Damon West is an inspirational speaker, author, and college professor with an extraordinary story of redemption. A former college quarterback, Damon fell into meth addiction and organized crime, leading to a life sentence in a Texas prison. During his incarceration, he transformed his life, inspired by the metaphor of a coffee bean that changes its environment. Upon his release, Damon authored four bestselling books, including "The Change Agent" and "The Coffee Bean," which have sold over 10 million copies. Now a motivational speaker and professor at the University of Houston, Damon uses his journey from addiction and crime to inspire others to embrace personal growth and resilience. His powerful narrative is one of the most compelling stories shared on this show.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction and Damon West's initial experience with crystal meth

1:29 - Welcome to the podcast and Damon's background

3:03 - Damon’s family and upbringing in Port Arthur, Texas

4:14 - Childhood trauma and its impact

6:16 - Early exposure to adult behaviors

8:20 - Early substance use and athletic career

10:22 - Dealing with the aftermath of molestation

12:05 - Becoming a star athlete

14:15 - The pressures and challenges of being a star athlete

16:27 - College football and introduction to hardcore drugs

20:56 - First exposure to meth and rapid addiction

22:10 - Descent into criminal behavior

25:50 - High-functioning addicts and the dangers they face

28:14 - Becoming a criminal to fund addiction

31:06 - The first burglary and escalation of crimes

32:57 - Arrest by the SWAT team

33:07 - Initial experiences in jail and realization of the situation

35:57 - Impact on family and conversations after sentencing

41:08 - Promises to his mother about prison conduct

47:59 - Advice from Muhammad and the concept of being a "coffee bean"

51:58 - First day in prison and the decision to fight

56:39 - Earning respect through basketball

1:00:02 - Final fight and handling threats in prison