We had the chance to meet Steven Jackson at Nike’s Hyper School Event in New York back in October. Given Jackson’s credentials as an 11-year pro running back currently with the Atlanta Falcons, community leader, and emerging icon, we wanted to know how he perceives confidence. Meet Steven Jackson:

“I believe confidence comes in different forms, such as mind, body, and soul. I’m very in tune with myself, what makes me happy. I always try to make sure that I read something positive every day, just to make sure that I’m thinking positively. Diet-wise, I believe in trying to eat clean things. All of those things, I think, culminate into having positive reactions to life as life presents us with obstacles. The more positive things that you surround yourself with, the better off you are to combat them with a positive reaction.

Everytime I speak to someone that may lack some confidence, I always try to reinforce in them that life is not easy and that anything worth having is worth fighting for. Be it love, be it accomplishment in their job, be it achieving their dream, anytime you receive something easily, it doesn’t have any good quality to it. It won’t be around for long and it won’t stand the test of time. Accomplishment and love, all of those things, go through trials. You need to make sure that it’s going to be there for the long haul so you can really appreciate it. So I always try to make them think for the long term and not be so excited to have things right now. Mentally, you may think that you are ready, but you may just, well, not be. It doesn’t mean that you won’t have it. It’s just that the timing may not be right.

The best quality that I pride myself in is being humble and hungry. Hungry to get better, hungry to get smarter, hungry to do all the things that make me be a better person. But I also stay humble enough that I’m aware that if I want to lead, I know that I also have to follow.”