From Prison to Podium: The Power of a Coffee Bean

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From Prison to Podium: The Power of a Coffee Bean

Episode Summary

Have you ever wondered how someone can go from a life of crime and despair to becoming a successful author, speaker, and servant leader? Meet Damon West, a man who defied the odds and transformed his life in the most unlikely of places - prison.

In today’s episode of the Win Monday podcast, we sit down with Damon West, a change agent, servant leader, professor, philanthropist, keynote speaker, and bestselling author.

In our conversation,  Damon shares his powerful journey, starting from growing up in Port Arthur, Texas, to making poor choices, becoming a star quarterback, suffering a career-ending injury, and spiraling into addiction and criminal activities. He discusses his arrest, trial, and life sentence in prison, and how a story about the coffee bean taught him the power of being a change agent. Damon emphasizes the importance of hope, mindset, problem-solving, and breaking free from mental prisons. He also shares his success in the speaking world and the impact of his book, "The Coffee Bean."

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Key Takeaways

  • The coffee bean story: A powerful metaphor for transformation, highlighting the ability to change one's environment and circumstances.
  • The power of hope: Emphasizing the importance of maintaining hope, even in the darkest of times, as it can lead to personal growth and becoming the best version of oneself.
  • The one-inch line: Learning to focus on what can be controlled, such as thoughts, words, feelings, and actions, leading to a transformative shift in perspective.
  • The impact of belief: Damon's collaboration with influential coaches and renowned motivational speaker John Gordon showcases the power of belief and staying true to one's message.
  • Becoming a problem solver: Encouraging the development of problem-solving skills to break free from mental prisons and overcome challenges.

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In This Episode

  • [04:38] Damon's descent into addiction and criminal activities
  • [08:19] Mr. Jackson's story of the coffee bean
  • [10:56] The power of hope and belief
  • [12:39] Becoming a coffee bean in prison
  • [16:15] Infecting with positive energy
  • [19:14] The gift of the serenity prayer
  • [20:50 The wisdom to know the difference
  • [25:59] The mission after prison
  • [28:21] The phone call that changed my life
  • [30:59] Choosing a word of the year
  • [38:19] Becoming a problem solver
  • [39:18]The hardest prison is in your mind

Notable Quotes

  • [02:45] “The longer you hold on to a bad belief system, the harder it is to get rid of. In fact, the truth is, bad belief systems usually go out and they're very hard to change.” - Damon 
  • [09:10] “I can do this because I understand I have three choices. I have the choice every day of how I want to see the world. Do I want to be sad, mad, mean like the egg? Or do I want to be a positive person like the coffee bean and change the pot of boiling water into a pot of coffee?” - Damon
  • [12:57] "Hope is a good thing. Every human being has to have hope because if you don't have hope, you've got nothing.” - Damon
  • [29:48] “Growth follows belief. You have to believe in yourself before anybody else will believe in you and subscribe to you.” - Damon
  • [39:51] Do not become a prisoner of your mind. That is the hardest prison to walk out of." - Damon

Our Guest

Damon West, M.S. in Criminal Justice, is an accomplished college professor, renowned international keynote speaker, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. His transformative work, "The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change," earned a spot in Forbes' "Top Twenty Books You Need to Read to Crush 2020." Damon's life journey, detailed in "The Change Agent," reflects his remarkable transformation from a college quarterback to a methamphetamine addict. He emerged from seven years in prison with a new perspective, sharing a message of redemption and hope. Damon's impactful message has reached major corporations, sports teams, and the U.S. Army. His Wall Street Journal bestseller, "The Locker Room," is slated for a film adaptation. Damon's passion for the "Coffee Bean" concept continues to change lives worldwide. His most cherished roles are being a loving husband to Kendell and a devoted stepfather to Clara.

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Resources and Links

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Paul Epstein

Damon West

Mentioned

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ABOUT THE WIN MONDAY PODCAST

Winning Monday is for the separators. Those of us who are determined to become the best and fastest version of ourselves. Each episode is a masterclass in becoming 1% better each day, no matter your path to work-life mastery. Your guide for this journey is Paul Epstein, 15-year NFL and NBA executive, bestselling author, global keynote speaker, and Success Magazine’s top thought leader that gets results, and Founder of our Win Monday Community. Drawing from Paul’s high-profile separators of Fortune 500 CEOs, Olympians, and Shark Tank entrepreneurs to Guinness World Record holders, NYT bestselling authors, Navy SEALs, and more, this show will inspire you with the confidence required to win one day, one decision, and one action at a time.

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