From NFL Cuts to Financial Leadership: What Jedidiah Collins Teaches Us About Resilience, Journaling, and Building Your Future

There are some conversations that stay with you long after the microphones are turned off.

This episode of the Books4Guys podcast with former NFL fullback, financial educator, author, and speaker Jedidiah Collins was one of those conversations.

At first glance, Jedidiah’s story sounds almost impossible.

He became an NFL All Pro fullback.

But he was also cut 13 times.

Read that again.

Thirteen times.

Most people hear “cut” once and assume the dream is over. Jedidiah kept showing back up anyway. That mindset became the foundation not only for his football career, but also for his work in financial literacy, leadership, journaling, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.

Success Is Built on Failure Most People Never See:

One of the biggest themes from our conversation was this:

People see the highlight reel.
They rarely see the struggle.

Jedidiah talked openly about being called “crazy” for continuing to chase the NFL after being cut repeatedly. But he also explained something powerful:

“They’re going to call you crazy until they call you a crazy genius.”

That mindset applies far beyond football.

Entrepreneurs hear it.
Authors hear it.
Creators hear it.
Anyone trying to build something meaningful hears it.

The difference between people who eventually succeed and those who stop often comes down to one thing:

The ability to keep going when things are not working yet.

The Power of Journaling and Why More Men Should Do It:

One of the most impactful parts of the conversation centered around journaling.

Jedidiah has journaled for more than 20 years and credits journaling as one of the most important habits of his life.

Not because it made life easier.

But because it helped him process failure, document growth, and eventually understand himself better.

He described journaling as “time travel.”

That line stuck with me.

Through his journals, he can revisit:
• NFL seasons
• Big life moments
• Career setbacks
• Personal victories
• Emotional struggles
• Lessons he forgot he had learned

And honestly, more men probably need this.

Most men are not taught how to process emotions, setbacks, stress, or uncertainty in healthy ways. Journaling creates a private place to think clearly, slow down, and reflect.

AI Is Changing Everything — But Human Stories Still Matter:

One of the most interesting parts of the conversation was Jedidiah’s perspective on AI.

He believes artificial intelligence will continue changing business, content, marketing, and communication at a rapid pace.

But there is one thing AI still cannot fully replicate:

Your personal story.

AI can summarize an NFL game.
It can generate statistics.
It can explain events.

But it cannot truly recreate:
• your emotions
• your struggles
• your perspective
• your memories
• your experience in the moment

That is why documenting your life matters more than ever.

As AI grows, authentic human storytelling becomes even more valuable.

“Your Money Vehicle” and Financial Literacy That Actually Makes Sense:

After retiring from football, Jedidiah transitioned into financial education and created a platform called “Your Money Vehicle.”

His goal was simple:

Make personal finance easier to understand.

He explained that too many athletes — and honestly, too many adults in general — are handed money without ever being taught how to manage it.

His concept reframes money as a vehicle, not a destination.

That idea alone is powerful.

Money is not supposed to define your identity.
It is supposed to help move you toward the life you want to build.

The conversation touched on:
• financial literacy
• investing
• budgeting
• cash management
• long term thinking
• entrepreneurship
• how athletes can better prepare for life after sports

These are conversations more people need to have earlier in life.

Lessons from NFL Greatness:

Because Jedidiah played for multiple NFL organizations, he had the opportunity to be around some incredible players including:
• Drew Brees
• Calvin Johnson
• Matthew Stafford
• Ndamukong Suh

One of the biggest takeaways?

The greatest players still obsess over small improvements.

Jedidiah shared a story about a veteran NFL linebacker who focused every single day on gaining “one inch” of improvement.

Not huge overnight growth.

Not dramatic transformation.

Just one inch.

That philosophy eventually became a huge part of how Jedidiah approached football, business, and life.

Small improvements compound over time.

The New Book: “4th and Goal”

Jedidiah’s upcoming book, 4th and Goal, may end up being one of the most unique sports books released in years.

Why?

Because it is built directly from his real time NFL journals.

Not memories years later.
Not a polished memoir written after retirement.

Real thoughts.
Real emotions.
Real struggles.
Real moments.

The book captures what it actually felt like to survive in the NFL as a player fighting to stay in the league while surrounded by some of the greatest athletes in the world.

For sports fans, leadership junkies, entrepreneurs, and people trying to overcome setbacks, this book sounds incredibly powerful.

Final Thoughts:

One thing became very clear during this conversation:

Resilience is not motivational fluff.

It is a skill.

And Jedidiah Collins built that skill through:
• failure
• discipline
• repetition
• journaling
• reflection
• consistency
• showing up again and again

The people who eventually accomplish meaningful things are often not the most talented.

They are simply the people willing to keep showing up long after others quit.

And maybe that is the biggest lesson from this entire conversation.

You do not need to win every day.

But you do need to keep coming back.