Episode Overview Host Julie Ciardi interviews her son, Jack Currie, who at just 18 years old has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to set big, seemingly impossible goals and relentlessly pursue them. Jack shares his journey from a ninth-grade student navigating online learning during the pandemic, to becoming a varsity football captain, All-Section honoree, and Division 2 college football recruit — all after picking up the sport for the first time at age 16. What We Cover in This Episode 1. Trusting Your Intuition to Make a Big Change * Jack made the courageous decision to switch high schools during the pandemic, leaving the only school he’d known since kindergarten. * He recognized that in-person learning was essential for his academic success and followed his gut toward a school that offered more structure. * That one decision became the catalyst for everything that followed — academic honors, a National Honor Society membership, an academic scholarship, and a new sport. 2. Discovering Football — and Falling in Love with Teamwork * Jack had played soccer his entire life. Because the football season was moved to the spring due to the pandemic, he tried both sports simultaneously — and immediately connected with football. * What stood out: the way every player had to move in unison for a play to work. This level of collective precision was unlike anything he’d experienced in soccer. * Football quickly became his favorite sport, and he committed to it fully heading into his junior year. 3. Physical Transformation — The Work Behind the Goal * Jack recognized quickly that his soccer player’s build wasn’t going to cut it on the football field. He committed to a major physical transformation. * Driven by dissatisfaction with where he was, a desire to be better, he dedicated himself to gym work, nutrition, and discipline. * By the start of his senior season, he was 40 pounds heavier and in the best athletic shape of his life. * His motivation: “I didn’t want to be the kid that couldn’t run the play. I wanted to be the kid everyone looked up to.” 4. The Front Porch Conversation — Setting the Impossible Goal * Just before his senior season — with only 14 months of football experience — Jack sat down with his parents and declared his goal: play college football. * He had already reverse-engineered what that would require: being among the top players on his team, earning All-Section recognition, and becoming a captain. * He didn’t know which college, what position, or how far from home. But he knew the destination — and that was enough to move forward. 5. The Senior Season — Goal Achievement in Real Time * Jack was voted captain by his teammates before the season even started. * In the very first game, despite rolling his ankle during warm-ups, he caught a touchdown pass on the team’s first offensive drive and never looked back. * The team finished 10-2, making it to the state championship game. * Jack earned All-Section honors — exactly what he’d set out to achieve. * He used Twitter strategically throughout the season to get in front of college coaches, tagging them, posting after games, and making himself visible. 6. Committing to College — The Goal Complete * After several official visits and conversations with coaches, Jack committed to play D2 football at Assumption University. * The deciding factor: the people, the values of the program, and the culture — not just the football. * Only about 6% of high school football players go on to play college football. Jack is one of them — after starting the sport at 16. 7. The Role of Books, Mindset, and Discipline * Books like Think and Grow Rich helped Jack build the mindset and financial awareness that supported his larger life goals. * He identifies discipline — not talent or luck — as the single most important factor in his success. * Discipline showed up in early mornings at a demanding construction job, saying no to going out when he had work the next day, and continuing to train when others didn’t. Jack’s Main Points on Goals & Success In Jack’s own words, here are his core insights: * Set a goal so big you don’t even think you can achieve it. If the goal is easy, it won’t give you the drive to push through the hard moments. An impossible-feeling goal gives your life direction and purpose. * A big goal acts as a beacon. When you have one clear goal in your mind, it keeps you from getting lost. Every decision — what to eat, whether to go out, whether to show up — gets filtered through it. * Doubt is part of the process — self-coach through it. Jack had moments of serious doubt, especially watching other athletes at camps and questioning whether college football was realistic. He learned to push through by reminding himself of his goal and what he knew was best for him. * Goals have to be yours, not someone else’s. A goal driven by your own desire will sustain you through early mornings, bad weather, and hard days. A goal you’re pursuing for someone else won’t. Kids (and adults) perform best when the “why” is internal. * Know the criteria for success, then reverse-engineer it. Jack identified exactly what he needed to achieve (captain, All-Section, top player on the team) in order to attract college coaches. Knowing the target gave him a clear action plan. * Discipline is the bridge between wanting and having. “If discipline were easy, everyone would have exactly what they want.” Discipline is the differentiator — in athletics, finances, relationships, and anything else worth pursuing. * You can be in the trenches and still be living the dream. When you have a clear vision, even the hardest, most uncomfortable moments feel meaningful. The vision makes the grind worth it. * Start small if you need to — but always keep the big goal in view. Don’t be paralyzed by the size of a goal. Start with one small action. Just start. The big goal keeps you oriented while the small steps build momentum. * Not every day will feel like progress — and that’s okay. “Every workout isn’t going to feel like this is my vision to college football right here.” You just have to keep showing up. Key Takeaway Jack’s story is proof that a focused, unwavering commitment to one big goal — combined with discipline, self-coaching through doubt, and a willingness to do the hard work — can produce results that seem impossible from the outside. He went from a soccer player who had never put on a football helmet, to a Division 2 college football recruit in under two years. The goal came first. Everything else followed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit julieciardi.substack.com/subscribe
