Interviews

The NFL Playbook to Winning (in Life & Business) with Shawn Harper

Shawn Harper is a 7-year NFL veteran and CEO of a multi-million-dollar security services firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Tyler O'Shea

Published

September 20, 2019

“When you get knocked down…if you can look up, you can get up. You get up, dust yourself off, and you get back in the game.”
– Shawn Harper

Shawn Harper (@shawnharper075) is a former NFL offensive lineman who played a total of seven seasons with the Rams, Colts, Oilers, and NFL Europe. He’s also the CEO of a multi-million-dollar security services firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

But before he was blocking pass-rushers on an NFL field, Shawn was just a kid with a dream. In fact, he barely started in high school sports and played a total of one play his entire first year of junior college.

In our conversation, Shawn talks about the shift that took his game to the next level and how he applied that mindset to win in life and business.

Listen to Shawn’s amazing story by tapping the play button below. Or tap the icon of your favorite podcast platform to listen on the go!

Show Notes

[3:01] No ordinary childhood

[9:05] The NFL mindset shift

[13:10] What separates an average player from a superstar?

[20:16] Remembering NFL Europe

[26:07] Transitioning from football to business

[33:45] Two principles for winning in life

After Listening…

You can download Shawn’s new book, The Winning Edge, completely free right here. To find out more about Shawn’s speaking events, check out his site ShawnHarper.org.

Check out these related episodes:

Jim “The Rookie” Morris on Living Your Dreams

Escaping Gang Life & Transcending The Past with Raymond Power

In this article:

Written By Tyler O'Shea

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.