Joe Nichols, ‘The Shape I’m In’ – Video Spotlight

Joe Nichols' 'The Shape I'm In' describes a familiar situation -- adjusting to life after a breakup -- but the music video, which premiered on CMT on Jan. 24, takes an unexpected path.

'The Shape I'm In' spotlights soldiers injured during battle and shows the daily struggle many of them face, starting with simply getting out of bed in the morning. Nichols says he gained some perspective in the few times that he played for troops stationed overseas, and wanted to pay tribute to those who have to adjust to new challenges following injury.

“I have had an opportunity to perform for our troops stationed in the Middle East multiple times, and got just a small glimpse of what they deal with every day,” Nichols comments, adding that he worked directly with Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell’s Boot Campaign, which helps injured soldiers get reacquainted with life following battle."In a desire to want to do more with him and his efforts, we came up with the idea to connect the song’s lyric with what Marcus and Co. have been doing already – which is help soldiers get back into a normal life after returning home.”

The men in the music video are not actors -- they're real men who have overcome great challenges and then some. Retired Captain Chad Fleming, shown getting out of bed at the start of the video, lost his leg during battle, but has gone on to complete triathlons and 5k runs. Captain Ivan Castro was blinded by enemy fire, but went on to endure a 400 mile bike ride and climb Gray's Peak.

An extended version of the video, shown here, begins with a special message from Luttrell -- who founded the Lone Star Foundation and wrote the best-selling book 'Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10.'

Nichols wasn't the only one inspired by the stories of the soldiers -- Trey Fanjoy, the award winning director who worked on 'The Shape I'm In' -- found it eye opening as well. “Working on the video for ‘The Shape I’m In’ was nothing short of transformational for myself and the crew,” Fanjoy says. “I came into this project with the hope of creating something that would inspire viewers to rise up to the everyday challenges of their own lives. In the end, I came away with a shot of courage and perspective that was so profound that I’ll carry this experience with me for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful to Joe Nichols and the Lone Survivor Foundation for allowing me to be a part of something so special.”

'The Shape I'm In' will be among Nichols' many chart-climbers included on his first greatest hits album, which hits stores Jan. 25.

Watch the Joe Nichols 'The Shape I'm In' Video