My friend John Mabry has been a leg amputee for more than 25 years. He's a former Hollywood actor and stuntman, an inventor, a public speaker, and a life strategist. In this conversation, he shares how he spent most of his life performing perfectly in public and perishing in private.

John walks me through the car accident that changed everything just before he graduated from Baylor, choosing to amputate his leg a year later, and the pain pills and the Adderall prescription that was written at three times his dose. He talks about Hollywood, finding his brother after a drug overdose, his marriage ending, and the night during COVID when he wanted to check out. A friend sat with him and asked one question: can you start with a shower?

From that moment came the framework John uses today: acknowledge something's going on, choose somebody to tell, and tell them now. He also shares how Celebrate Recovery, a Christ-centered 12-step group, gave him the consistency and accountability he'd never had, and the HERO check-in he now uses with the leaders he coaches.

This episode includes discussion of addiction, a fatal overdose, and thoughts of suicide. If you're in the US and you're struggling, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Every brain deserves a plan that fits. If you'd like support building rhythms that work with your brain, try the 30-day free trial of the Think Time membership, where we plan weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly together. Or hop on a free call with me and we can talk through what you need.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

02:20 Who John was at eight

05:40 Class clown, Baylor, and the entitled side

10:40 The crash, and crawling back in for his friends

15:20 Choosing amputation, grad school, and numbing out

19:06 ADHD, Adderall, and a prescription error

24:00 Hollywood, and performing perfectly in public

28:26 Rock bottom, and starting with a shower

32:53 His brother, silence, and Celebrate Recovery

37:28 HERO, and where to find John

Listen & connect

John Mabry: Website · Instagram · Facebook · LinkedIn

Christine: Instagram · TikTok · LinkedIn

Think Time®: Website · Free Training · Instagram · YouTube · TikTok · LinkedIn

Hyperfocus & High Performance: Listen Here

This podcast is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for individualized medical, mental health, or professional care. Every brain is different, and results will vary.