing in the NFL to make a better life for his family. Inky was on the…

Episode 57- Inky Johnson on Overcoming Adversity

As a college football player, Inky Johnson dreamed of playing in the NFL to make a better life for his family. Inky was on the…

As a college football player, Inky Johnson dreamed of playing in the NFL to make a better life for his family. Inky was on the way to achieving his dream when an injury changed everything. What should have been a routine tackle led to a life-threatening injury that ended his football career and permanently paralyzed his right arm. Instead of being defeated, Inky channeled his hardship into a powerful message of overcoming adversity. As a popular motivational speaker, Inky empowers audiences to embrace the daily challenges of life to live with a greater purpose.

Follow Inky: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website

Show Notes

  • Growing up in the Kirkwood neighborhood of Atlanta in a two-bedroom home with 14 people (2:15)
  • What football meant to Inky as a kid (5:18)
  • Falling in love with the process and the structure of football (6:50)
  • What Inky learned about the power of forgiveness from struggling to repair his relationship with his father (9:04)
  • How he was able to maintain perspective and a positive outlook in the tough times (10:35)
  • The life-threatening injury that ended Inky’s college football career and changed his life forever (11:45)
  • What the doctors told Inky when he arrived at the hospital (13:56)
  • “Worrying is a down payment on a problem that you may never have.” (18:25)
  • The transition from high school to college football (19:50)
  • “Courage is the ability to start something without any guarantee of success” (23:00)
  • A defining moment in Inky’s life (24:40)
  • His journey after football (27:32)
  • The story of going to meet Oprah Winfrey (29:26)
  • The moment he realized the power of his story (36:09)
  • His advice for someone going through adversity (38:35)
  • Learning to trust change (43:31)

Resources / People Mentioned

Recommended For You

Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:

Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app and leave a rating or review!

Share This Post

Get Molly’s Free 5-Minute Morning Routine to Build Better Relationships

LATEST BOOK

Dynamic Drive

The Purpose-Fueled Formula for Sustainable Success
“A very special book about finding your purpose, getting amazing things done and leading your finest life.”

Robin Sharma,

#1 Worldwide Bestselling Author of
"The Wealth Money Can't Buy" + "The 5am Club"

A #1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Dynamic Drive

The Purpose-Fueled Formula for Sustainable Success
In a world fixated on fleeting success, a bold framework for pursuing your goals unapologetically without compromising what matters most. This isn’t just another self-help theory: Dynamic Drive is your practical guide to unlocking your true potential. Through her decades of experience working with top athletes and peak performers across industries, renowned keynote speaker and leadership expert Molly Fletcher has created a proven formula backed by research that outlines the seven keys to sustainable success. The truth is fulfillment doesn’t come from setting and accomplishing goals in isolation. It comes from Dynamic Drive—a holistic approach that connects all parts of you with your purpose and allows you to engage in meaningful growth, both personally and professionally. Unlike traditional approaches that dilute drive into a mere means to an end, which can lead to burnout, Dynamic Drive is a way of life, a mindset. It’s about figuring out the parts of your life where you are playing small or safe or are dissatisfied. Dynamic Drive is the process by which we implement and sustain intentional change. The greatest reward isn’t in what you achieve, but who you become in the process. Your path to sustained high performance in all areas of your life begins here. This is your manual for an aligned, joyful, and relentless pursuit of a better you.
“A very special book about finding your purpose, getting amazing things done and leading your finest life.”

Robin Sharma,

#1 Worldwide Bestselling Author of
"The Wealth Money Can't Buy" + "The 5am Club"

Recent Episodes

Ethan Kross

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a spiral of negative thoughts? That voice in your head can feel impossible to shut off. But what if you could learn to make it work for you instead of against you? In this episode, I sit down with Ethan Kross, bestselling author...

Maya Shankar

What if we came to see the hardest moments in our lives as a chance to reimagine who we can be? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Maya Shankar, cognitive scientist and author of the new book The Other Side of Change, to unpack how we can reframe...

Kim Perell

Everyone wants the highlight reel. Almost no one talks about the messy middle. Kim Perell is a nine-time founder, investor, and bestselling author of Mistakes That Made Me a Millionaire. She’s built her entire career by learning faster from failure, and in this conversation, she shares the mistakes that shaped...

Emily Harrington

What if fear isn’t a stop sign, but an invitation to discover what you’re capable of? Pro climber and adventurer Emily Harrington has spent her life proving that on some of the world’s biggest adventures. She’s summited Everest, skied 8,000-meter peaks, and became the first woman to free climb the...

Buzz Williams

Great cultures aren’t built in big moments. They’re built in the consistent behaviors you repeat every day. In this episode, I sit down with University of Maryland men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams, a leader known for transforming programs through his relentless commitment to culture, character, and daily habits. Buzz shares...

Jen Hatmaker

What do you do when the life you built completely falls apart? That’s the question New York Times bestselling author and podcast host Jen Hatmaker faced after her 26-year marriage ended and shattered everything she thought she knew. In the months that followed, she went from a shiny, successful leader...

Search by Topics

Search by Guests

Matthew McConaughey
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
podcast-popular
Savannah Guthrie
podcast popular
Steven A. Smith
Simon Sinek