🎙️ EPISODE 18 – ASMAR BILAL

The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.

In our first episode featuring a non-fencing athlete, former Notre Dame and NFL linebacker Asmar Bilal joins Direct Elimination to share his profound journey from undrafted free agent to professional athlete to building a platform that helps others navigate life after sport. This conversation goes far beyond football, exploring the universal challenges athletes face in their athletic and post-athletic careers, and how to turn passion into purpose. 

Asmar opens up about the reality of professional athletics: the chip on his shoulder from going undrafted, the resilience required after repeated setbacks and injuries, and the surprising danger that came when he finally ”made it” and lost that hunger. His honest reflection on how complacency may have contributed to his career's end offers a powerful lesson about the double-edged sword of success. Now, through his platform Secured Tomorrows, Asmar is building a community and resource hub for athletes across all sports navigating the challenging transition to life after competition, helping them recognize their worth beyond athletic identity and translate their unique skills into meaningful careers.

Whether you're an athlete contemplating what's next, someone in transition, or simply interested in the psychology of high performance and identity, this conversation offers wisdom applicable far beyond the athletic arena.

You'll hear:
• How going undrafted and getting waived repeatedly created the fuel that drove Asmar's NFL career
• Why athletic talent alone isn't enough—the holistic skills required to succeed at the professional level
• The dangerous moment when ”making it” removes the chip on your shoulder that got you there
• How to redefine self-worth and identity when your sport is no longer the vehicle for your purpose
• The challenge of articulating athletic transferable skills to employers who've never competed
• Asmar's vision for Secured Tomorrows as a community platform serving athletes in transition across all disciplines

⏱ CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Introduction: First Non-Fencing Guest
00:06:30 – Early Journey: Finding Football Through Family
00:09:22 – The All-In Moment: High School to College Transition
00:14:05 – Learning the Game: From Athlete to Student
00:20:05 – Football as Freedom: Purpose Beyond the Game
00:28:00 – Professional Setbacks: Undrafted, Injuries, and Resilience
00:39:50 – The Double-Edged Sword of Success
00:46:13 – Finding Identity Beyond Football
00:52:29 – Translating Athletic Skills to the Marketplace
00:59:01 – Secure Tomorrow: Building an Athlete Transition Community
01:09:00 – Rapid Fire & Final Reflections

💬 QUOTES
• ”Talent in itself isn't going to get you there. It's holistic – being able to deal with adversity, being able to reset, being tempered, being reliable, being trustworthy. All these things are necessary in order for you to be trusted to be placed in that position.”
• ”The demise of my career was the arrogance of making it and not letting the event of getting waived drive me to do more.”
• ”It's not just the accomplishment of making it to the NFL that's going to be the most impactful. But now the ability to share all the things that I've learned through this experience”
• ”The purpose stays the same. It's just about the vehicle. How can I leverage these skill sets into what I'm doing now to make sure it's fulfilling and I can complete my purpose?”

Thank you for listening!

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