The twenty minutes or more we spend inside the ring, that's the fun part. It's the rest of our lives that's the real battle - the ruthless backstage politics, the constant traveling, the endless mental and physical aches and pains.
I've always had an aptitude for wrestling. I can't explain it - it's like a gift. To this day, I don't always know how or why I do certain things.
There is one good thing about reaching the bottom. When you get there, there's nothing left to do but fight your way back up or die.
To me, wrestling is therapy. No matter how bad my personal situation is, when I step into the ring, all my troubles disappear. My baggage stays in the back where it belongs.
It took more strength and hard work than I would've believed myself capable of, but with God's grace and strength, I managed to lift myself up and become a better person that I'd ever imagined - I believe I have become a loving husband, a compassionate father, and a stronger wrestler.
If you're not cheating, you're not trying.
In my freshman year of high school, I don't think I had a single date. I was really shy, really timid and quiet. I had my first real date when I was a sophomore, with a girl from church.
When I started wrestling, I hounded my dad to teach me. Eventually, he gave in, but he was careful to instill in me a respect for other wrestlers. He wanted to be sure I wasn't going to hurt anyone.
I was miserable in WCW. I knew I wasn't going to go any higher there, and jumping to WWE hadn't even crossed my mind. I couldn't stop wondering, 'Is this it? Is this what I worked my whole life for?'
I honestly can't describe what goes on in my head when I'm out there. People who don't wrestle can't possibly understand it. When I'm in the ring, I don't feel any pain. I'm in another world out there.
Being the youngest, I was a bit of a mama's boy. I was really protected as I grew up, almost like I was in a bubble.
