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The Other Side of Potential
Over time, the conversations we choose to have begin to reflect what matters most.
If you’ve been part of this podcast, you’ve heard me speak about human development, systems thinking, and the ways we make meaning of our lives and work. That work continues—and remains at the core of my coaching and professional practice.
What has changed is the space where I am choosing to have a different kind of conversation.
After the death of my son, Michael, I felt called to create a more personal place—one that speaks directly to the experience of loss, and to the questions that emerge when life no longer looks the way it once did.
That space is now Beyond the Loss.
This podcast is for parents who have lost a child, and for those who support them. It is not about fixing grief or finding closure, but about understanding how we continue to live, to make meaning, and to become—after loss.
If you are looking for my current podcast,
you will now find me there.
I invite you to join me on Beyond the Loss.
You are welcome.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wqQ8MwCty4eJAiZ8VroUV?si=0b4c5d3bab6a4b64
The Other Side of Potential
Episode 347: Best Of: Rewiring Mindset After Trauma—A Comeback Story with Dan MacQueen
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In this powerful and inspiring "best of" episode, Dr. Sharon Spano talks with Dan MacQueen, a former tech implementation specialist whose life was turned upside down by a sudden, life-threatening brain hemorrhage. What followed was not only a fight for survival but a journey of radical transformation.
Dan shares how he rebuilt his body, mind, and career—one step at a time—and how mindset played a key role in his recovery. Through discipline, gratitude, and goal-setting, Dan created a new life rooted in purpose, coaching others to rise from their own setbacks.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How a sudden brain hemorrhage led to Dan’s near-death experience
- Why small, consistent goals were the foundation of his physical and mental recovery
- How mindset and accountability fuel resilience
- The key role of gratitude in maintaining a healthy outlook during dark times
- Why Dan calls his health scare the “best thing that ever happened” to him
- The connection between movement, momentum, and meaning
- How Dan transitioned from marketing to public speaking and coaching
- Strategies for rebuilding confidence after trauma or life interruption
- What it really means to “own your comeback”
- How you can transform personal setbacks into platforms for service
Transcript: Here
Additional Resources:
Website: macqueendan.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/macqueendan
Twitter: @macqueendan
Instagram: instagram.com/macqueendan
Sharon Spano:
Website: sharonspano.com
Facebook: facebook.com/SharonSpanoPHD
Instagram: instagram.com/drsharonspano/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sharonspano/
Book: thetimemoneybook.com
Contact: sharon@sharonspano.com
Substack: substack.com/@drsharon
The Other Side of Potential Podcast: sharonspano.com/podcast/