Episode 153 | "Footprints and Handprints" (Feat. Shaun Murphy)

Shaun Murphy — Army Staff Sergeant, educator, artist, speaker, and author — joins the show to share a story that stretches from Brownsville, Brooklyn to standing beside Michelle Obama, with many pivotal stops along the way. We peel the layers back on his upbringing: growing up in a single-parent household, losing his father to gun violence at age six, and navigating life between hard lessons and harder streets. Murphy opens up about trauma, family, and growth in real time, using music like “Letter to Dad” as both a form of therapy and a platform to explore generational pain. We also dive deep into the military years — from panicking on the bus to basic training, to finding discipline through drill sergeant fire and “dime on the barrel” determination. From there, we follow his next chapter: party promoter in Missouri → broke veteran in NY → mail clerk at NYU → classroom educator → national Teach for America leader. It all leads to one powerful pivot: when Murph decided that his voice, his story, and his sound needed a stage of their own. You’ll hear how music became his mission — including the creation of “Mister Motivation: The Audio Collection”, his decision to study greats like Jay-Z and Common, and the story behind standout tracks like “Temple,” “W.H.Y.,” and “Actin’ Different” featuring Beanz from Rhythm & Flow. Shaun also breaks down the mindset behind his Core 4 (Body, Business, Balance, Being), the real power of vulnerability, and why he studies the wisdom of people on their deathbeds. These topics and more are covered on this episode.

 

About Our Guest: Shaun “Mister Motivation” Murphy

 

Shaun Murphy is a Brooklyn-born veteran, educator, and motivational artist whose mission is to equip others with the tools to rise — mentally, spiritually, and professionally. A former Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army, Shaun went on to teach middle school and high school before becoming a college professor and national Teach for America leader. He is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor and the creator of Mister Motivation: The Audio Collection — a genre-bending project blending spoken word, hip-hop, and life coaching. Shaun is the founder of the Breakthrough Bunker, a transformational platform that helps people redefine what’s possible, and the author of the Amazon bestseller Unbreakable Valor (May 2025).

 

You can find and follow Shaun here:

Website - https://mister-motivation.com/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/misterm0tivati0n?igsh=NXBwcDFvaHpsZWNj

Get the “Unbreakable Valor” book now! - https://a.co/d/gqn9kP3

YouTube - https://youtube.com/@mistermotivation492?si=kwCnHjrkRT0Uc6lM

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrmurphy1?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Substack - https://mistermotivation.substack.com/podcast

 

 

To have your “Do Better” reviewed on a future episode, please get in touch with us at [e-mail]

 

 

Keep up with the ‘Permission to Speak Freely’ podcast on our social media and YouTube - https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast

 

 

 

Additional Credits:

 

Music Credit

“Ante Up” by M.O.P.

℗ 2000 Loud Records / Columbia Records

Written by Eric Murray, Jamal Grinnage, and DR Period

Used respectfully for commentary and entertainment purposes.

All rights belong to the original artists and copyright holders.

 

PTSF “Theme Music” - Produced by Lim0