The influential actor gives credit where credit is due.

The Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor known for roles in hits such as The Closer, Blue Bloods and Magnum P.I. credits his success solely to his faith in Jesus Christ.

However, his faith was not always where it is today. Selleck acknowledges that his journey as a Christian has been pretty rocky throughout the years.

His career has come a long way. Before he and his ‘stache became culturally influential, Selleck was a college basketball player with occasional roles in Pepsi commercials and episodes of The Dating Game.

In his younger years, he was working on a degree in business and had plans for a management-training program with United Airlines when he decided to get serious about an acting career, according to Parade.

After graduating from college, Twentieth Century Fox offered him an acting contract but God wasn’t calling him to acting then. He decided to listen to God’s call to go into the army.

Selleck learned the values of the U.S. Military from his parents at an early age. Those lessons bestowed by his mother and father shaped him into not only an actor, but also a veteran and a man of integrity.

During the Vietnam War, Selleck was issued draft orders. He joined the California National Guard in the 160th infantry regiment. He served from 1967 to 1973. He later appeared on California National Guard recruiting posters.

The military left a strong impression on Selleck and he looks back on his service with pride: “I am a veteran, I’m proud of it,” Selleck said. “I was a sergeant in the U.S. Army infantry, National Guard, Vietnam era. We’re all brothers and sisters in that sense.”

After the army, he came back to acting. It was his role as Thomas Magnum that changed his life forever. Even after getting this acting role, he continued to listen to God.

“As good as this business has been to me, that’s not what life is about. Life is about more important things. You know, we’ve all struggled as we get successful in this business to balance that, I certainly have,” Selleck said.

He took another big break in acting in 1980 when he got married.

He credits all his success in life to Jesus Christ, who he claims as his Lord and Savior.

Selleck says he always tried to conduct himself in an ethical way and that is what matters most. He attributes his fortune to Jesus Christ. Although it is an individual’s heart that makes plans for a lifetime, it is God who guides him through them, he says.

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps,” Selleck said. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”