From Murder Capital to Mindset Coach: The Keith Mercer Story

In this powerful episode of the Courageous Crossroads Podcast, Keith Mercer shares his remarkable journey from growing up in the violent streets of Southeast Washington, D.C.—once known as the murder capital—to becoming a first-generation college graduate, athlete, leadership coach, and motivational speaker. Faced with extreme adversity from a young age, including witnessing a murder at just five years old, Keith relied on his faith, self-belief, and relentless work ethic to break free from a cycle of violence and limited opportunity. Now the founder of Mercer Elite Leadership and Mental Performance Coaching, Keith helps students, athletes, and business professionals develop confidence, resilience, and purpose through his Four B’s framework: Believe, Begin, Beyond, and Balance. His mission is simple but powerful: to help others unlock the greatness within them and live out the purpose God has for their lives. For coaching, speaking, or program inquiries, contact Keith at (402) 610-1886, email mercerelite@yahoo.com, or visit www.mercerelite.com.

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See you in the next episode! Be blessed!

Full Transcript

Announcer: Welcome to Courageous by Crossroads Apologetics. A look into what motivates us to step out in courage and the everyday bravery of men and women like you. In each episode, we hear a personal story of bravery centered around this question. What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? And now your host, founder of Crossroads Apologetics, Jeff Johnson.

Jeff Johnson: Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Courageous Crossroads podcast. Glad to be back with you again, and I’ve got another fresh episode. This time, I’m interviewing professional speaker and mentality expert. How’s that for a title? Keith Mercer. Now Keith is somebody that I did not know, but like a lot of these interviews, was recommended to me by somebody who I’ve had on before. So Brandon McNay said, Jeff, you’ve gotta talk to Keith Mercer. And I shook his hand at an event, and we made a plan. And, here’s the interview. And I’ll tell you what, I sat down with Keith, and I was blown away. You know, it’s it’s just amazing the kind of people that you meet, and it’s amazing the stories that you hear when you ask people the question, what’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? And, before we get on with the interview, I just wanna stop here for a second and encourage you. You know somebody, or maybe it’s you, that has a story, that has, something that they need to tell when they answer that question. What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? So please reach out to us here at Crossroads Apologetics. That’s the mother ship that hosts the Courageous Crossroads podcast. So you can go to crossroadsapologetics.org, and you can find our podcast link there. And, reach out to us and let us know if there’s somebody that you want us to interview on this podcast because, the list just keeps getting longer, and the interviews just keep getting richer and richer and richer along with this one. So without further ado, here is my dear friend, new friend, Keith Mercer.

Jeff Johnson: Keith, it is so wonderful to meet you and get to know you. You were recommended to me by my friend Brandon McNase, and Brandon McNase recommends somebody. You can take that to the bank. So you’re in you’re in good company if you’re hanging with my friend Brandon. Can you can you tell our audience a little bit about you? Like, where you’re from, a little bit of your back, whatever you wanna get. Five minutes, ten minutes, time’s yours. Whatever you wanna share.

Keith Mercer: So yes. Hi. Hi, everybody. My name is Keith Mercer. I was born in Washington DC. Mhmm. Born and lived in Southeast DC in Capitol Heights, Maryland. So I I grew up in the in the what was known as the murder capital. I grew up in, you know, rough area, Southeast Washington, DC. So a lot of things that most kids shouldn’t see. I’ll tell you a quick story at Yeah. Five years old. I was five years old, and I experienced something that changed my life. So as a kid, my parents always told us we had to be in one or two places, either at the basketball court, down the street, or across the street from the basketball court at the corner store.

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: Corner store was great because they had the little Huggies. I’m dating myself a little bit.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. You remember the little Huggie drinks?

Keith Mercer: Yes. So that was the best thing to go play basketball and then, go to the corner store and get a Huggies drink. But this particular day mind you, the corners are always packed. But this particular day, it was kind of a eerie feeling that I got on my way back, on my way back home. And little did I know that it was this moment that really changed my life forever.

Jeff Johnson: Wow.

Keith Mercer: At five years five years old, I was the first time I saw someone get shot and killed.

Jeff Johnson: Oh my goodness, Keith.

Keith Mercer: Saw someone laying on the street, blood everywhere, and it it really traumatized me, to be honest with you. I just couldn’t believe that.

Jeff Johnson: You saw it happened?

Keith Mercer: Yes. I couldn’t believe I experienced that.

Jeff Johnson: Were you with were you with friends, family?

Keith Mercer: Yeah. So I was with, like, three or four of my buddies, and I but I my brother was with me. Yeah. It was it was like I said, it was just I could close my eyes now and I still see that.

Jeff Johnson: Oh my goodness. What was the nature what was the nature of the excuse me for interrupting, Keith. What was the nature of the murder? What was the crime? Was it a crime of action? Or

Keith Mercer: I didn’t know. I didn’t know whether it was a argument, whether it was a drug deal gone bad. What I remember was is the guy was no older than 18.

Jeff Johnson: Uh-huh.

Keith Mercer: I would say probably 16, 17 years old, but that was what I saw and was used to seeing in that area. But it was that moment that I had to make some decisions. I mean, at at such an early age, I knew then that I had to do something better, that it was something better out there for me, and I started really learn to pray. I mean, I went home, told my parents about it, and

Jeff Johnson: What did they say? They tried to say that? Excuse me. They say?

Keith Mercer: Well, they was just trying to explain to me that life happens. I mean, this is this is the neighborhood that that I grew up in. This is what I saw. I mean, this is what I saw every day. I mean, in in 1990, we had over 700 people, men, women, and kids get killed due to violence in one year.

Jeff Johnson: Oh my.

Keith Mercer: In one year in Southeast DC and Capital IS, Maryland, which is PG County. In one year. So think about that. You had one to two people a day die.

Jeff Johnson: This is now this is the courageous crossroads podcast. So we talk about topics associated with courage and and faith and everything associated with that. And I’m gonna come down to the question at some point here, Keith, what’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? But you’re already dumping it you’re already jumping into the deep end. This is the very first time that you saw someone’s life taken. You you said you characterized it that way. Can I assume that you saw more of that in that neighborhood then?

Keith Mercer: Without a doubt. I mean, I grew up in in Southeast DC, which was a kill or be killed area.

Jeff Johnson: Oh my.

Keith Mercer: I mean, it it was just that simple. It it was just that simple. I as a young man, I experienced things that most people will never get to see. I mean, but it was the norm. I mean, that was the norm growing up.

Jeff Johnson: Did it infuse you with terror and fear? I mean, did you think I’m next, or did you think I gotta really keep my nose clean and stay on the right side of the street? I mean, what was how did you react to that?

Keith Mercer: All of the above. I was as I got older, I was smart enough to understand that at some point, that’s gonna be me. That that’s gonna be me. It was all around me. I couldn’t

Jeff Johnson: You just assumed it would happen.

Keith Mercer: I just assumed it was happening.

Jeff Johnson: Wow.

Keith Mercer: And I and I I was numb, and it it taught me a lot. I what I did was I started channeling these type of situations as motivation. I’m the first I’m the second youngest out of out of my cousins. I have a lot of cousins. I’m talking eighty, ninety some cousin. I’m the second to youngest, but I’m the first one to go to college. I’m the first one to graduate from college.

Jeff Johnson: Really?

Keith Mercer: But it was once I started praying and started asking God what’s next, what’s next, you know, I knew what I didn’t wanna be. I didn’t know what I wanted to be, but I knew what I didn’t wanna be. I didn’t wanna be one of those guys. I didn’t wanna be I wasn’t gonna be a drug dealer. I wasn’t gonna be a runner, a jump out kid. I wasn’t gonna be someone that robs peep rob people. I didn’t wanna be that. I wasn’t gonna be that. So I used athletics, and that’s where the athletics came in for me. Because what athletics do, it takes time. So it was that time that I knew that the problems was out in the corners. I had something else that I can do that I can channel my anger because I was I was angry.

Jeff Johnson: I would imagine. Can I area? Can I ask because you said you turned to prayer? At five year at five years old, the very first time you saw somebody’s life taken Yes. I can’t imagine. Can I only assume then either you grew up in a in a strong Christian home or you were surrounded by people of of great faith? I mean, what was the how did you lean that way instead of the other way?

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir. So, my whole family is faith driven, without a doubt. Remember, I’m one of the youngest, cousins, so we were always in church. I mean, Thursdays and Sundays, we were always in church, but I didn’t understand it. What I thought was, okay. It’s it’s time to go to church. You know? I thought that I thought maybe we you know, it’s it’s good babysitters there. So I guess, you know, it’s it’s time to go to church.

Jeff Johnson: Right.

Keith Mercer: But but what I what my parents was instilling in me is that belief in just in God. And and I I can remember mom and dad telling me that, you know, one day we won’t be here, but God will always be in your life. And I I always had him. I always I couldn’t even think back in the in in the really, really rough stages of my life. Always had him. He was always there for me. No matter what, he was always there for me. So my my faith got so strong to the point where why am I getting through these situations? And it wasn’t man. It was God that was helping me.

Jeff Johnson: When you the I’m fascinated, Keith. Were you in DC through high school?

Keith Mercer: So in high school, I was living in Capital Heights, Maryland k. Which is two blocks.

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: So So which is two blocks, and then I went to high school in Maryland. High school, Bladensburg High School. It’s in, in Maryland.

Jeff Johnson: You were essentially in the same area then

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: Growing all of those formative years through high school.

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: So how do you how do you gain faith as a five year old? I mean, a real faith. Faith

Keith Mercer: Yep.

Jeff Johnson: Means something to you, and then maintain it all through. I would imagine you would have had a lot of opportunities going through the struggles of seeing so many other lives taken and just the difficulties of growing up to go, you know, the heck with this.

Keith Mercer: Yes. Oh, without a doubt. You know, I even at a young age, even though I was young, I was I had a old soul because I watched. Like, I didn’t really have a voice within the family, but I watched.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: And that was the big thing for me. I and which is why I went into psychology. Actually, now that I’m older, I know that. I always study people. I always study my environment. One of the things that the environment taught me was is to is to know your environment. Even today, I’ve I’ve never done a drug. I’ve never smoked anything. I’ve never had coffee.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. Had coffee. Sorry, Keith. This interview is over. You’ve never had coffee before?

Keith Mercer: Yeah. I you know, I was so

Jeff Johnson: Coffee is my is my most favorite thing. If I gotta if I get inspired by you and I gotta quit coffee at the end of this interview, oh my goodness.

Keith Mercer: I saw so much growing up that I was just scared to do things that could hinder me or that could keep me in that environment. So that was one of the things that I I made sure that I was disciplined about. I’m not gonna do anything that’s gonna prevent me from from moving away.

Jeff Johnson: So a lot of people that would go through what you went through, I didn’t have a traumatic, upbringing to the extent that I saw people’s lives being taken. You know, I grew up in a household that had too much fighting in it for sure. You know? My mom and dad stuck in the purgatory of a somewhat loveless marriage. You know? But I I view drugs and alcohol clearly as an escape, something to anesthetize myself. And I you chose a much better way, Keith, and I’m just impressed with the wherewithal of a young man to make that decision and say, I’m not gonna escape this. I’m gonna avoid anything that

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir.

Jeff Johnson: Caused me further trouble. That’s a character thing right there.

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir. I I was looking and, you know, one of the things that I just I was that kid, and I just wanted somebody just to say hi to me. Like, that that was my my thought process. I just I just wanted someone to say hi to me, and I always ask people questions. When I saw somebody that I thought was successful, I would ask them, excuse me. What did you do to be successful? What did you do to to be successful? Because I knew probably by 10 ’10 to 12, there is something better out here in the world. That’s where my faith came in at because I understood that, okay, if God created all of this, what am I afraid of? What what what am I afraid of if I if I’m truly believing? And then that just kept me. I’ve always been a good communicator. And I think now that I look back, that’s why I’m a professional speaker. I the reason why I was able to write this book and create this program is because I study people. I love people. My whole passion, mission, purpose in life is to help other people be better, to help people bring out their greatness inside of them with all my experiences. Because I could’ve I could’ve gave up.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. This is this is gonna be our first Joe Rogan three hour long podcast because I got a lot of questions to ask you, mister Mercer. You’re fascinated.

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. You’re through high school now, and you’re over in the DC area.

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: Are you living in Iowa now?

Keith Mercer: So now I live in Iowa. Yes.

Jeff Johnson: You you you are saved now. You have found religion. You’re living in Iowa now. That’s the evidence right there. You’re in God’s coming. Okay.

Keith Mercer: Yeah.

Jeff Johnson: What got you thought. What got you that’s right. What got you out of the DC area? You said athletics was the thing that you saw a path through. So take us down that road a little bit.

Keith Mercer: So I ended up, of course, in high school. I didn’t wasn’t eligible to go to college. So I went to a junior college in Maryland in Montgomery County, Rockville, Maryland.

Jeff Johnson: Why weren’t you eligible to go to college?

Keith Mercer: Well, I didn’t know no one told me that you had to take tests, like test scores, ACT, SAT. No one told me that.

Jeff Johnson: Right.

Keith Mercer: Here I am, high school all American now. No one mentioned that. You gotta take test. Mentioned that. And that’s one of the things that I’ve been able to work on changing for African American males, all males, but, you know, we highlight athletics where I’m from in my neighborhoods.

Jeff Johnson: Uh-huh.

Keith Mercer: We don’t highlight education. Here’s what we know about athletics. You’re one play away. Then what?

Jeff Johnson: Uh-huh.

Keith Mercer: That that will end soon. Then what? So it was it was okay. Well, I I’m going pro. That that was all that was on my mind.

Jeff Johnson: What was your sport?

Keith Mercer: Say it again, sir.

Jeff Johnson: What was your sport?

Keith Mercer: Football.

Jeff Johnson: Football?

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. So you’re an all American in high school?

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: And then you wanna go play in the collegiate level, but you can’t qualify for the bigger schools. Is that right?

Keith Mercer: Yes. Sorry. I I take the test. The last SAT. I didn’t know that you needed to take the SAT. No one told me that. I thought I could just say, soon as high school done, I’m I’m a just go I got all these schools, recruit me. I’ll just go show up and and and do my thing, play for a year, or go to the NFL.

Jeff Johnson: So schools schools wanted you, obviously.

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: But then they found out that you hadn’t got the SAT done. And so

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: They didn’t say hurry up and go take it. They said, sorry. We can’t take you on.

Keith Mercer: I took the last SAT. No prep. I answered every question, and the questions you get wrong, they deduct points.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: So I went back what I was learned and taught because I finished the test, go back and put in c, bubble in c.

Jeff Johnson: Right. Why not?

Keith Mercer: Yeah. I I’m a give you a quick college story. So

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: Another thing that motivated me was I had schools or people that would say to me, what makes you think you’re gonna make it? No one from where you from ever make it. I had those I heard those talks. You’re being jailed or dead before you was 21 before you’re 21 like everybody else.

Jeff Johnson: That’s what they told you.

Keith Mercer: That’s what motivated me.

Jeff Johnson: Wow. You said, That’s what motivated me. What makes you think you’re gonna make it? No one else no one comes from where you’re from ever make it. Who was telling you that?

Keith Mercer: A lot of the adults around. The things that I heard in the community, the college talks, and I don’t I don’t think people understood how good my hearing was.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: Well, but it it was those things that that motivated me to to I I must be on the right track. It’s a lot of character. But I gotta you wasn’t gonna outwork me.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah. You wasn’t gonna outwork me. That’s a lot of character. Okay. So you go to junior college out east, and then what?

Keith Mercer: So one of my so my high school wide receiver went to Nebraska. He came home. His name is Dwayne Wiles. He came home, and he was healthy. He looked he looked good.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: He was talking good.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: He was bigger, and I’m like, hold up. What’s going on? But I knew I needed to get away. I I knew I needed to get away from the area. Mind you, I had because, Washington DC is known as Chocolate City. So I had people that wanted me to go to a a historically black college.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Then I had other people that wanted me to not go anywhere. They they just didn’t believe in me. They didn’t think I could I could make it happen.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: So it was it was some decisions I had to make. I even had to cut off some family because people didn’t they didn’t see my vision. They didn’t want what you wanna leave for? Everything you need is right here. Well, I this is not what life looked like to me. This is not what this is not the vision that God put in my head.

Jeff Johnson: You got a really you got a really big family, so I can assume you had a lot of family members that you saw recoil. You said you were the first to go to college. They they stayed there in the area. And what did they do?

Keith Mercer: Well, a lot of the mills was got jobs or in and out of jail or

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: You know? And it was it was I’ve had thousands of family reunions. Not one time was education talked about. Not one time. So a lot of the times when I’m doing my speaking engagements now with schools, I tell them, listen. Yes. Athletics got me out. But it was my academics that saved my life. Period. I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for my academics if it wasn’t for the University of Nebraska and the things that I learned on that team.

Jeff Johnson: How long were you at the junior college before you went to Nebraska?

Keith Mercer: So I junior college for two years.

Jeff Johnson: K.

Keith Mercer: Junior college for two years because, again, I get to junior college. It’s my first year. I’m like, okay. I go dominate. I’m good. Let’s go. No, Keith. You gotta have a AA degree. Now you gotta graduate from a junior college. Oh oh, now you’re telling me this. Okay. So then I play another year. I’m a JUCO all star now. We play in the national championship. Play in the national championship against Colbyville, Kansas. So, yeah, I mean, that was that was it was great. I ended up going to Nebraska then because of just just coach Osborne and the coaches’ staff. I mean, you’re talking about a Christian leader. You’re talking about a guy that never cursed, never raised his voice. He truly cares about people.

Jeff Johnson: He’s iconic.

Keith Mercer: People. I mean, everything he says, he practices what he preaches.

Jeff Johnson: Wow.

Keith Mercer: And you can you can count on it. It don’t matter if you was this all American guy or scout team guy. It doesn’t matter. He treated everybody the same way, and he cared. And then he was easy to talk to about religion, and most coaches aren’t. Most coaches are not like that.

Jeff Johnson: You played on the Nebraska teams that were just beating the thunder out of everybody.

Keith Mercer: Yes. That was part of I and and we learned teamwork. What what helped us was word associations. No matter where you went within the facility, it was always a positive word. It was always something positive. We had had no negativity. Our practice was better than the games.

Jeff Johnson: How so?

Keith Mercer: Well, I I mean, it was just so competitive. I mean, we we play the game during the week. So when the game count when the game time came, it was practice. I mean, we were that competitive. I mean, we had we figured we thought we had the best athletes in every state. And then it was just, again, the process, teamwork, the mindset, the work ethic.

Jeff Johnson: And did that all redound from coach Osborne?

Keith Mercer: Yes. It started right there.

Jeff Johnson: So you learn so you’re in a you’re in a primer for leadership, which is what you coach, which is what you do now, and you’re learning and you’re learning from the best. You’re you’re

Keith Mercer: I learned from the best.

Jeff Johnson: Incubator right there. So you I would imagine you have got a tremendous amount to get a to give away. What do you do when you’re what do you do when you’re done with college?

Keith Mercer: So I played a little bit after college. Again, all I’ve wanted to do was go to pro.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: K? My going into my senior year, things are set up really good for me

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: For the next level. NCAA comes in and says, Keith, you’re ineligible.

Jeff Johnson: Because?

Keith Mercer: They said I took too many credit hours in junior college. I was six hours over.

Jeff Johnson: So they wouldn’t let you play?

Keith Mercer: So I ended up not being able to play. Not only that, that would have been my year where I would’ve because I my I’ve put the work in. I’ve gotten bigger, faster, stronger. I understood the system. I understood the the community in Lincoln. And, I was ready to have a great it would have been a magical, senior year. But, again, here come God. I remember I was in my apartment, downtown Lincoln. Once I got the news, I didn’t I I just dropped in my knees, man, and just started crying. I’ve always done the right thing, Jeff. I’ve always never done a drug. Always helped people

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Work my butt off, and here I am again, not rewarded, lost. But I I just remember driving to my knees and just crying and asking god, god, what’s next? What what what’s next?

Jeff Johnson: Did you blame him? Did you blame god? I mean, were was it like that, or was it just crying out for help?

Keith Mercer: I I questioned it. I questioned it for a small moment.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: But then I my faith was strong enough to where I said, you know what? He has something bigger and better for me. He didn’t bring me this far to just come this far.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Okay. I’ve always been able to to cut through everything and okay. What am I supposed to learn in this moment? What is it you want me to learn in this moment? I haven’t graduated yet. So then coach Osborne again coach Osborne and the coaching staff said, you know, Keith, we didn’t bring you here for this. We brought you here to get your degree. We want to make sure that you are great in the community and that help you uplift your spirit. And that just was like, man, wow. Okay. Okay. So next steps. I mean, I don’t have anything to go back to, though, to be honest with you. I I am the backup plan.

Jeff Johnson: Forward is the only place that you had to go.

Keith Mercer: Forward is the only place you had to go. I came to Nebraska with a brown suitcase with with duct tape on it. With with the the first house I’ve lived in that I own that my was the house I have with my wife and kids. Like, you had a lot of these kids came to college, man.

Jeff Johnson: They had cars. They had houses. I didn’t even know what a spring break was. Spring break? What’s what is that?

Keith Mercer: Nobody’s taking a break around my house. Oh, I could when I first got to Lincoln, I couldn’t sleep for two weeks.

Jeff Johnson: Because?

Keith Mercer: It was too quiet.

Jeff Johnson: Really?

Keith Mercer: It it it was too clean. People left the doors open. I even had a police officer say hi to me. Never happened before. Never happened before.

Jeff Johnson: Well, oh, Keith, I wish I was better at interviewing because I just you have a fascinating story. So so diametrically opposed from the potential from where you came from. You know, you could have made all kinds of different choices, and you didn’t. You just looked forward. And so now here you are, Lincoln, Nebraska, where it’s too quiet, and the people are being nice to you. And you’re playing ball, and you’re doing a great job, and you’re and you’re studying under some incredible leadership. And then here, the rug gets pulled out from under your feet for the next level, and wow, so Osborne came and encouraged you. He said, you’re here for an adjust focus on that. How’d how’d you receive that?

Keith Mercer: I I loved it. I didn’t no one ever did that to me, man, for me before.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: I I knew he cared. I mean, he he looks you in the eye. I knew he cared. I just I had so many people in my life that let me down. I’m still trying to chase this dream that society have for me.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: But what I realized was god had bigger plans for me now. I actually went graduate, then got an opportunity to play at the next level.

Jeff Johnson: K.

Keith Mercer: I ended up going and playing arena. Got a couple of calls, but nothing unique to go on. But I think what that was is that was God telling me, Keith, I wanna show you that you could play at the next level. Well, I knew that. I knew it. Because you weren’t gonna outwork me.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: This is not gonna happen. So I knew that, but then I knew we had a bigger picture for me. Because I was always even the coaches used to say, Keith, make sure everybody on the sideline good. You know? That was your job. I’ve always been the motivator, which is where the mentality expert comes in at. My friends used to always say, man, this dude mentality is just different. You know? Because I saw so much chaos and and and trauma growing up to where I said, you know what? No matter what, I’m a be positive. I’m a see the positive in every situation. So I don’t see negative situations. What I see is positive remotivation. And I then I just started saying, god. I I know you put that on me because you knew I can handle it.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: So who can I then uplift? Then I just started doing community things and and reaching people and and just helping people elevate and bring out their greatness inside of them. Because my motto is we weren’t born to be average. Jeff, you were born to be great. That’s the whole purpose of you being in this world. We all were born because we have a talent that the world needs in order for this world to be a better place.

Jeff Johnson: Amen. Amen.

Keith Mercer: Period. We just lack the skill development to become the person that brings that talent out for that we need to make this world a better place. So that’s where I come in at with just helping people bring out that that that eliteness, that greatness that’s inside of us.

Jeff Johnson: So you’re a you’re a leadership coach. You’re a

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: So did you start that then right after you got out of college and got done playing ball?

Keith Mercer: I well, what Nebraska taught me was I had I had been started. I was doing it in high school, honestly.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: I just didn’t know you could do it professionally. So when I came back here, my college girlfriend, wife now moved to Iowa.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: So I came back when I came back to the Midwest, after I got done playing ball, I actually opened up, athletic training business.

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: Because I was known for those great workouts and, you know, you just wouldn’t wanna outwork me. I had the greatest strength coach ever in Nebraska, boy and athlete ever. Best coach ever when it came to mentality and and leadership and positivity. So I said, you know, let me put that together. Ended up training athletes in the area. Since 02/2010, I’ve helped, 209 college app athletes, high school athletes get go to college.

Jeff Johnson: Wow.

Keith Mercer: I have NFL players, Olympic gold medalist.

Jeff Johnson: Really?

Keith Mercer: Yes. So I had a two time Olympic gold medalist. So then I had a parent said, Keith, listen, man, I heard that you talk. Can you put something down and so I can use that at my job? I’m like, okay. So what I realized was all of my students were and guys and girls, by the way, were successful, yes, because of the program, but it was actually the leadership. It was the mental training.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: It was the mental training. So then I had a one of one of the kids’ dad was like, would you come talk to my company? And sure. He’s like, tell that same story to my company. Next thing you know, different leap companies was coming. I was like, listen. We need that. We we need that. We we love that the way with employee engagement right now. We need more inspiration for people to have a purpose to come to work.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: So yeah. And that that’s how it started. Then I started implementing and putting it on paper.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: So then created systems and then, Waukee reached out to me and wanted me to then start that my leadership program in their schools. So I’ve been doing that, for some years now, and that’s been great. I actually got a book hot off the press coming out here any day now.

Jeff Johnson: Tell me the name of it.

Keith Mercer: So it’s called the, student success formula.

Jeff Johnson: The student success formula.

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir.

Jeff Johnson: Written to students, I would imagine. Or

Keith Mercer: So what it is is it’s for students. It’s a it’s a teacher’s, blueprint, curriculum to help students.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. So this is this is primarily for teachers then?

Keith Mercer: So, yes, it’s for teachers and students, for parents. I mean, it’s something that could be implemented on implemented on all levels. But it’s the mentality. It’s the the personal agencies that that we lack. How to how to develop confidence. How to how to deal with your emotions. How to deal with a lot of the things that students actually have to deal with right now. Remember, we didn’t have this. We didn’t have social media. So the things that they’re dealing with right now is just, woah.

Jeff Johnson: That that cell phone that all all these kids have in their hand is a razor blade. It’s a loaded gun. It’s a line of coke. I mean, it’s the all the dopamine hits you could ever want, you can get right off of that phone and distract yourself into oblivion.

Keith Mercer: Yes. And if no. Exactly. So I came up with a, a process called the four my four b’s. The first b is to believe. What do you have to do to believe in yourself?

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: You know, those daily affirmations, kid like myself that I was told that I’ll never be nothing. I was told that I had people tell me I was too black. I wasn’t big enough. I was too small. I wasn’t smart enough to go to college. Whoever made it from your neighborhood, look at your address. What makes you think you’re gonna make it? And my thing was the counter was, why not me? So then I needed to develop those those skills that was gonna help me. And believe it or not, your superpower is your belief in yourself. Because when you believe in yourself, there is nothing in this world that you can’t do. But a lot of people lack that because they haven’t been taught those skills.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: The second b is, begin. Once you believe in yourself, you start developing a vision.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: So then how do you begin to take that belief and take those steps to begin your process? The third b is beyond. Beyond is simple as this. Doing the extra plus your ordinary. You become extraordinary. You have to do the work. It is work works.

Jeff Johnson: Right.

Keith Mercer: Let me just say that. Work Works. And then my fourth b is balance. You have to be able to stay focused. So now I understand, like, why they put the blinders on horses is to make sure that they see straight.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: But you gotta be able to focus in today’s world with all the distractions, with all the emotions. You have to be able to control your emotions. Well, those are skills. Now, when you think about it, those are hard for adults to do. So how do we expect the students to just know that?

Jeff Johnson: Right.

Keith Mercer: It has to be taught. It has to be coached.

Jeff Johnson: Right.

Keith Mercer: So and that’s, part of the process of what I do. So I have 30 lesson plans that’s ready for the world.

Jeff Johnson: Are you gonna be able to give me link information so I can put it in the bio so people know how to get a hold of you and your book and all that kind of thing?

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir.

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir.

Jeff Johnson: Wonderful. Hold on now. We gotta back up and talk about this courage thing for a second. So I wanna know based on your bona fides, based on your life history, which is exceptional, Keith, how do you define courage?

Keith Mercer: I define courage as belief. To believe in yourself. Understand that adversity is the resistance we need to grow. It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to be emotional, but don’t stay in that moment. You have to keep moving forward.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Your future is waiting on you. Your future is not behind you. Your future is forward, but you have to develop that belief in yourself to be able to keep moving forward. It’s life is scary. It is.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: As at five years old, I was scared to the point where I thought I was tough growing up. You know, I grew up in a tough neighborhood.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: We are all tough until you’re not.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: Until until it hits home. And that’s one of the things I think what COVID did for the world was it put people on notice. Listen. We we all need to work. We all need to continue to work from the inside.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: We all need because at any we all have a a a a a point where it’s over. We all have a end date. But the job is is to do the best you can with what you can for how long you can to help make this world a better place.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, well said, Keith. Who do you who do you who’d you look up to when you were in your for courage.

Keith Mercer: My parents, of course. My mom graduated from high school. My dad grew up in North Carolina where the men couldn’t graduate. They didn’t allow men to graduate, but he was the smartest person I knew.

Jeff Johnson: They didn’t allow him to graduate?

Keith Mercer: Yeah. So he grew up in a in a pretty racial part of of of North Carolina to where he had to work. I had I took a little bit from everyone.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Now a lot of it was what not to do.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: I had I had got teachers, principal, had a high school principal, mister Stoffer, that was he was just amazing. He was amazing. I had an accountant teacher, that was amazing. I had godparents. I had the Hines, mister and missus Hines that looked out for me. I had, miss Taylor, miss Angela Taylor that she challenged me. She always said to me, Keith, I need you to read this book. Keith, I need you to read this book. Keith, I need you to read this book. So finally, I said, why? I don’t remember what the name of the book was, but I’m in high school now. And that was the first time I saw the sun.

Jeff Johnson: Yep.

Keith Mercer: People was like, man, what are you talking about? That was the first time you saw the sun. I can remember I was reading this book and at the top of the page, it was a picture of a sun. But that’s where reading helped me because it showed me something different, somebody else’s happiness. And then I say, you know what? I can do that. I can do that then. And I saw that sun. And at that point, I knew. Okay. There is something better. I had just always it was in my mind, but I I never knew that. But that was I saw that sun, man, and it motivated me. So I had a couple of things in my life that really motivated me. I had a fire hydrant that motivated me.

Jeff Johnson: A fire hydrant?

Keith Mercer: On Thursdays, I knew that the city will open a fire hydrant. Jeff, it was times as a kid that that’s when I knew I was gonna get water.

Jeff Johnson: Really?

Keith Mercer: Every time I go back home

Jeff Johnson: In the home?

Keith Mercer: Every no. Every time I go back home, not consistently.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: Every time I go back home, I try to go and touch that fire hydrant. I even have pictures of it. It changes colors all the time.

Jeff Johnson: And what did that teach you?

Keith Mercer: Well, I it was just expectations. I knew I was gonna consistently get something. I mean, I grew up in a household where listen. It was heat or sometimes electricity went on. Sometimes the water went on. You know? But my parents, they they gave us what what would the best that they had. And then I learned to value the little things. I learned to value the little things.

Jeff Johnson: What did your parents say when you graduated college? When you went to Nebraska and you did all that, and they must have been blown away.

Keith Mercer: They were so excited and just so happy. They were so my mom came out. They they were just so happy. I mean, again, I I did something that no one else did. No one it wasn’t even like I said, education wasn’t a thought. You know, it was okay. It’s time to work. I stayed off the corners. I’ve never been in jail. I’ve never been in trouble. I’ve always done the right things. And it was because I didn’t wanna let my parents down. I didn’t wanna let y’all down. I I remember saying a prayer, and this wasn’t a five year old prayer. Just saying to God that if you get me out of this situation, I promise you I’ll do my part. I won’t be afraid to talk about you. I’ll do my part. And that was the promise that I I keep to you today.

Jeff Johnson: Wow.

Keith Mercer: I every summer, I go back and partner with my cousin that’s under me, who graduated from college also. And we do, and his name is Joe Holmes. He do the general charity, General’s Future charity, and we do community events every year. We’ve done it for the last ten years, where we highlight the importance of education. Just like we highlight sports, where I’m from, No. We need to highlight education more.

Jeff Johnson: Wow. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Well, I can’t imagine you haven’t touched on it on it already in this beautiful story that you’ve presented. But I’m gonna ask you the question. Keith Mercer, what’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done?

Keith Mercer: The most courageous thing I’ve ever done was to believe in myself despite growing up in the murder capital, despite seeing a lot of death, drugs despite feeling angry, feeling feeling less than that. And I’m getting goosebumps just saying this. Believing in myself when no one else did. Being able to continue to grow, being able to continue to think outside the lines, stay focused, help people no matter what.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Yeah. I think that that just to believe in myself that I can be the person that I am.

Jeff Johnson: Amen. When I I remember I had to ask myself a question a long time ago. Either God’s everything or he’s nothing. Because those are the only two choices. He’s nowhere in between. Either he is the alpha and the omega and the creator of everything, or it’s a fairy tale, and you might as well just get on with whatever else because it’s nothing.

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: Once you have to make that decision, and I decided that God was everything, then that means that his book is true. Every jot and tittle, every single thing that’s in there is true because he can’t lie.

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: Doesn’t have any doesn’t make any room for it. And so I read in that book, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. I read in that book that I’m an image bearer of the living God. And so I know that God doesn’t make any junk. That completely transforms my life. And you said it earlier, you know, that God sent me here to do something that only I can do, and I completely agree with that. I am I am just blown away, Keith, that you got that understanding so young.

Keith Mercer: Yes.

Jeff Johnson: Where I probably asked you already, but I’m gonna go I’m gonna press back in there again. Where do you think that comes from? I mean, is that why God sent you here is to be the leader, be the coach?

Keith Mercer: I, you know, I I knew I knew early on that I was I had some special gifts. I didn’t know what it was called. I didn’t know how to describe it, but I knew. And the reason why I knew because I I always thought outside the box. I was that kid that everyone could would read something in the class, and I was the only one that would get get something different out of it. Like, I was that kid that when everybody else wanted to go and sell drugs or wanna go rob people, I was always able to say no. I was the one that when everybody was bullying people, I was like, no. We’re not gonna do that. I I didn’t know where it was where it came from, but I knew something was different about me.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: And then as I got more into my faith, as I grew more as a person, once those people that I call impact people came into my life, the pitchers started coming clearer. And then once I got to Nebraska, it was really, really clear then because I was doing things that even even at Nebraska that no one else was doing. To be able to come from where I came from, people didn’t understand why my mentality was that way. Guys, I didn’t I am the backup plan. I didn’t have nothing to go back to. You know, I’m I’m calling I I’m getting phone calls from jail. I’m going I’m going to too many funerals.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: You know? I’m like, wow. I didn’t see any any relationships that worked. This wasn’t what I what I thought love was. I didn’t experience that. You know? So I had to rely on something. And I said, well, if that’s the case, then why not rely on the most reliable person?

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: And that and that’s God. So then it came it became, God, why are you taking me through this to, God, thank you. Thank you. Now I just need to figure out why you wanted me to go through this experience. What do you want me to learn from this situation?

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: You know, and I learned that it’s it’s bigger than athletics. That’s just a small window.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: It’s it’s really a small window in life, but he’s always been there for me. Man, I’ll let you down. But who who would always be there for you? And that’s god.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: Always.

Jeff Johnson: Serious.

Keith Mercer: Amen. Whenever you need him.

Jeff Johnson: But it doesn’t sound to me like it doesn’t sound to me like you struggle with temptation like normal people would. I mean, that’s a terrible way to put it. Do Do you know what I’m trying to say? Are you

Keith Mercer: I know exactly what you’re saying. No. I I struggled with it. I struggled with it, but I was able to make the decision because it just goes back to, am I I knew what I I I knew what if I made the wrong decision, what it would be. I knew what I was gonna go back to, and I didn’t wanna beat that person. It was only a matter of time before that was me

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Laying on that ground. I’ve I’ve had times, honestly, Jeff, where I I could see myself in someone that got killed. Like, I could see that. And I was having nightmares and just different type of events where it numbed me. It numbed me. So I I that’s when I was like, you know what? I’m a use athletics. I

Jeff Johnson: Yeah. Do you this is gonna to the listeners, this is gonna sound like a obtuse question, so I apologize people that are listening. Do you identify yourself as a courageous person?

Keith Mercer: I don’t because

Jeff Johnson: That surprises me.

Keith Mercer: Well, I’m too involved in the work. And humble. Yeah. I’m too involved. I’m I’m thankful. I’m thankful for the people that

Jeff Johnson: Wow.

Keith Mercer: Spoke life into me, that cared enough about me to put those positive words in my mind, to counter the negative stuff that I was dealing with because I heard I heard everything.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah.

Keith Mercer: I heard it all.

Jeff Johnson: You are you’re a very courageous person, Keith Mercer. And

Keith Mercer: Thank you, sir.

Jeff Johnson: And an inspiration just an hour in. I’m curious. Do you coach courage? Is that something that you coach? Is that something that you think should be coached, or is that a byproduct of everything else? The work ethic and the drive and the

Keith Mercer: Yes. I I do coach it. I teach it. It’s one of the reasons why my program has been so successful in schools. It’s one of the reasons why my program has been so successful in athletics, in the community. Most definitely teach it. So I have 33 lessons. It’s definitely part of a lesson. Again, how do you develop a belief in a person

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: That has seen nothing? Again, you hear most people say, well, they come from nothing. Well, I came from less than nothing. If I’m able to do it, anyone can do it. So now let me teach you how to build yourself up, how to believe in yourself, how to believe in the process, how to develop a work ethic, how to have a greater attitude. But you need all those personal agencies in order for you to be the person that you were born to be.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm. I I think of myself as a as a helper. I mean, it’s just a symbol.

Keith Mercer: Yeah.

Jeff Johnson: Michelangelo said when he was sculpting David, they said he could they the sculpture looks like it could breathe. And they’re like, how did you do that? And he said, I just chipped away everything that wasn’t David.

Keith Mercer: I know what that’s right.

Jeff Johnson: What you just explained to me sounds like that’s what you’re about doing with your clients and the people that you that you pour into is you’re just helping them get that other stuff out of the way so they can be the person that God meant for them to be.

Keith Mercer: And that’s it. And that makes the world a better place.

Jeff Johnson: Wow. What do you do the next? What’s the next five, ten years for Keith Mercer?

Keith Mercer: Well, what I wanna do is I wanna get the message out. I wanna be able to help help people be the best that they can be. Help people understand that we weren’t born to be average. We were born to be great.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: Develop the confidence. The belief in yourself to go forward. It’s okay that you have a vision that no one else sees. Well, they’re not supposed to see it. It was given to you.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: How can we create positivity? How can we make this world a better place? We all want our kids to have great lives. We all want to experience success. The problem is is we’ve been conditioned to think that in order for me to win, you have to lose. No. We all can win. We all can win. But in order to do that, we have to help each other. We have to help develop, those personal agencies. We have to develop courage. We have to help define it. What does it mean to you? Okay. What does success look let’s design what that looks like for you.

Jeff Johnson: Mhmm.

Keith Mercer: And then let’s keep moving and then get the impact people you need in your life to help you do that.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah. I love that.

Keith Mercer: I wanna change the world. I wanna change the world. I wanna be able to go speak all over this country and just help people find that greatness that you were born with.

Jeff Johnson: Oh, amen. I so we’re gonna put all the information in for our listeners in the show notes so you’ll be able to get ahold of Keith and find out more about him, and please do.

Keith Mercer: Wow. Yes, sir.

Jeff Johnson: I think I got one more question for you, Keith, before you go. You know, Jesus said an amazing thing that nobody’s a prophet in their own hometown. You know? Who’s this guy? Is this Joseph’s son? Seriously? This guy? I’m curious. You said you and your cousin go back and you do workshops and you do things back in your hometown, but how do people receive you? Because I would think you would stand out like a shining diamond out there.

Keith Mercer: People you know, once people know what I’m doing and what I I’m actually in the process now. So every year I go back, I I do radio shows. And to be able to give back and let people know the best thing that we can do for others is to go accomplish things and show them the way. Show them that it could be done. For young men like myself growing up and for all all kids, be the example. Show show people that anything is possible as long as they believe. That’s my whole thing. And I’m looking for different ways now, actually, with social media to to be able to get out there more, to be able to do more, to travel more, to speak more, to uplift people. So I’m at a point now where it’s it’s go time. Like, I’m I’m really living in my calling, in my purpose to help others.

Jeff Johnson: Amen. Amen.

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir. Thank you.

Jeff Johnson: Well, I know I know back in now listen, Keith. I gotta I gotta come clean here. I’m a graduate from the University of Iowa.

Keith Mercer: Go hawks.

Jeff Johnson: Yes. Yes. So we got a little bit of a sensitivity towards the bug eaters out in Nebraska. Oh my goodness. We I think we’re just tired of getting whooped by you guys so many times. But you were in but you were in that stadium in Lincoln. And, you know, after talking to you just for an hour and getting to know you a little bit, Keith, you’re a blessing to me. And I’m telling you, I hope the good Lord gives you stadiums in the future so that you can share the message that you’ve got to share because you’re a blessing to me, and you’re a great man of courage. Thank you so much for coming on our program today.

Keith Mercer: Thank thank you. Thank you for having me. And I I like the Hawkeyes too, by the way. I’ve sent a lot of kids to Iowa that that play football, by the way.

Jeff Johnson: Come on.

Keith Mercer: A lot of kids. I I can give you two. I can give you John Wagner

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: And and Riley Moss.

Jeff Johnson: Okay. Moss worked with me too. Really?

Keith Mercer: Yeah. So I’ve sent a lot of kids to Iowa Iowa State.

Jeff Johnson: You’ve worked with you’ve worked with a lot of people in athletics then.

Keith Mercer: Yes. All schools all across the country.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah. But but your program is not just for athletics. It’s for business and it’s for

Keith Mercer: It’s it’s it’s about leadership. It’s a life skill.

Jeff Johnson: Okay.

Keith Mercer: Everything is well, it’s a life skill.

Jeff Johnson: Yeah. If somebody wants one on one coaching, do they come to you?

Keith Mercer: Yes, sir. One on one one on one teams. I get a lot of corporate leaders. Yes. A one stop shop.

Jeff Johnson: Everybody, go to these show notes and look up mister Keith Mercer and call him up and say, I heard you on the courageous Crossroads podcast, and I wanna I wanna I want some of what you got and see him give it away. Wow. Thank you, Keith. God bless you.

Keith Mercer: Thank you, sir. God bless.

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