Though he may be a beloved Tribal Chief acknowledged by millions, Roman Reigns spent years trying to win over audiences to little success. From his time as ‘the Big Dog’ to trying to win-over audiences with Shield reunions, Reigns had a rocky path before establishing himself as the Head of the Table in 2020.

Speaking to Stephanie McMahon on the What’s Your Story? podcast, Reigns looked back on his babyface past.

“At the end of the day… the challenges, the pressures, and the fan reactions all forced me to evolve—not just as a performer, but as a person.”

Though Reigns often had younger fans on his side at the time, many see his babyface run pre-2020 as a ‘failure.’ Whether Reigns sees it that way or not, it ultimately helped teach him what he needed to learn.

“What looked like a ‘failed’ run was necessary for me to find out who I truly am in front of the fans and for myself.”

Today, Reigns is loved by the fans, as seen during the ‘Stand Up if you love Roman’ during the August 25, WWE Raw in Birmingham, England. In front of a crowd that had never shied away from sharing their disdain for ‘the Big Dog’ the response received by the Tribal Chief demonstrated how much things have changed.

Roman Reigns’ name will go down in WWE history as one of the all-time greats with a plethora of accolades and records to his name. Speaking to the What’s Your Story? podcast, however, Reigns made clear to Stephanie McMahon that his road to the very top of professional wrestling was not without work and started with a single step.

“At the end of the day, you have to put the reps in, you have to grind it out. You have to get your 10,000 hours, and you have to kind of get close to a mastery of what you’re trying to do before you can truly go all in on it.”

Now, Reigns has indeed ‘mastered’ WWE as one of the promotion’s biggest-ever stars who continue to gets thunderous ovations. Despite reaching the top, the OTC continues to look for ways to improve, whether it’s in the ring or on the mic.

“Once you’ve done something over and over… you get to where you’ve done things so many times, you know how to clean it up, make it. When we do our promos, I’m always thinking: how do I tighten it up because I’m so wordy. How do I make it more concise to the point?”

Punctuality is key to mastering a skill, according to the Tribal Chief. For Reigns, being late not only displays a poor work ethic, but a lack of respect to those around you.

“Being late is actually being disrespectful to other people’s time. Other people’s time is just as important as your time, so be on time.”

Reigns’ combination of dedication, drive, and punctuality has made one of the most dominant Superstars of all time, with or without a championship. As fans continue to rally behind their Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns will continue to find ways to improve in the ring.

Roman Reigns may be one of the biggest names in pro wrestling today, but he’ll never be too big to make time for his family. On the What’s Your Story? podcast, Reigns explained how the adoration of millions around the world doesn’t matter when he steps through the door of his home.

“You’ve got to be present when you go home. You have to be present. It doesn’t matter what you do out here, you have to be present. I took that to heart so much, and I’ve transformed that to be a bigger part of my life.”

A global Superstar who is taken across the world, Reigns’ role as a family man is easier said than done. For the OTC, finding the right balance is a priority, not just for him, but for any one starting a new life on the road.

“Being able to balance home and road life, that’s a key priority. That’s a puzzle to figure out for a young performer traveling the world trying to make it… To be able to be a professional in both regards, be a professional in your personal life too.”

Reigns and his wife Galina met in 2005 at Georgia Institute of Technology and married in 2014. Together, the pair have five children, an eldest daughter and two sets of twin sons. Reigns doesn’t have plans for any more children, refuting a recent rumor of a sixth child.

Reigns has plenty of family around him in WWE, but time away from his wife and children can come often and with great difficulty. For Reigns, his family is his priority as he makes sure to be fully with them whenever they are together.

Roman Reigns may have Hollywood aspirations, but the OTC isn’t prepared to choose between the silver screen and the squared circle. Appearing on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, Reigns shared his bold goal: to be both an active WWE Superstar and a Hollywood A-Lister simultaneously.

“I wanted to be the first guy who could do both. Damn near lead a movie. And then also still, you know, main event, a pay per view. I don’t want to stop being a WWE Superstar in order to wear other hats… I’m always going to be Roman Reigns.”

Of course, Reigns isn’t the first WWE name to dip a toe into acting. Whilst he acknowledges that John Cena has reached massive success on the big screen as his WWE career took a back seat, Reigns plans to do things differently.

“He [John] did it his way. But to really be able to do both and like damn near lead a movie and then also still, you know, main event a pay per view and to have that type of responsibility, because there’s a lot riding on that.”

Reigns has taken some acting roles in the past and will be a part of the highly-anticipated Street Fighter remake that’ll also feature Cody Rhodes. Even as his star in Hollywood continues to grow, Reigns remains a wrestler at heart.

“I don’t want to stop being a WWE Superstar in order to wear other hats. I’m always going to be a WWE Superstar. I’m always going to be Roman Reigns and I don’t want to ever have to choose.”

On WWE TV, Reigns has found himself embroiled in a feud with Bronson Reed and a match between the two will happen at Clash in Paris. Whatever comes next, expect the OTC to show his talent and charisma, both in and out of the ring.