How a Prison Sentence, 7 Rejections, and 1 "Yes" Changed the World
My interview with Damon West
The Story That Changed Everything
On January 11, 2017, former Division I quarterback turned ex-convict Damon West stood in the Toyota Center in Houston, facing the biggest moment of his comeback attempt. Living in his parents' spare bedroom at 42, on parole for life after serving time for organized crime, he had one shot to pitch his story to the eight best college football coaches in America.
Seven coaches rejected him in one hour. Standing ten feet from the exit, ready to give up, Damon made a choice that would eventually impact millions of lives worldwide.
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The Final Shot: Dabo Swinney and Clemson
Instead of leaving, Damon "stalked" the eighth coach around the room—Dabo Swinney, whose Clemson team had just beaten Alabama for the national championship. The pitch looked "more like a stick-up than a presentation," but Dabo took his card and said he'd "check him out."
Four months later, an email arrived: Clemson wanted him to speak to their team.
On August 1, 2017, Damon delivered his presentation to the defending national champions. Dabo's response changed everything: "That's the most amazing story I've ever heard. I've never seen my players respond like that to a speaker."
That night, Dabo texted Nick Saban. The next day, Alabama called.
Connect with Damon West
Website: https://damonwest.org
The Coffee Bean Book: https://amzn.to/4l35zu6
6 Dimes and a Nickel Book: https://amzn.to/4metOq3
The Domino Effect
Dabo Swinney didn't just give Damon one opportunity—he opened every door in college football. Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Chip Kelly, Lane Kiffin, Ryan Day—every major coach started calling.
In 2018, bestselling author John Gordon heard Damon's story at Clemson and proposed they write a book together. "The Coffee Bean" was published in 2019, became a global bestseller, and was translated into every major language just in time for 2020.
When the pandemic hit and the world became "a pot of boiling water," millions discovered the coffee bean message exactly when they needed it most.
The Coffee Bean: A Lesson from Dallas County Jail
The metaphor that would eventually reach the world came from an unlikely source. In 2009, while awaiting his prison sentence, Damon met Mohammed, an older Black Muslim career criminal who was also the most positive person he'd ever encountered.
Mohammed taught him about three responses to adversity using the metaphor of a pot of boiling water:
The Carrot: Goes in hard and firm, comes out soft and weak.
The Egg: Protected by a shell on the outside, but the heart becomes hardened inside.
The Coffee Bean: Doesn't get changed by the hot water—it changes the hot water. It makes it better. It turns it into coffee.
"You can be a coffee bean too," Mohammed told him. "You can go into that prison and make that prison better because you were there."
Key Principles for Transformation
Stop Listening to Fear: "Fear is a liar. Instead of listening to myself, I talked to myself."
Fight All Your Fights: "You don't have to win all your fights, but you do have to fight all your fights."
Don't Quit Before the Miracle: "The miracle happens whenever it's bigger than what you could ever dream."
Choose Your Response: Every day we face the choice—will we be the carrot, the egg, or the coffee bean?
The New Book: Six Dimes and a Nickel
Damon's latest book takes its title from prison slang for his 65-year sentence (six dimes and a nickel). It opens with a powerful question: "If someone took control of your life tomorrow, what's the first thing that would change?"
The book provides the principles, stories, and applications that helped Damon not only make that change but hold onto it.
The Miracle Defined
From a life sentence to global bestseller. From seven rejections in one hour to speaking 20-25 days a month around the world. From a Dallas County jail cell to a message that reached millions during humanity's darkest hour.
"I tell my wife every day, I can't believe this is my life," Damon reflects. "It's when you stand up and say, 'My God, I didn't just hit the goal. I hit way past the goal.'"
The Takeaway
Damon West's story proves that no matter how many rejections you've faced, no matter how close you are to giving up, the miracle might be just one "yes" away. The question isn't whether life will put you in boiling water—it's whether you'll choose to be a coffee bean and transform your environment for the better.
As Wayne Gretzky said, "You miss 100% of the shots you do not take."
Don't quit before the miracle happens.
This is the way.
Hanley