Almost 20 years ago, author & retired NFL player Xavier Rush manifested his future in middle school

Xavier Rush circa 2006

Ross: What comes to mind when you reflect on this picture above?

Xavier: This book right here is where it all began. My very first book. Written in middle school in 2006. Almost 20 years ago. Back then, I didn’t know the words purpose, legacy, or manifestation the way I do now. I was just a child from Mississippi, with imagination, curiosity, and some colored pencils. Creating The Friendly Dragon without realizing I was planting the foundation for my future.

What I see now isn’t just a hand-drawn dragon or a school project. I see vision before vocabulary. I see purpose before permission. I see a young version of myself quietly manifesting a life rooted in storytelling, education, and impact.

That same child who believed stories and information  could inspire is now creating books that speak to mental health, physical wellness, confidence, and literacy for our youth and our communities. The mission didn’t change — it matured. This book is proof that what you create as a child matters. Those seeds planted early don’t die; they wait.

When creativity is nurtured, it can grow into something that truly makes a difference. Almost 20 years later, I’m still writing. Still building. Still pouring into the next generation. This wasn’t accidental. This was destiny in draft form.

Ross: When did you first get the idea to write Fitness Alphabet, the book of your series?

Xavier: I first got the idea for the books in 2021. I was just thinking about how I can enhance our community's knowledge of working out, mental health, wealth, and food intake.

Ross: What motivated you to act on the idea a few years later?

Xavier: Well, I didn't wait to act a few years later. I actually started working on it immediately and organized all the vocabulary words I wanted to use. The stagnation came when it was time find the correct illustrator for the project who could get the right depictions and bring my ideas to life.

Ross: What expanded your vision from one book to a series?

Xavier: It's always been a vision to write multiple books and put them in a series because I feel like life is a series, and everything goes within a series.

Ross: What do you want children and parents to get out of your books?

Xavier: I want children to be exposed to impactful vocabulary words and useful items that I didn't know about until I was an adult. What children hear and learn about lays a foundation for their adulthood. For parents, it's an opportunity to bond with their kids and build better nutrition, fitness, and mental health practices together.

Ross: What is next for your literary career?

Xavier: A couple of books in my specialty of the sport, maybe some short stories, or an autobiography. I know God is ordering my steps in the literary world, so stay tuned for what's next in store for my next collaborative project with Williams Commerce.