I was 18 years old, with college golf on the horizon, when my perspective changed. September 11, 2001, changed the course of my life. Golf no longer seemed important. I heard the call. If not me, then who? I went to sign up the next day but was denied. Almost two years later, I was approved to enlist in the SEAL Challenge Program. I grew up in Wimberley and my parents instilled in me the importance of a strong work ethic, perseverance and determination. These traits allowed me to succeed where most failed. I am thankful that my parents took the time to instill these values in me. As a parent, I now understand that training a child in the way they should go is not an easy task, but it is of utmost importance if freedom is to persist in our nation.
After the Navy, I chased my dream of playing on the PGA Tour for three years. I was so close, yet so far away at the same time. I worked with the best coaches, had the best sponsors and gave it everything I had. The third time I ran out of money, I knew it was time for a change. I am grateful that I had the freedom to chase my dream and the support my family provided during the ups and downs.
A hundred job applications, no job. I needed a new path. Acton School of Business helped me find that path. This is a school unlike any other, and there is a K-12 program that follows the same model right here in Dripping Springs. The business school makes three promises of what the students who complete the strenuous program will learn: Learn how to learn, learn how to make money, and learn how to live a life of meaning. They delivered on their promise. I am grateful for their mentorship.
Find your calling and change the world. We all have gifts and talents that make us unique. Finding our calling and making an impact is really just about figuring out what these gifts are and how we can use them to make the world a better place. We all look for answers, but it is often in the questions and struggles that we find the answers to who we were created to be. I do not believe that we can all be whatever we want to be, but we can be the best at what we were created to be. That is why I wrote my first book and why my wife and I co-authored our second one. We also have a children’s series we are working on and hope to have the first part done before Christmas. The books are focused on building mental toughness and confidence through simple and actionable steps. The steps are simple, but they are not easy. Then again, nothing worth achieving ever is. How you do anything is how you do everything. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.
Books available on Amazon.
MentalToughnessandConfidence.com | Instagram @chad__metcalf | YouTube @chadmetcalf
