2017 SUCCESS Achiever of the Year: J.J. Watt
“Success isn’t owned. It’s leased, and rent is due every day.”
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, 28, is one of the NFL’s best defensive players, but it’s what Watt did off the field that makes him a true success. On Aug. 27, 2017, Watt posted a video to Twitter asking his followers to donate any amount they could to support the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Within 24 hours, more than $500,000 had been donated, so Watt increased his goal to $1 million. Over the next several days, millions more were raised, and Watt increased the goal each time. In total, Watt’s efforts raised more than $37 million to help those affected by Harvey. “When times are the toughest, humanity stands at its strongest,” Watt said in a statement. “The world is a better place when we all take care of each other.”
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This article originally appeared in the February 2018 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
Jesus Jimenez is a staff writer for Dallas Morning News. He eats, breathes and sleeps Texas Rangers baseball. He also enjoys running, traveling and buying cool socks.