In this powerful and inspiring "best of" episode, Dr. Sharon Spano talks with Dan MacQueen, a former tech implementation specialist whose life was turned upside down by a sudden, life-threatening brain hemorrhage. What followed was not only a fight for survival but a journey of radical transformation.
Dan shares how he rebuilt his body, mind, and career—one step at a time—and how mindset played a key role in his recovery. Through discipline, gratitude, and goal-setting, Dan created a new life rooted in purpose, coaching others to rise from their own setbacks.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How a sudden brain hemorrhage led to Dan’s near-death experience
- Why small, consistent goals were the foundation of his physical and mental recovery
- How mindset and accountability fuel resilience
- The key role of gratitude in maintaining a healthy outlook during dark times
- Why Dan calls his health scare the “best thing that ever happened” to him
- The connection between movement, momentum, and meaning
- How Dan transitioned from marketing to public speaking and coaching
- Strategies for rebuilding confidence after trauma or life interruption
- What it really means to “own your comeback”
- How you can transform personal setbacks into platforms for service
Transcript: Here
Additional Resources:
Website: macqueendan.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/macqueendan
Twitter: @macqueendan
Instagram: instagram.com/macqueendan
Sharon Spano:
Website: sharonspano.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SharonSpanoPHD
Instagram: instagram.com/drsharonspano/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sharonspano/
Book: thetimemoneybook.com
Contact: sharon@sharonspano.com
Substack: substack.com/@drsharon
The Other Side of Potential Podcast: sharonspano.com/podcast/
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.