Episode 161 The Power of the Human Soul – Interview: Todd Sylvester
Episode 161 The Power of the Human Soul - Interview: Todd Sylvester
Today let’s gather around the technological campfire and hear the story of Todd Sylvester, addict turned inspiration. How does our hero come to be addicted to drugs and alcohol as a teen and how did he find his way out of that dark hole? What led him to try and help teens and young people not make his same mistakes and instead take hope in who they are?
Stay tuned. His story is featured in Simon Sinek’s new book, “Find Your Why,” and today we’ll get a sneak peak at HIS why.
Todd Sylvester learned that the human soul is more powerful than addiction after he beat his own addiction over 25 years ago. In 1989 he founded the non-profit, anti-drug entity Sly Dog “Drug Free That’s Me, which features a sought after education program for elementary schools. This program has encouraged over 100 thousand school-age students while emphasizing principles of positive self-talk (the stories we’re telling ourselves), personal commitment, goal setting and character building. He’s a podcaster, author, speaker and inspiration.
When I heard you speak at a conference up at the University of Utah last year I loved your 4 Life Changing Principles because they were right up my alley – you were preaching to the preacher, so I want you to share those, but before you do can you tell us your story?
Tune into the audio program to hear Todd's story - how he got started, what rock bottom looked like, and the little girl that helped pull him out of his hole.
No one grows up thinking “I want to be an addict when I grow up and lose control over my own choices.” But somehow lots and lots of people end up walking that messy, destructive path. There are lots of things we can get addicted to, and the tragedy with addiction is the way something else takes over our body and our agency. A few months ago I had a friend who fell off the wagon after years of being drug-free. That one decision did serious damage to his career, his bank account, his family relationships, his self respect, and a number of other things he’d been developing in his life. The saying goes, “Once and addict, always an addict,” and so we see the importance of not starting that battle in the first place, or life becomes a constant struggle on and off the wagon. I love Todd’s work because these lessons – the loss and destruction that accompanies addiction, are not ones that we want anyone to have to learn. If we, as people, can be taught, as children, the importance of not stepping anywhere near this path, entire lives can be saved and massive heartache avoided.
If you feel Todd’s story could warn or help anyone you know, please pass it along to them. If you have a local elementary school where his program could help children, maybe look into it and pass it along.
To contact Todd:
@tsinspires
#beliefcast
As I sign off today I want to shamelessly plug my book: LIFE Living Intentional and Fearless Everyday. The 21 Life Connection Challenges. If you haven’t got your copy, hop on Amazon or the website: loveyourstorypodcast.com and get a copy for you and your family, or your book club or your ladies group. If you make a video of you and your group doing the challenges and send it to me, I’ll send out free Love Your Story t-shirts your way. Send your link to lorijlee@msn.com I’d LOVE to see what you guys are doing out there with the challenges.
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