When I was 18, I had left Watfords Centre of Excellence for football. I felt like I had failed my football career, which is all I ever wanted to do. I then started to work in a bookies and I felt all my hopes, dreams and aspirations had been taken from me. At the time, I had no guidance from anyone and felt very alone. I started boxing and was desperate to prove to myself I had what it took to be someone. I didn't just want to fall into a 9 to 5 job for 40 years and pay off a mortgage whilst I slowly died. I spoke to my brother who was a Royal Navy PTI about joining the Navy, but he said he thought I would be better suited to the Royal Marines Commandos. I started looking into it and for the first time in a while I was excited about my future prospects. After the failure of my football dream, all I wanted at that point was to test myself as much as I could, and feel like I had achieved something with my life. On the 19th of October 2009 I stepped through the gates of Lympstone Commando training centre full of excitement, nerves, and fear, but I felt like I was actually taking hold of my life rather than just letting it slip away. It was the hardest year of my life by far and there was so many areas I needed work on in my mentality, but after 11 months, 2 injuries and a lot of pain I passed out of Royal Marines training on the 24th September 2010. I look back at that young 19 year old and I'm proud he had the courage to put himself into the fire. I see so many of my friends who never risked it, who never had the courage of taking charge of their lives, and now in their 30's struggle with those decisions. So my question to all of you reading this right now:What will you do with your life? Will you let it slip away because of fear of failing or will you feel the fear and jump into the fire anyway?
