Before we get to the interview I just did, I want to remind you that my new book, THINK BIG TO WIN BIG, is out now. Here’s what readers are saying about it…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I Loved This Book!
“Think Big to Win Big just might be my favorite of the series. … It filled my heart and inspired me to have faith, to think bigger, to win bigger, and to be a better man.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the most motivational books I’ve ever read!
“As a person who works in sales, I need to constantly feed my mind positive material. Think Big to Win Big is one of the most motivational books I’ve read. … This book left me feeling fired up!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Awesome Book.
“I’ve read all of his books. This one is my favorite. Highly recommended!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Must Read.
“I’m a fan of the Sports for the Soul series and this is another fantastic book to add to the collection. … This book exudes motivation and reminds me to continue to thrive for bigger and better. … You won’t be disappointed!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Couldn’t put it down, again.
“Have read every book in the series and believe this one is the best of the best. Give it a try and think big.”
You can read all the reviews and grab your copy of Think Big to Win Big here.
Thank you for your support and for reading my books!
Now, onto the interview I just did…
The Book That Inspired Me to Write, The Movies That Changed My Life, Answering the Critics, and More…
I was recently interviewed by Jared Morrison and featured in his newsletter, Sunrise Stories. He asked some thought-provoking question I thought you might be interested in. Here’s the interview:
Darrin Donnelly is the bestselling author of the Sports for the Soul series. His books have garnered thousands of reviews on Amazon, and influenced countless more, including professional athletes and leaders in personal development. He was gracious enough to join me for an exclusive interview for Sunrise Stories subscribers!
Was there a specific book that inspired you to write?
The first motivational book I ever read was called Winning Every Day by Lou Holtz. I was in college at the time, and I bought the book because I was a big Notre Dame football fan (Holtz had recently retired as their head coach) and not necessarily because I was looking for a self-help book. Well, that book changed my life. It really motivated me and challenged my thinking. He talked about the awesome power of your attitude and your self-image, the importance of setting big goals, fighting through adversity, and how you have to chase your biggest dreams.
That book made me think anything was possible if I worked hard, believed in myself, and refused to quit. It’s still a go-to book for me. I re-read it often.
So, that book inspired me to chase my dreams, which for me meant starting my own business and eventually becoming a writer.
Is there a book/film/piece of art that changed your life, or view of the world?
Yes, when I was a kid growing up in the ‘80s, my brothers and I were obsessed with Rocky movies. We would watch them over and over. I remember my dad explaining to us that Sylvester Stallone was not only an actor in those movies, but that he had actually written the stories. I remember thinking way back then, “That’s what I want to do when I grow up. I want to write stories like that.”
As mentioned, your book Relentless Optimism was a particular game-changer for me. Two questions from this—why do you think optimism/positive thinking is so misunderstood/lampooned in our culture, and what would you say to counter that?
This is a great question. I think a lot of people hear “positive thinking” and think of someone ignoring reality, burying their head in the sand, thinking, “Oh, if I just think positive thoughts, nothing bad will ever happen to me.” To me, that’s delusional thinking, not positive thinking.
Positive thinking is about how you respond to adversity, which is an inevitable part of life. It means responding with an empowering, I-will-find-a-way mentality instead of a cynical, what’s-the-use mentality.
When faced with a problem, positive thinkers believe the problem is temporary, that even if it’s a big problem it doesn’t have to affect every area of their life and there are still things to be grateful for, and, finally, that they have the power to do something about the problem.
Positive thinking is about having a hopeful, empowering view of life, believing that things can and will get better no matter what obstacle you are facing. It’s knowing you have the power to change your life by making different choices.
That’s what real positive thinking is, and there have been numerous studies showing that people who adopt that mindset tend to live longer, healthier, happier, and more successful lives. The data is overwhelming.
I’m working on a non-fiction book called The 10-Minute Time Machine, and its premise is my next question: thinking back on a time of your life where you had no idea what was about to happen next, a time perhaps when optimism and resilience failed you. If you had a time machine that could take you back to that moment, for ten minutes only, what would you say to that version of yourself?
I would say: Focus only on what you can control.
When things are going bad, we all have a tendency to dwell on or worry about all the things we have zero control over, either what has already happened or fears about the bad things that might happen in the future. There is something calming and empowering about recognizing when we’re too focused on the things we can’t control. We have to let those things go.
When we’re worried or angry about something, we have to ask ourselves, “Can I control this?” And if the answer is no, then we need to shift to what we CAN control. And that means your effort and your attitude in the present moment. Once we focus on those two things, we can get back on track.
So, that’s what I would say. Let go of what you can’t control and focus on what you can: your effort and your attitude.
Favorite feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
I’ve received so many great emails and reviews from readers sharing their stories about how my books impacted them. It’s such a great feeling and I’m so grateful for each of them. They always encourage me and remind me that this is what I’m supposed to be doing with my life.
To share a few, I’ve heard from readers who said my books turned their life around and helped them change their outlook on life, land their dream jobs, things like that.
I’ve heard from some who said my books motivated them to get in shape, and some of those transformations have been incredible.
I’ve heard from some who say they read my books when going through things like battling cancer and it encouraged them to keep fighting.
I’ve heard from professional athletes and coaches; one baseball player told me he read Relentless Optimism when he was struggling in the minors and the book changed his attitude and motivated him to continue. He ended up making a Major League roster the next year and he’s had an impressive Major League career.
Just a few months ago Saquon Barkley was telling reporters about how much he liked my book Victory Favors the Fearless and the impact it was having on his mentality heading into this NFL season.
All those things are awesome to hear.
But probably the most impactful reader review I’ve read was when someone said my book saved them from suicide. That was just amazing and had such an impact on me. Again, I took it as confirmation that I’m doing what God made me to do with these books.
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Thank you to Jared Morrison for interviewing me and asking such thoughtful questions. You can read the full issue my interview appeared in and (and join his free newsletter) here.
As always, thank you for your continued support, and don’t forget to check out my new book, Think Big to Win Big!
