Today’s Play is about failure, reinvention, and building something real from what’s broken.

Here’s what’s inside:

• A story of chasing the dream and facing the fall

• A framework to help you rebuild when everything feels off

• A behind-the-scenes update on the GODEMIST performance hat

• A powerful reflection for anyone who's been knocked down

Let’s get into it. (whistle blows)

The Kickoff

“You don’t find your purpose when things are going great. You find it when everything falls apart and you choose to rebuild with intention.”

Play of the Week: The Origins Play

Not every dream becomes reality.

I was one of those kids who lived and breathed football.

Born in the 90s, forged by the streets of Mexico City.

Dirt and concrete “fields.” Rocks, clothes, or empty bottles for goals. “Benji Price” in net, Captain Tsubasa (Oliver Atom) in attack. 2L soda bottles as trophies.

The kind of football that shapes your identity before you even realize it.

I had talent. I had the vision. I had ambition. All I wanted to be when I grew up was a professional football player. I was writing my story in the eternal book of aspiring ballers.

But life had other plans.

In 2005, we moved to Texas.

I didn’t speak English. Not even the numbers.

But football became my universal language, my calling card — and they knew I meant business.

Long story short: I played club, high school, and college. I kept chasing it for as long as I could.

Still… something was missing. It wasn’t enough.

Looking back now, I can say that I lacked the discipline, the commitment, the consistency, the mentality.

My actions never matched my ambition.

And eventually, the dream slipped away. The ink began to fade.

I had to face the truth: I was never going to make it pro (hardest pill to swallow).

Up against a broken heart and a shattered dream, I pivoted.

I went back to an old friend; another dream. My first streetwear brand (Ala Verb) I had started in high school as a way to express creativity and make some money.

It went ‘on’ and ‘off’ for a long time. I never gave it the level of attention, planning, and structure a business deserves.

Same story. Broken foundation, chaotic plan. Just raw ambition and no system to support it.

It had a good run for a few years, but it couldn’t sustain its flight. It had broken wings.

Eventually, it failed, too. Not so long ago I made the hard decision to let it go.

The fire wasn’t there anymore. The probabilities of making it ‘big’ faded.

I had to pivot once again. But those failures weren’t wasted. They built me. And they’re building this dream today.

Funny how life works.

They taught me that:

• Discipline > talent.

• Preparation > luck.

• And that vision means nothing without proper execution.

If I was going to build something real—something legendary—again, it had to come from the same place that made me fall in love with the game in the first place.

The uncertain and unpredictable journey of following dreams demands the best of you without any guarantee that you’ll make it.

If you’re not ready for what it takes, if you’re not ready to pay the price, the chances of reaching the Olympus are pretty slim.

So here we are today, building GODEMIST and The Winning Formation.

The pitch may have changed, but I’m still playing the game—with a new formation.

The Framework

The Formation Shift: A 3-Step Comeback Framework

When everything feels like it’s falling apart, try this framework to rebuild with intention.

1. Face the Fall

Whether it’s a failed dream, a toxic job, a creative burnout, or an unexpected life detour — something ended.

This stage is about recognizing and naming the loss without rushing past it.

It might be the death of an old identity: “I’m no longer an athlete.”
It might be grief over lost time, potential, or momentum.
It might just be exhaustion.

Ask yourself: “What truth am I avoiding because it hurts to admit it’s over?”

2. Reclaim the Core

When everything else is stripped away, what’s left?

Your essence. Your non-negotiables. The values and passions that didn’t die with the dream.

• What do I still love doing, even without external validation?

• What values do I refuse to let go of?

• Where does my curiosity still burn?

Ask yourself: “What part of me still wants to play, even if the field looks different now?”

3. Form the New Play

You don’t go back. You build forward.

Now, you begin constructing a new system around who you are now, not who you were before it broke.

This step is about strategy:

• What’s my new training ground?

• What systems or habits support my growth?

• How do I measure progress without relying on applause?

Ask yourself: “If I lived like the person I’m becoming, what would change tomorrow?”

In the game, when things aren’t going the right way, the strategy adjusts and the formation shifts.

Same with life.

You’re not starting from scratch; you’re shifting formation to find a better way to win.

In the game, when things aren’t going the right way, the strategy adjust and the formation shifts.

Behind the Badge

Life’s been full lately, and I haven’t been posting as much as I’d like.

But this week, I’m back with something that matters.

I’m dropping a behind-the-scenes review of our first GODEMIST performance hat.

Fit, feel, stitching, print quality — I’m breaking it all down.

Because quality isn’t a marketing word. It’s a standard.

Before anything drops, it gets tested. We run it through real life, not just samples and studio lights.

Stay tuned! The review drops soon Instagram and TikTok.

The Community Play

That moment after a tough loss, when the locker room is quiet. No music. Just silence.

That’s when captains speak. Not with hype, but with truth.

They don’t talk about the scoreboard. They talk about what’s next.

How we reset. Regroup. Rebuild.

That’s what this moment is.

It’s okay to dwell on our losses. What’s not okay is to stay stuck there forever.

Reflect → Relearn → Regroup → Release

Question for you:

When did life really knock you down, and how did you get back up?

Reply to this email. Tag @godemistfc or @thewinningformation on Threads or IG with a caption like:

• “Here’s the play that changed everything.”

• “This is how I rebuilt after I failed at…”

The game doesn’t end at defeat. Sometimes, it begins there.

We’re not just building brands, careers, or dreams. We’re building belief, one play at a time.

Forward this to someone who's rebuilding right now.

Let’s Play Beyond.

– Bruno