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
- Inky Johnson: An Amazing Story of Faith and Perseverance (book)
- SC Featured: The play that altered Inky Johnson’s life (video)
- University of Tennessee football
- Nick Saban, college football coach
- Jerod Mayo, NFL
- Ramon Foster, NFL
- Robert Ayers, NFL
- Eric Berry, NFL
- Kobe Bryant, NBA
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Jon Dorenbos on Life is Magic- A Story of Resilience, Faith and Forgiveness
- Ryan Holiday on How to Turn Obstacles into Advantages
- Joshua Medcalf on How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great
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!