#MoreThanAModel: How Jordan Torres’ hustler mindset helped him make his own path
Jordan Torres entered high school like most teenagers — unsure of what the future had in store for him and what his place would be in the world. But it didn’t take long for him to find the path that would set the rest of his life in motion.
It was one with a whole lot of twists and turns, obstacles, and even moments when it seemed like thing wouldn’t pan out. But none of that was ever too much for this Bronx bull to fight through. JT, as, he’s known by those close to him, was raised in the BX, where not a lot of dudes make it out to be game changers and world shakers.
During a sit down with Kulture Hub, JT reflected on where most dudes from his hood ended up and where he is now in life, saying he “could’ve easily been dead or in prison.”
JT was different though. His mindset drives his hustle and his level of motivation is obvious from the minute you first meet him.
“I get my motivation from the weirdest things…I get my motivation from what people get depressed about.”
It all starts with his family. His internal motivation comes in big part from losing two older brothers to the all too familiar violence that affects so many in the Bronx.
Jordan has each of their names tattooed on the inside of his wrists as a reminder. Whenever he wants to put his head down, he sees their names and is reminded to always keep his head up.
But it doesn’t end with his brothers – his mom is also a huge source of inspiration. He describes her as “the most important person in the world.” She built herself up from next to nothing and raised Jordan as a single parent.
“Everything I’ve accomplished has always been bigger for me and my family”
JT’s path to success started while sitting in class one day when a group of older students walked in to recruit new players for a local rugby club. He knew a few of those older guys and decided to give it a shot.
The pairing clicked instantly. He excelled on the pitch and quickly became one of the brightest high-school talents in the NYC area. It seemed like JT had his path figured out. Rugby became his calling and opened up countless doors for him.
Even with his success in rugby, JT still knew there was always a chance of him never making it out of the hood. He remembers still hanging out with the wrong crowds and getting caught up in the wrong scenes.
That all changed after a run-in with police ended with him getting arrested. While sitting behind bars, he realized if he stayed on this path “if I wanted to leave, I couldn’t.” That was when he hit that shift to stay on his path for success.
“Once I got arrested, and everything, that’s when I knew the street life wasn’t for me.”
Later that same year, Jordan was all the way across the globe, playing elite rugby down in New Zealand. It was an eye-opening experience, unlike anything he had experienced back home in the BX.
Rugby kept him off the streets, introduced him to new cultures and ideas, and took him all around the country and the world. JT was all set to play college at Penn State, a collegiate rugby powerhouse when his path changed again.
The summer before starting school, he was approached by a modeling agency for a job.
JT was faced with a tough choice — pursue his developing rugby career at a university that might not have been the right fit for him, or pursue a new career in something he wasn’t familiar with and start making an impact immediately.
“The fun is in the journey… I’m happy to be chasing the dream.”
It was never something he had considered doing, but once again JT decided to give something new a shot. His competitive nature and constant strive for greatness propelled him to the top of his game. Modeling has opened up even more doors for JT and he feels like he’s just getting started. His next career path to dominate? Acting, of course. And it won’t stop there.
JT will continue to build his brand and ultimately use his success and influence to give back to his community. He has plans to open a community center in his old neighborhood in the Bronx to help kids find their own paths to success and callings in life.
“For these kids in the Bronx, to show that them anything is possible. Whether it’s music, sports, entertainment”
JT told Kulture Hub that even with his success he’ll never forget where he comes from. Now based in LA, he makes constant trips back to NYC to spend time with his family, childhood friends, and the concrete jungle that raised him.
He’ll always be the same old JT from the block — no amount of success will change that.
The process hasn’t been without consequence though. Like most successful people, he’s lost friends who claim he’s changed or sold out. You can understand his disappointment when he says “I lost them for bettering myself.” He doesn’t get too hung up on it though, JT just keeps grinding.
“I do have homies that never switched it up on me.”
JT will always push himself to be the best he can be and won’t settle for anything less. If you tell him his dreams are silly, he’ll make sure to show you (and more importantly himself) that achieving them is no issue.
Jordan continues to work each and every day to perfect his crafts, grow as a person, and move forward. Things are just getting started for JT and you’d be a fool to think he’s going to slow down anytime soon.