094: Sean Evangelista – Climbing Back Up from the Bottom, with Sean Evangelista

June 10, 2019

Sean Evangelista

Sean Evangelista is a former member of the U.S. Navy Seals, an entrepreneur and the owner of “Thirty Seconds Out”, a unique apparel company offering commando-inspired t-shirt and cap designs as well as other military-related items. Sean had a difficult and troubled childhood, but he managed to turn his life around after high school and went on to find success both during and after his military career.

During Sean’s military service, he experienced numerous dangerous active combat situations that resulted in more than thirty broken bones and even brain injuries. However, through a combination of perseverance and good fortune, Sean was able to survive these difficult situations and retire from a distinguished career. Now, Sean is devoted to operating Thirty Seconds Out and experiencing every new adventure life has to offer.

On this very inspirational podcast episode of Finding Your Summit, Sean shares how growing up with an abusive stepfather and being molested by a neighborhood boy set his life on a path of lashing out and self-destructive behavior, and he discusses how his time in the military helped him right his course again. Sean’s powerful story is one of survival and overcoming challenges, and I hope you’ll take as much encouragement from this motivational podcast episode as I have.

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What You Will Learn:

  • Sean shares his difficult story of growing up in San Francisco with an absentee father. He discusses his mother’s abusive second marriage, and being molested by a neighbor’s son.
  • Sean discusses his mother’s third husband, who became a powerful role model for Sean’s views on strength and stability. He shares how the sense of security he got from his stepfather inspired him to go into the military himself.
  • Hear how Sean was put into a “scared straight” program in high school after struggling with severe behavior issues. Sean also talks about his decision to join the military after high school.
  • Sean talks about how the September 11 terrorist attacks dramatically changed his military life and the experiences he had during his service. He discusses his threat-mitigation assignments, and he shares why working with high-caliber people was so inspiring to him.
  • Sean discusses transitioning to a post-military life, including settling in Idaho and joining the ski patrol. He shares why he chose to start his company, Thirty Seconds Out, and how he comes up with his apparel designs. Sean talks about how he’s learning the process of being a business owner.

Links to Additional Resources

Racing to the Bottom

You know by now that the purpose of my motivational podcast is to bring you stories of overcoming obstacles and finding triumph. Few stories bring this truth into focus more than that of Sean Evangelista. The pain of experiencing childhood abuse resulted in Sean lashing out with aggressive behavior in school and abusing drugs and alcohol to dull the hurt. Sean’s life was on a dangerous downward spiral toward rock bottom.

However, when his stepfather came into Sean’s life, he offered an example of a different way to live with honor, duty and self-respect. This proved to be the vital turning point in Sean’s life, giving him a model for following a better path. After high school, Sean followed in his stepfather’s footsteps with military service, and it completely turned the course of Sean’s life around. Sean’s story of overcoming hurt and finding peace is sure to be one of the best motivational podcast episodes you’re likely to hear.

Climbing to the Top

The skills, training and discipline Sean gained during his military career were critical in allowing him to overcome his demons and course-correct his prospects in life. These powerful values have allowed Sean to thrive in his post-service life and have worked their way into his business, Thirty Seconds Out.

Sean overcame the demons of his childhood and went on to serve with honor in the Navy Seals. He overcame the physical and mental dangers of combat during his service, and he triumphed over the bodily injuries he sustained. Now, he’s conquering entrepreneurship and the challenges of learning to run and manage his business. Sean is a living example of the message Finding Your Summit is all about: pushing through every obstacle to become the best version of yourself and realize your own potential.

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