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I was always a fan of J.C. Watts. I loved watching him run Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Wishbone Offense to perfection. He was a great option quarterback that led the Sooners to two Orange Bowl wins and was named Most Valuable Player in both of them. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2014. Quite a career in anybody’s book. But J.C. was a lot more than a football player and this part of the man is what makes him truly standout.

Dig Deeper is so much more than a book about a great option quarterback. It’s a book about a philosophy, a way of life and a code of living. It’s a book about building relations and understanding others. It’s a book about overcoming struggles without getting bitter. These are lessons that our society today is screaming out to get. This book is about getting beyond excuses for failure and about taking responsibility and being accountable. Holding yourself accountable can sometimes be tough medicine to take.

JC was a follower of T.D. Jakes who said “Your adversity can be your advantage” This was a very valuable lesson because when JC was elected to Congress he was immediately under constant attack. His political enemies wanted to destroy this rising star. But JC learned & he grew – “It’s not what they did to me, it’s what they did for me” His advice when under attack:

1. Reject bitterness & self-pity.
2. Trust in God’s Goodness
3. Maintain an Attitude of Gratitude
4. Cultivate a Spirit of Determination
5. Laugh!

JC refused to be a victim. The world is full of victims and of those waiting to be victims. Again it come down to the fact that you are ultimately responsible for your life. You are responsible for the choices you make.

Three Virtues that should be cultivated:

1. Humility –pride and ego is the enemy of growth
2. Empathy – put yourself in another man’s shoes. Never seek to destroy another person’s opinion. Social media creates its own lynch mobs.
3. Intellectual Honesty- universities have done away with diversity of thought

JC was dedicated to personal growth and life-long learning. His journey from gridiron fame through the jungle of politics was one of gaining experience and learning and passing on life’s lessons. JC believes that 90% of failures come from excuse-making.

Changing a culture of any organization is very hard. Culture trumps strategy. Barry Switzer was successful because he grew up in poverty and could relate to the poor kids he recruited. Switzer built great relationships. That was more important to his success than the Wishbone. Politicians don’t try to understand people they just use people. Switzer built his program by building relationships one guy at a time. When JC was struggling, he called him into his office and told him to forget the media and his critics they don’t know football.

JC is a big believer in the value of Self-Discipline:

This is a great book filled with great advice from someone who has been successful without forgetting his core beliefs and who never let the approval of the “In Crowd” change his principles or his beliefs. What a lesson value to remember. I strongly recommend this book because it is story of a leader who passes inspiration that he received in his life and passes it on. JC Watts busts through all the things holding people back: excuses, poor choices, lack of accountability, seeking the approval of the In crowd and lack of faith. JC Watts definitely scores another touchdown with Dig Deeper.