In this episode of Alignment First, I sit down with Christian Ponder — NFL veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of The Post, a community built to elevate athletes long after sport. We dig into identity, fatherhood, leadership, boundaries, and how to create systems that keep you aligned while building something bigger than yourself. Christian breaks down the misconceptions about athletes in transition and reveals what he really learned from the darkest turning point of his football career.

Key Takeaways

1. Why athletes and veterans share nearly identical identity challenges post-career — and how The Post reframes that experience as an asset, not a burden.

2. How the “broken wing narrative” harms high performers — and what aspirational communities do differently.

3. Christian’s pivotal college mistake, how it derailed his NFL trajectory, and the humility and ownership it forged.

4. The real reason boundaries get harder after sports — and the system Christian now uses to stay present as a husband and father.

5. Why youth sports matter more than ever — and how over-specialization is robbing kids of the adversity they need to grow.

Quotes

• “People want to be part of something that makes them feel elevated, not treated like they’re broken.” – Christian Ponder

• “Sports are a safe hard thing — a classroom for character.” – Christian Ponder

• “Leadership is earned. Especially at home.” – Christian Ponder

Connect with Christian Ponder

• IG: @cpsevenseven

• The Post: https://www.thepost.co

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-ponder-075a64155/

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