{"id":13975,"date":"2026-06-11T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/?p=13975"},"modified":"2026-07-01T14:01:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T06:01:05","slug":"built-on-doubt-driven-by-discipline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2026\/06\/11\/built-on-doubt-driven-by-discipline\/","title":{"rendered":"Built on Doubt, Driven by Discipline"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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He has represented Singapore on the pitch, run a podcast and graduated in accelerated time with honours while juggling life as a full-time footballer.<\/p>

Today, Mr Jared Sean Gallagher (Arts & Social Sciences \u201925) is living his childhood dream as a professional midfielder.<\/p>

Yet, despite his track record, certainty does not come easy. In person, he is measured and unexpectedly self-questioning.<\/p>

\u201cI have a degree of imposter syndrome,\u201d he shares. \u201cThe fact that football is my career still feels surreal.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mr Gallagher entering the stadium with the Singapore National Team. Photo Credit: Football Association of Singapore<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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From lunchtime matches to Team Singapore<\/strong><\/p>

At first, football was simply a way to fit in. When he was eight, his family relocated to Shanghai, where he found himself the new kid on the block.<\/p>

\u201cFootball was really popular, so I started playing to make friends,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI was quite a chubby child. I wasn\u2019t the fastest runner. But I realised I was pretty good at football and I loved winning.\u201d<\/p>

What began as a social activity gained momentum as he made his parents sign him up for extra training. As a child, witnessing how football galvanised communities during the World Cup fuelled his growing passion \u2014 \u201cIt felt like I was part of this really cool club that brings people together.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mr Gallagher and his teammates in the Singapore National Team before their game against Hong Kong in November 2025. Photo Credit: Football Association of Singapore<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Football dominated his growing up years, but it was only after returning to Singapore for National Service that it took on real stakes.<\/p>

\u201cI was at a crossroads then: do I go overseas or remain in Singapore for my studies?\u201d Mr Gallagher shares. \u201cThen in 2021, I was called up to the national Under-23 team. That was when I realised, I\u2019m going to give my all to be a professional footballer.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Keeping up, pushing limits<\/strong><\/p>

By day, he was a full-time student at NUS, where he dived deep into communication. By evening, he was training. In between were flights, matches and long stretches from campus.<\/p>

\u201cI was fortunate to have very accommodating lecturers and project mates,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI was missing so much school.\u201d Family and school support made it possible to keep up, but something had to give.<\/p>

\u201cOne thing you have to know,\u201d he adds. \u201cI lacked any sort of social life in school.\u201d<\/p>

Instead, he honed impeccable time management skills: finishing assignments at Changi Airport and catching up on readings outside training.<\/p>

The pace was relentless, but it came with donning national colours and returning home to supporters. As a midfielder, the engine room of the team, Mr Gallagher thrives on that purpose.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mr Gallagher during training with Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda Football Club in Thai League 1. Photo Credit: Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda FC<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0<\/p>

\u201cThere\u2019s no feeling like being in the dressing room, going to battle with your close friends, and fighting for a common goal,\u201d he enthuses. \u201cI love my role because I\u2019m supporting the rest of the team to do what they do best.\u201d<\/p>

Reckoning with failure<\/strong><\/p>

With the highs, the lows are inevitable.<\/p>

Mr Gallagher returns at times to an early match he played against Vietnam in Phnom Penh. Within the first 10 minutes, he lost possession from a routine pass. Singapore went on to lose 7\u20130.<\/p>

\u201cThe moment became catastrophic for me. I couldn\u2019t rebound,\u201d he admits.<\/p>

His coach gave a piece of advice that stayed: \u201cWhatever mistake you have made, however catastrophic, is done. Bring yourself back to the next action.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Building that mental fortitude is a journey in discipline. By 9am, his day is already calibrated. Breakfast is fixed: eggs and fruit. Then gym, mobility drills and training. Winding down starts at 9pm: compression boots, chamomile tea and a candle. A nine-hour sleep is non-negotiable.<\/p>

\u201cMy confidence comes from the things I do every day,\u201d he says. \u201cIf I know I\u2019ve done my best, I\u2019m at ease. But if there is even a one per cent chance where I didn\u2019t, the guilt will eat me up.\u201d<\/p>

Just before kick-off, he has a small ritual. \u201cI repeat a mantra, a message my dad wrote the first time I played for Singapore, \u2018Be strong, be positive, be proud, and be myself.\u2019 It\u2019s tattooed on my wrist now,\u201d he says.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mr Gallagher with his teammates during a Songkran event in Thailand.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Leaving the familiar<\/strong><\/p>

Routine gives him control, and ambition pushes him forward.<\/p>

Soon after graduation, he signed a contract with a League-1 club in Thailand. It was a calculated move away from the familiar. \u201cSingapore is my safe space,\u201d he explains. \u201cI need to push myself further to grow.\u201d<\/p>

The move has done exactly that \u2014 it has forced him to confront a more intense football environment, though opportunities on the pitch have been more limited than expected. But since Phnom Penh, he has grown adept at taking a larger perspective.<\/p>

\u201cSo often in football and in life, we don\u2019t get the desired outcome. But that doesn\u2019t mean that the steps we took were necessarily wrong,\u201d he philosophises. \u201cThe present is what matters and I have done everything I could to prepare for this moment.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Mr Gallagher's debut for Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda Football Club in Thai League 1. Photo Credit: Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda FC<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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A future of possibilities<\/strong><\/p>

Mr Gallagher is acutely aware that the runway of a professional athlete is short. What comes after is a question he is not in a hurry to answer.<\/p>

One possibility lies in storytelling. His podcast featured deep dives with athletes, and his writing had won a \u201cStory of the Year\u201d award from the Football Association of Singapore.<\/p>

\u201cI love storytelling,\u201d he says. \u201cI started writing to express myself. After NUS, I realised it is something more. There are people with compelling life stories but it takes a passionate storyteller to tell them well.\u201d<\/p>

For now, his ambitions remain centred on football. \u201cMy biggest goal now is to make it to the national team,\u201d he states. \u201cI have big goals that I won\u2019t be letting go of anytime soon. But I\u2019ve also come to realise, it\u2019s not just about chasing goals. What really matters is whether I\u2019m happy with my life, and as a person.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Five Ways to Motivate Yourself When the Going Gets Tough<\/u><\/strong><\/p>

#1 Find consolation in stoic philosophers.<\/strong><\/p>

For example, Marcus Aurelius: \u201cSo remember this principle when something threatens to cause you pain. The thing itself was no misfortune at all; to endure it and prevail is great good fortune.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>

#2 Listen to The Diary of a CEO<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The award-winning show features high-level thinkers who offer candid insights into mindset, decision-making and navigating challenges.<\/p>

#3 Build a bank of insightful notes <\/strong><\/p>

\u201cThere is no privilege greater than the pressure to excel.\u201d \u201cSuccess must be my commitment.\u201d <\/em><\/p>

Instead of relying on motivation in the moment, Mr Gallagher curates a bank of quotes to return to when doubt hits.<\/p>

#4 Find something that grounds you<\/strong><\/p>

For Mr Gallagher, tattooing is a way to ground himself through challenging times. \u201cAfter the Vietnam match, I got a shamrock and orchid tattooed on my arm. It reminds me of my heritage \u2014 my father\u2019s Irish and my mother\u2019s Singaporean Chinese \u2014 and that I\u2019m more than my mistakes,\u201d he shares. \u201cIn tough moments, I look at my tattoos, each one inked after a setback, and remind myself: you got through that, and you\u2019ll get through this too.\u201d<\/p>

#5 Get a good cup of coffee<\/strong><\/p>

And bring a book along.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Main photo is taken during the National Team training at The Kallang (National stadium) on the eve of a match against India on October 2025. Photo credit: Football Association of Singapore<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Amidst World Cup fever, Mr Jared Gallagher (Arts & Social Sciences \u201925) is living his dream as a professional footballer, while learning to navigate both success and doubt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":14009,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13975"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14655,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13975\/revisions\/14655"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}