What happens when life throws something at you that you didn’t see coming?
In this personal solo episode, Damon opens up about a life-altering diagnosis that challenged his vision—both physically and metaphorically.
Whether you're navigating personal challenges or professional setbacks, this episode offers a roadmap to move forward with resilience, community, and purpose.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The surprising diagnosis that reshaped Damon’s outlook on leadership and life
- How to reject the victim mindset and replace it with gratitude
- The role of community and connection in overcoming struggle
- How constraints can actually sharpen your leadership and focus
- What it means to lead by example—especially when life gets hard
Timestamps
00:00 – Damon introduces a personal story about unexpected adversity
00:48 – Early signs something was off—on the tennis and basketball court
01:30 – A trip to the optometrist turns serious
01:55 – Diagnosis: PRPH2, a rare degenerative eye disease
02:35 – Processing the fear, uncertainty, and future ahead
03:00 – The 5-step playbook for facing adversity
03:20 – Step 1: Acceptance—“There is no cure, but I can move forward”
03:50 – Step 2: Refuse the victim mentality—"Why not me?"
04:40 – Step 3: Faith—in family, skills, and what you can control
05:10 – Step 4: Community—why you don’t have to go through it alone
05:55 – Foundation Fighting Blindness and the power of peer groups
06:30 – Step 5: Lead by example—turning constraints into strengths
07:05 – Lessons for his kids and why vulnerability builds strength
07:50 – The final takeaway: adversity is inevitable, but it doesn’t define you
08:10 – Connect with Damon to share or seek support
Resources Mentioned:
Connect With Us
- Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com
- Email us: podcast@learnit.com
- Follow Damon on LinkedIn
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!