Theo Fleury and Success
Former NHL Player uses Desireable Disadvantages and Meaningful Work to Overcome Mental Illness and Substance Abuse
By: Austin Langworthy | Biokinetics Major
Theo Fleury felt like he lost all hope. All of his success in hockey and accomplishments meant nothing. He felt helpless and used substances to either feel something or numb his negative feelings. No family around, no friends, there was no one to help him. In a drunken stupor sitting all alone at home on his couch, he put a loaded gun in his mouth and right before he pulled the trigger… he stopped. In his mind, he was thinking about all the times he wanted to quit yet kept going such as in the 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs despite being twenty pounds overweight and called up late in the season and becoming a key part to Calgary’s success. He is not a quitter, and this would not be the end for him but rather a new beginning. It was a wake-up call, but it was not until he found God that his life truly changed (Prewitt 11).
Theo Fleury has overcome a lot of obstacles including trauma abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, and lack of size in hockey. But none of these could stop him, rather they allowed him to go to the deepest darkest parts of life and climb out of the darkness to be able to share his story to prove to others there is hope even when all hope seems to be lost. Using his past as proof that anything is possible, he became a motivational speaker for those with mental illness, addiction, and trauma victims. Fleury used unbelievable amounts of grit and desirable difficulties to overcome such challenges and thrive. Like becoming the all-time leading Calgary Flame until surpassed by teammate and future hockey hall of Famer Jarome Iginla. This is a story about overcoming obstacles and personal setbacks to propel you forward and drive you to success.
Theo Fleury’s whole heart and soul were poured into hockey. Fleury was an aggressive child in which he put that energy into excelling on the ice. At the age of 5, he borrowed an old pair of hockey skates and a broken hockey stick to be able to play in his first game. With enough hard work and using your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires. Despite battling inner demons and addiction Theo Fleury used hockey as his outlet while he was quiet off the ice his on-ice character was fiery and aggressive. Theo Fleury has played through injury after injury without slowing down. Fleury helped a Canadian team win a silver medal in 1991 while battling a knee injury. All the pain and suffering Fleury endured in his life translated into motivation and passion to excel on the ice becoming an NHL all-star in seven NHL seasons recording 5 goals and 6 assists ending up with 11 points. (Gladwell 4)
In the book Outliers: The Story of Success, author Malcolm Gladwell writes about the importance of meaningful work and how that plays a huge role in success. “Hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning. Once it does, it becomes the kind of thing that makes you grab your wife around the waist and dance a jig” (Gladwell 150). Hard work alone will not allow you to thrive and succeed but if you put meaning behind your work the sky is the limit. That is exactly what Theo Fleury did. He not only worked hard but also put meaning and purpose into his work as a professional hockey player.
Gladwell writes, “Meaningful work is one of the most important things we can impart to children.” Which is exactly what Theo Fleury learned at the age of 5 when he got his first pair of hockey skates. Gladwell also writes, “If you are convinced that the work you are doing meaningful, then curiosity, there’s no cost to it. If you think there’s always got to be a connection between what you put in and what you get out, then, of course, you will run off with great excitement after an idea that catches your idea.” (Outliers) This is precisely what Fleury has done throughout his whole life. Fleury knew if he put his all into the sport of hockey that one day, he would reap the benefits. Like when Fleury won the Stanley Cup or was named to Team Canada’s Olympic hockey team in 2002.
Perseverance to accomplish a goal over a long period of time takes copious amounts of grit. Grit separates the winners from losers. Those who can battle through or fail. Theo Fleury used an amazing amount of perseverance in order to get where he wanted. Regardless of setbacks, obstacles, and discouragements. There are breaking point’s in life that will either break someone down completely or make them so much stronger in their journey to success and that is exactly what Fleury did… he overcame. Theo Fleury was one of the smallest NHL players to ever play the game at 5’6 and 180lbs most teams take one look and turn their back. Fleury would not let his size hold him back storming into the league and winning the Stanley Cup rookie season and scoring 1,088 points in 1,084 NHL games. Fleury was an inspiration and a trailblazer for the undersized forward in the NHL leaving a lasting impact on young player alike and giving proof of success within the world of high-level hockey. Theo Fleury has been using grit his entire life starting in school during gym class at the age of 5 where the teacher had the children walk on a balance beam. This shrimp of a kid tried and failed over and over never giving up. Fleury’s teacher gave his hand to help balance, but Fleury pushed it away saying, “I’ll do it myself.” The class watched in awe to see someone so small with so much determination. Theo Fleury’s “I’ll do it myself” attitude displays a great amount of grit and perseverance. (Adler 1–9)
In Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers: The Story of Success Gladwell talks about Bill Gates and the Beatles and how they used the rule of 10,000 hours in order to succeed. The more hours you put in the better you become at your craft, but you have to put 10,000 hours of meaningful work and with a lot of grit. The Beatles played 8-hour gigs a day in German clubs before they made it big time. This takes grit to apply those many hours in order to succeed. Like The Beatles, Theo Fleury also put his energy and time on the ice and mastering his craft as a professional hockey player but without grit or meaning behind his work, he would not be where he was in the NHL. Gladwell also states, “Success is a function of persistence and doggedness and the willingness to work hard for twenty-two minutes to make sense of something that most people would give up on after thirty seconds.” Theo Fleury could have quit when he was told by many, he was too small to play professional hockey which is a sport for the physically elite. He did not quit rather he used great perseverance and grit to thrive and overcome. (Outliers)
Throughout Theo Fleury’s life, he battled depression, trauma, and addiction along with being told he was too small to be an NHL player. Same as with any obstacle in Fleury’s life he overcomes and excelled. Theo Fleury battled addiction very badly during his years as a New York Ranger saying, “I was staying out all night drinking and doing cocaine below the streets of New York City to party with freaks, transvestites, strippers and hang with homeless guys around a burn barrel.” (New York Times) Fleury was an NHL player with 50 million dollars to his name and he was at the lowest point of his life. This was during the time where he contemplated suicide. When all seemed lost for Fleury, he lost his family and friends due to his illness, but this would not be the end for him. Theo Fleury had it out for God in his washroom on his hands and knees. “I called him every name in the book that I could think of, made a couple up on my own, and at the end of the conversation, I just said basically, God, take away the obsession to drink and do drugs.” Fleury to this day has been sober after his rant to God (Fleury 163–165).
“Outliers are those who have been given opportunities — and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.” (Gladwell). Opportunities may not always be because of positive or simple opportunities but rather difficult. Theo Fleury used many desirable difficulties to become the success he is. Instead of letting difficulties hinder his performance and outcomes, Fleury used these difficulties to propel him forward rather than hold him back. For example, Theo Fleury used his story of trauma and mental health to spread awareness and help others, so they will not feel alone or neglected. Making him something more than a hockey player but also a hero who was able to show that there is good to come even when life seems unbearable at times. (Prewitt 11)
Fleury has spent his intervening years unpacking his trauma from getting raped by his junior hockey coach to all the drugs and alcohol. Theo Fleury used this devastation as fuel to the fire. Theo Fleury now speaks as a motivational speaker and a spokesperson for trauma, mental illness, and addiction. Fleury used his own personal catastrophes to help those who also go through trauma and addiction to shed light and telling others they are not alone. (Prewitt 11)
Theo Fleury has battled setbacks his entire life but always found a way to turn those negatives to positives. Resilience is the key factor in Fleury’s hockey career and life, he was tested constantly and continued to persevere. Fleury used a combination of meaningful work, grit, and desirable difficulties to become a success. His story of success is not over, and he will continue to overcome. The Theo Fleury who was sitting all alone at his house with no help or support from anyone, who was all drugged up and drunk contemplating pulling the trigger because he could no longer fathom living another second due to all his pain and suffering. If that Theo Fleury would have succeeded, he would have never been the Theo Fleury to inspire so many others to find happiness despite the pain and hardships that life brings. Fleury will use his story about being seconds away from a suicide attempt, trauma and addiction to prove that no matter how low life takes you there is always a way out.
Work Cited
Adler, Eric. “Sarah’s Hope.” Reporting 1, 15 Sept. 2018, pp.1–9.
Beaty, Katelyn. Inquiry Seminar Interview. Success, 10 Oct. 2018.
“Bill Gates, The Beatles, and the 10,000 Hour Rule.” The Wrinkle, 14 May 2010.
Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking. Crown Publishing Group,2012. Print.
Debilzan, Madeline. Inquiry Seminar Interview. Success, 3 Oct. 2018.
Fleury, Theo. Playing with Fire. HarperCollins, 2009. Print.
Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The Story of Success. Little, Brown and Company, 2008. Print
Prewitt, Alex. “Theo Fleury is giving voice to fellow survivors of abuse.” Sports Illustrated 05 July 2016: 11. Print.
Malcolm, Andrew H. “Theo Fleury: Little Big Man.” New York Times 16 Jan. 1999: 4. Print
Warner, Judith. “Inside Intelligence.” Review of Quiet by Susan Cain. New York Times, 10 Feb. 2012, pp. 1–4.
About the author: AUSTIN LANGWORTHY
Austin Langworthy, a freshman biokinetics major from Mankato, Minnesota, hopes to coach hockey and help those with mental illness. Langworthy enjoys hockey, spending time with family, and long walks on the beach.
What I’ve Learned:
Always find ways to work towards your goal. Constantly be working and thinking of ways to get the upper hand and use your advantages or disadvantages to reach success.
Success has so many more variables than working hard to get what you want. It takes a variety of traits, luck, and advantages.
Hockey has always been my escape from reality. It is where I am at peace, my therapy.
Speaking does not have to be a certain way, you do not have to use a fake voice or body language. Just talk like you normally would and be sincere.
Introverts may be shy and keep to themselves but that does not mean they are always quiet. They find ways to achieve what they need to do, but always find time to be alone and process thoughts.
When writing or speaking you want to show rather than tell. You want to paint a picture or drop the reader/audience in a moment.
There is no one way to succeed. You have to find what works for you. Success is personal; there is not one specific formula.
Be specific when writing. Name “dogs”. Instead of being generic be very specific when writing.
Get out of your comfort zone. In life, you will be faced with situations you are not very enthused about but that’s okay. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
You are in control of your success. Find your definition of success and constantly be working towards that. It may not be exactly what you wanted but I was told: “Shoot for the moon even if you land amongst the stars.”
Artist Jesse Henderson came to speak to our Inquiry Class and talked about how people are not willing to work. Which if you are gives you a huge advantage. She also talked about the law of exponential growth which states that if you continue to work at something one day everything will fall into place and success will come flowing in.
You do not have to write using all the rules of writing. Be unique and stand out. Be specific and just like Eric Adler breaks some writing rules but make sure to name the dogs.
We had to give a one-minute speech in Inquiry class. Even though the speech was a minute, I felt nervous and uncomfortable. As I was in front of the class I was more at ease and comfortable. Even though I was anxious, having to leave my comfort zone inevitably helped me in the long run.
