The Learn-It-All Podcast

In this solo episode, Learnit CEO and bestselling author Damon Lembi shares 12 powerful truths he’s learned over the years that he wishes someone had told him in his 20s. From managing money and making bold career moves, to saying no, navigating failure, and redefining your identity, Damon gets real about the missteps and wake-up calls that shaped who he is today. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why time—not money—is your most valuable asset - How to stop making decisions you’ll regret - A 5-part plan to take control of your finances (without needing to be a CPA) - What most people get wrong about failure - How to know when it’s time to quit the job, relationship, or habit - Why your job title isn’t your identity—and what matters more - A mindset shift that makes confidence inevitable - The secret to avoiding burnout (especially if you're a top performer) - How living abroad can completely change the way you lead Timestamps: 00:35 – #1: Time is the only asset you can’t get back 02:00 – Why you need to be intentional about your relationships 03:00 – Are you overworking or failing to delegate? 04:00 – #2: Money management tips Damon wishes he learned earlier 06:00 – #3: Stop making emotional decisions—use “purposeful awfulizing” 07:30 – #4: Get comfortable with failure (and why not trying is the real risk) 08:10 – #5: Don’t stay stuck—recognize the sunk cost fallacy 09:00 – #6: Life isn’t linear—adaptability is the superpower 10:30 – #7: Take action—confidence comes from reps, not perfection 11:45 – #8: Learn to say no—and avoid the “VIP curse” 13:00 – #9: Don’t avoid tough conversations (especially as a leader) 14:30 – #10: Your identity isn’t what you do—it’s who you are 15:40 – #11: You’ll regret the chances you didn’t take 16:50 – #12: Travel, live abroad, and widen your worldview 17:55 – Damon’s challenge to listeners: Pick one, apply it this week About Damon Lembi:    Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. Resources & Mentions: Damon’s book: The Learn-It-All Leader: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZXKR784?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_4NRSE6WY9TWPASVJZ2H2Gary Ridge’s book: Any Dumb Ass Can Do It: https://a.co/d/hTV9gD0Erin Lewellen and Tilting Futures: https://www.tiltingfutures.org: https://tiltingfutures.org Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Have you ever wondered what it takes to succeed in a high-stakes business? It’s not a simple life. There’s things to gain, but also things to lose. Today’s episode is an incredible cautionary tale for those of you who are building your way to success. In today’s episode, Damon is joined by Butch Meily, former PR strategist to Reginald Lewis, a leveraged buyout dealmaker, and now humanitarian—to discuss his powerful memoir From Manila to Wall Street. In this episode you’ll learn Why proximity to power can be both a blessing and a burden The personal cost of chasing high-level success What business titan Reginald Lewis taught Butch about leadership, identity, and pressure How Butch transitioned from PR executive to global humanitarian Why “ordinary lives” often lead to the deepest happiness And so much more. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro to Butch Meily 00:29 – The cost of attaching yourself to powerful people 01:30 – Why Butch finally wrote his memoir 02:36 – Who the book is for and how it's structured 03:50 – Butch’s first meeting with Reginald Lewis 05:17 – Reg’s early PR battle and the New York Times story 07:10 – Getting screamed at in a Bentley: Butch’s first ride with Reg 08:49 – The emotional toll of working under constant pressure 10:35 – Life regrets and the wisdom of Barbara Bush 12:10 – Can you have both success and happiness? 14:02 – Leveraged Buyouts 101 + the Beatrice takeover story 18:55 – Where Reg’s courage really came from 20:10 – Reg’s mantra: Keep going no matter what 22:18 – The role of luck and hard work 23:27 – Why America is still the land of opportunity 25:03 – Butch’s “candy cane” vision of America vs. Reg’s experience as a Black man 27:14 – The pressure of being “not a Black success—but an American success” 29:21 – The Hamptons mansion fire: real-life suspense 34:12 – Reg passes away, then Butch’s father dies days later 37:39 – Butch is fired—then brought back by an unexpected new CEO 40:12 – How Loyda Lewis led with grace, faith, and fierce business savvy 42:34 – Would Reg like the book? And why Butch wrote it now 44:36 – Butch’s new life: humanitarian work and startup mentorship 46:01 – Final lesson: why “ordinary” is extraordinary  Resources Mentioned: From Manila to Wall Street by Butch Meily Butch Meily LinkedInButch Meily’s Website Reginald F. Lewis Museum  About the Guest: Butch is the author of the memoir, From Manila to Wall Street – An Immigrant’s Journey With America’s First Black Tycoon. Butch’s current job is President of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), a private sector disaster management organization that includes the major business groups in the country.  He helped found PDRF, turning it into a global role model for private sector involvement in calamities. The organization operates the world’s first national private sector Emergency Operations Center. Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), his parent company, received the 2016 Prince of Wales Business in Community UPS International Disaster Relief Prize for its work in organizing PDRF after Typhoon Ketsana in 2009 and mobilizing it during Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Butch has worked in conflict situations in the southern Philippines including a terrorist siege in 2013 and an ISIS-inspired rebellion in 2017. Butch wears several hats. He heads IdeaSpace Foundation, a technology accelerator for early-stage startups, and QBO Innovation Hub, a public private partnership launched to mentor startups. Until December 2020, he served as president of Pacific Global One, an aviation firm affiliated with PLDT. Previously, Butch was First Vice President and Special Assistant to the chairman of PLDT and president of PLDT Smart Foundation.  Prior to joining PLDT, he served as Vice President, Communications for TLC Beatrice International, a food company in New York and Paris and the main subject of his book.  He has worked with several New York public relations firms and a financial startup there. Butch graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University and earned an MA in Journalism and Communications from the University of Florida (UF), becoming the first honors graduate of the program. He returned to UF as a Freedom Forum Distinguished Professor and received a Distinguished Alumnus award and was named to the school’s Hall of Fame. He started but did not finish his MBA at Northwestern University. He has taken writing classes at Grub Street and at New York University’s Continuing Education Program, a long time ago. In 1997, he established a permanent scholarship in his father Joe Meily’s name, at the Ateneo. That same year, he made a small donation to the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/ 

Mentorship isn’t a box to check or a corporate initiative to roll out. It’s a deeply human exchange that only works when it’s honest, unforced, and rooted in trust.  In today's episode, Damon is joined by Award-winning Researcher, Author and Founder of The Mentor Project, Dr. Deborah Heiser, who is here to challenge everything we think we know about what it means to be a mentor.  In this episode you’ll learn:  The essential ingredients that make mentorship actually work Why most formal mentorship programs fall short Why vulnerability is the often-missing key to meaningful connection How to reframe mentorship if you feel too busy or not “qualified” to be one  Timestamps: 00:01 – Intro to Deborah Heiser and her book The Mentorship Edge 00:17 – The story of Vinny and Fred: how a casual conversation changed a life 05:01 – Deborah’s definition of mentorship through a psychologist’s lens 06:55 – Why mentorship needs trust, intrinsic motivation, and connection 08:30 – What most companies get wrong about mentorship 09:32 – Deborah’s career pivot: From studying depression to studying joy 11:56 – How her nursing home research helped change federal policy on depression 14:33 – The difference between generativity, generosity, and reciprocity 16:11 – Everyday examples of being generative without realizing it 18:35 – Why formal workplace mentorships often backfire 22:07 – A space shuttle story: how lateral mentorship helped save an astronaut 24:39 – What is lateral mentorship, and why it matters 33:31 – The story of the “two Steves” (Jobs & Wozniak) and unsung mentorship 37:00 – How to find mentees: look to your left and your right 38:20 – Why advice only works when it’s built on trust 39:43 – Where to learn more about Deborah’s work  About Deborah: Deborah Heiser, Ph.D., is an applied developmental psychologist, author, and thought leader in mentorship and personal growth. She is the founder and CEO of The Mentor Project, a global nonprofit connecting experts like Nobel laureates and astronauts with mentees to foster innovation and leadership. Her latest book, The Mentorship Edge, launched on November 13, explores the transformative power of mentorship in creating meaningful connections and empowering individuals to thrive at any stage of life. With her work featured in Psychology Today and other leading outlets.  Resources Mentioned: Follow Deborah on LinkedIn Visit Deborah’s website The Mentorship Edge by Deborah Heiser Learn more about Deborah’s The Mentor Project  Deborah’s articles on Psychology Today Erik Erikson’s theory of generativity STS-114 NASA mission Connect with Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram 

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: Foundation Fighting Blindness Connect With Us Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn 

Richard Bliss, a LinkedIn strategist and bestselling author, shares powerful insights on optimizing LinkedIn for success. He emphasizes that genuine conversations trump likes, explaining how the platform's algorithm values meaningful interactions. Learn why video may not be the best choice, the importance of effective commenting, and a five-day challenge to boost visibility by 300%. Bliss also guides executives on how to engage authentically and use tools like Sales Navigator to connect with warm leads instead of cold outreach.

There’s often a gap between what school teaches and what real life demands. Jason Weiss found that to be true for becoming a lawyer. Now, after 25 years in the legal world, he shares the practical, hard-earned lessons that apply to anyone trying to succeed in a high-pressure, people-driven profession. Whether you’re a lawyer, leader, or someone simply figuring out how to show up fully in your work, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, communication, and redefining success on your own terms. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “the practice of law” never really ends How to recover from losses and develop thicker skin What not to do when giving or receiving professional advice How to pick clients (and when to walk away) Why communication and follow-up might be your most valuable assets The surprising ways AI and legal tech can (and can’t) help When to rethink your entire career and how to do it responsibly Timestamps: 00:16 – Jason’s post-law school “welcome to reality” moment 01:38 – First win in court and the difference real-world law makes 02:57 – Why law is a “practice” (and not an exact science) 03:58 – How a judge’s mood can influence your case 04:20 – Jason’s book: The Sht They Never Taught You in Law School* 05:54 – Universal skills: follow-up, integrity, and knowing your values 08:52 – Law school theory vs. real-world advocacy 11:25 – What happens when you lose and have to face the client 13:46 – Learning who not to work with as a lawyer (and business owner) 15:59 – The $60K mistake Jason made with a client—and what he learned 19:06 – Common misconceptions non-lawyers have about lawyers 21:25 – The power of saying “I don’t know”—and circling back 24:43 – Clients today expect instant clarity: managing modern expectations 25:55 – Thick skin, self-care, and knowing when not to take it personally 28:06 – Continuous learning, CLEs, and the role of AI in law 30:49 – Batman’s utility belt: how Jason views AI as a legal tool 33:43 – Worst professional advice Jason ever received 36:29 – Honesty, mistakes, and always having a plan of action 37:07 – Advice for those considering law school 38:35 – Why some lawyers are miserable—and how coaching can help 42:26 – What coaching is (and isn’t) supposed to do 44:23 – Finding motivation 25 years into the legal grind 45:35 – Why showing up is more powerful than talent 47:02 – You don’t have to respond instantly—just communicate well 47:46 – What Jason has doubled down on since writing his book 49:24 – Final advice for aspiring or struggling lawyers 50:14 – Where to find Jason online About Jason: Jason S. Weiss is a litigator who handles all aspects of business and commercial litigation. He has dealt with matters involving breach of contract, tortious interference with business relationships, title, property, non-compete clauses, commercial and residential landlord tenant matters, elder abuse, partnership disputes, trade secrets, RICO claims, fraud, real estate litigation, consumer protection, American’s with Disabilities litigation, tenant/landlord matters, medical marijuana litigation, personal injury and other various business related lawsuits. He was recently appointed as a Board Member of Benefits Specialist Inc. and voted President of Leadership Coral Springs Class of 2011. Jason is also a former adjunct professor of Sports Law at Nova Southeastern School of Law, a former adjunct professor of the graduate level course Sports Law at St. Thomas University and a former judge for the Broward County Teen Court Program. Jason has extensive sports and entertainment law experience, including representing professional football, baseball, and soccer players, personal management companies, rappers, bands, radio personalities, mixed martial arts fighters, chefs, agents, boxers, actors, writers and models. Jason has also negotiated, drafted and litigated recorded music and video deals, distribution agreements, publishing agreements, production agreements, employment contracts and endorsement deals for athletes, entertainers, musicians, chefs and agents. He serves as a legal advisor to professional athletes, performers and entertainers in all aspects of their professional and personal activities. Jason has been selected by Super Lawyer magazine as a Rising Star in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Resources & Mentions: - Jason’s Book: The Sh*t They Never Taught You in Law School : https://www.amazon.com/hit-They-Never-Taught-School/dp/1955242887 - Follow Jason on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jason-s-weiss - Follow Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjasonweiss/ Connect With Us: Uplevel your team’s learning: www.learnit.com Contact us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram

Have you ever stayed too long at a job, on a project, or even a relationship just because you already put so much into it? That’s the “Sunk Cost” fallacy at work. And it can quietly sabotage smart leaders, strong companies, and promising futures. In this solo episode, Damon unpacks how this psychological trap nearly cost his company half a million dollars and what finally gave him the clarity and courage to walk away. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the sunk cost fallacy really is (and how it shows up at work and in life) The project that taught Damon a $500K lesson Why walking away from the project freed Learnit to build something better How to overcome ego, pride, and emotional attachment A 5-step framework to help you know when to pull the plug The surprising office building decision that proved Damon had learned the lesson Timestamps: 00:00 – What is the sunk cost fallacy (and how it traps us) 01:00 – The $500K LMS mistake: why Damon didn’t walk away—until he had to 02:30 – Making the call: pulling the plug and letting the COO go 03:00 – Why it freed up time, money, and momentum to rebuild smarter 03:30 – Step 1: Name it—call the project or decision what it really is 03:45 – Step 2: Stop throwing good after bad 04:00 – Step 3: Put your pride in check and ditch the ego 04:20 – Step 4: Create a “go or no-go” line for any project 04:40 – Step 5: Pressure test with your team—would you start over again? 05:00 – Reframe your thinking: what do you gain by pivoting? 05:30 – Real estate edition: the office building they never moved into 06:15 – Final takeaway: tough decisions are the sign of a wise leader About Damon Lembi:   Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time.    Resources & Mentions: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

70% of college seniors with student debt say looming repayments will impact their career plans.The average graduate and oftentimes, their parents will endure 17 to 20 years of loan payments in efforts to become free from student debt. Our emerging workforce will comprise 75% of the workforce by 2025 making student debt a majority issue. Student debt isn’t just a financial burden, but it’s one of the biggest barriers to wealth creation in the modern workforce.In this episode, we’re joined by Laurel Taylor, founder and CEO of Candidly, to explore how addressing student debt is no longer optional. Laurel shares how her personal journey with debt led to a mission that’s already wiped out nearly $2 billion in liability and opened new pathways to first-time wealth.In This Episode You’ll Learn:Why student debt is now a business issue, not just a personal oneHow shame around debt stops employees from engaging in benefitsThe ROI companies are seeing when they address financial stressHow Candidly helps employers reduce turnover by up to 76%Laurel’s philosophy on risk, resilience, and the real cost of prideWhat it means to lead during wartime—and how her team stays agileHow AI is powering the next phase of financial wellnessTimestamps:00:00 – Laurel’s personal student debt story 01:28 – Why she founded Candidly 03:24 – The shame around student debt—and how it affects families 05:33 – Why debt is a workplace issue and not just a personal one 06:54 – What employers are missing in their benefits stack 07:46 – The staggering ROI of Candidly’s solution for employers 09:44 – Tax-free employer contributions and new retirement match rules 11:57 – How the sales cycle for Candidly evolved from 2016 to today 13:32 – Distribution through major financial services firms 15:01 – Laurel’s story of quitting Dell after one day 17:53 – “I have nothing to lose but my pride”: Laurel’s mindset shift 19:52 – How loss shaped Laurel’s perspective and mission 23:07 – Her framework for overcoming fear and taking risks 27:16 – Leading through chaos: student loan reform and AI adoption 29:40 – The real-time complexity of student loan programs 31:10 – Wartime CEO: how her team thrives through rapid change 32:36 – A three-week offsite to prototype AI-powered personalization 34:41 – Candidly’s next wave: AI + wealth creation at scale 36:47 – How to run a purposeful, high-impact team retreat 39:04 – Why ignoring student debt is no longer an option for CEOs 41:51 – Student debt and the retirement gap 42:56 – Candidly’s mission for the next decade: from debt to wealthAbout Laurel:Laurel Taylor is the CEO and Founder of Candidly. Laurel previously led a global business unit at Google and holds her MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree from Texas State University.  Laurel has experienced, first hand, the impact of missing out on two decades of compounding interest on wealth while paying down debt, between she and her highly educated mother. Thus, her path and purpose to solve the student debt, savings, and retirement savings crisis was born. As the market-leader, Candidly has generated over $1.2B of student debt impact as a workplace benefit, serving thousands of employers with an average population of 22,500 employees, distributed by the largest financial services companies in the world.Resources & Mentions:Learn more about Candidly: https://getcandidly.comConnect with Laurel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ltmit/ Secure 2.0 Act info: https://www.usbank.com/retirement-planning/financial-perspectives/saving-for-retirement-secure-act.html#:~:text=The%20SECURE%202.0%20Act%20mandates,basis%20to%20a%20Roth%20accountConnect With Us:Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

What happens when your lifelong career ends overnight? Most people panic. Steve Delsohn got to work. After 16 years at ESPN, multiple journalism awards, and a career-defining body of investigative work, Steve found himself laid off, just one day after winning two prestigious honors. In this episode, Steve opens up about the emotional and professional toll of being let go, how he transitioned into the world of PR without sacrificing his values, and why saying “no” to big opportunities is sometimes the most powerful move you can make. Whether you're facing a layoff, rethinking your next move, or trying to lead with more integrity, this conversation is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and doing meaningful work. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Steve went from journalism to building a purpose-driven PR firm The secret to pitching powerful stories that get noticed How to ask better questions (for interviews or leadership) What sports journalism taught him about truth, ethics, and standing firm Why networking is your greatest career asset His best advice for anyone transitioning careers Timestamps: 00:20 – Winning two awards… then getting laid off the next day  03:40 – The identity crisis after leaving ESPN  05:04 – Grieving the loss of a career you loved  07:45 – Ageism, niche jobs, and what really blocked new opportunities  09:39 – The almost-job at a PR firm repping Harvey Weinstein  11:42 – Launching Delsohn Strategies  12:19 – The ethical line Steve refuses to cross in business  14:22 – Why he turned down work with Daniel Snyder  16:01 – Where Steve’s values came from—and why he won’t compromise  18:06 – The biggest transferable skill from journalism to PR  20:55 – How Steve builds trust with high-profile clients  22:43 – The art of asking the right question  24:11 – What interviewers and leaders can learn from Joe Paterno  27:42 – Steve’s first book deal with John Matuszak  28:50 – The wild inside stories of Emmitt Smith and Jerry Jones  31:15 – Co-authoring a book about Sam Kinison  32:34 – How Steve prepared for investigative stories on giants like Penn State and UNC  36:18 – Stories of institutional betrayal and survivor justice  39:18 – Social media, journalism, and the danger of speed over truth  41:07 – Did he ever regret a published story?  42:05 – The Joe Paterno text message Steve caught on camera  47:14 – Advice for having difficult conversations  48:51 – Who Steve will and won’t work with at his PR firm  50:43 – Purpose, values, and building a client roster you’re proud of  51:02 – The underestimated power of networking  54:02 – Is he happier now than at ESPN?  About Steve: During his 30-plus years in journalism and communications, Steve Delsohn has built a national reputation as a network television reporter, nonfiction author, documentary producer, and strategic communications consultant.  Steve worked 16 years as an investigative reporter for ESPN TV’s Outside the Lines, the news magazine show which examines substantial issues in the sports world.  In 2013 he won a Peabody Award for a story on the concussion crisis in the NFL.  In 2009 he earned an EMMY nomination for a story on Joe Paterno’s morally-decaying Penn State football program.  He did other high-profile investigations of improper medical care in high school football; the dangers of 15-seat passenger vans which transport small-college athletes;  the academic fraud scandal at the University of North Carolina; corruption in the youth football helmet industry;  a college football coach who sold meth on the side;  and a female teenage athlete sexually assaulted while competing against boys during a high school water polo game. Steve has written 12 nonfiction books, including The Fire Inside, an oral history of American firefighters which inspired a History Channel documentary (Into the Fire) and was used as source material for the fictional film Ladder 49.   He has also written or co-written books on John Wayne, Bobby Knight, Sam Kinison, Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, Notre Dame football, the 1985 Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Dodgers and USC football.  He has co-produced one documentary on college basketball (Guru of Go) for ESPN’s esteemed 30 for 30 series, and the aforementioned documentary on firefighters for History Channel. Steve is a native of Chicago now living just outside Los Angeles.  His passions are reading, fitness, movies, politics...and above all his wife and three children. Resources & Mentions: Steve Delsohn’s PR Firm: https://www.delsohn.com/  Follow Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delsohnstrategies/  Cruisin’ with the Tooz by Steve Delsohn and John Matuszak: https://a.co/d/iBShV4M Jim Brown: Out of Bounds by Steve Delsohn: https://a.co/d/80SiLlu  Connect with Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/ 

When host Damon Lembi quit drinking, it had nothing to do with hitting rock bottom. Instead, it had everything to do with the future he wanted to create. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why Damon gave up alcohol (without hitting a dramatic low)The moment he realized he wasn’t showing up as the person he wanted to beA 5-step framework for making lasting change in your lifeHow to handle discomfort in social situations after a big changeWhat life felt like two weeks, two months, and nine years after quittingHow letting go of one habit helped Damon become a sharper leader, father, and authorTimestamps:00:00 – Damon’s personal story: why he quit drinking without a rock-bottom moment01:00 – The role alcohol played in his personal, professional, and social life02:00 – The turning point: noticing the impact on his health, energy, and finances03:00 – Reflecting on family: longevity, legacy, and leadership04:00 – Step 1: Get curious—books, conversations, and quiet exploration04:50 – Step 2: Journal—getting fears and hopes onto the page05:30 – Step 3: Tell someone—why accountability changed everything06:00 – Step 4: Commit—picking a date and making it real06:45 – Early challenges: awkward parties, AA meetings, and finding his own path07:50 – Step 5: Lean into discomfort—navigating social pressure and anxiety08:45 – What changed: sleep, clarity, confidence, and sharper decision-making09:30 – Why alcohol used to be a coping mechanism—and how Damon replaced it10:00 – The long-term impact on his career, health, and creativity10:45 – A final challenge for listeners: what’s holding you back?Connect With Us:Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram