What happens when the role you’ve always identified with disappears? When you’re no longer “the athlete,” “the coach,” or “the strong one”? In this episode, Justin Burns dives into the raw reality of losing your identity and learning to rebuild from the inside out.

Through his own journey of loss and rediscovery, he explores how purpose can survive even when titles and abilities fade—and why true identity isn’t something you earn, it’s something you uncover.

True leadership isn’t about control—it’s about character. In this episode, Justin Burns breaks down what it means to lead with purpose, humility, and heart—both in sport and in life.

Drawing from years of coaching and personal experience, he explores how great leaders build trust, inspire others through action, and create a standard that lasts long after the final whistle.

Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or father, this episode will help you redefine leadership beyond titles and into daily example.

We all say we’re going to start tomorrow. But too often, tomorrow never comes. In this episode of Through the Crucible, I break down the intention-action gap—the space between what we say we’ll do and what we actually do.

Drawing from my own life-or-death crucible and years of coaching athletes, I share why most men get stuck in the gap, the hidden fears that keep us from following through, and practical strategies to finally align your actions with your intentions.

If you’ve ever struggled with procrastination, discipline, or keeping promises to yourself, this episode will give you the tools to bridge the gap and start living with integrity and purpose today.

Grief changes you. Loss—whether it’s health, identity, a loved one, or the life you thought you’d have—leaves scars that never fully go away. In this episode of Through the Crucible, I open up about the role grief has played in my journey, and how I’ve learned to carry it instead of letting it crush me.

We’ll talk about why most men don’t process loss in healthy ways, how athletes often avoid grief by burying themselves in performance, and what it really means to grow stronger because of the pain. If you’ve faced grief, trauma, or loss, this conversation is about finding strength in the fire.

Strength isn’t just measured in the gym—it’s tested in everyday life. In this episode, I share how my definition of strength changed after my health crisis, and why real power comes from resilience, discipline, and identity. Athletes, coaches, and fathers will learn how to build lasting strength that goes far beyond muscle.

Surviving my time on life support was only the beginning. The real challenge came afterward—rebuilding my body, mind, and identity from the ground up. In this episode, I break down the Comeback Mindset: the framework I used to recover from a near-death experience and turn weakness into strength.

Whether you’re an athlete facing injuries, a father learning resilience, or someone fighting through life’s toughest setbacks, this episode gives you practical tools to rise again. You’ll learn why motivation isn’t enough, how to close the gap between intention and action, and how to turn adversity into fuel for growth.

This is more than a comeback—it’s a blueprint for becoming unbreakable.

This is the first episode of the podcast. It is unedited, no music, and simply raw.

In December 2024, everything changed. What doctors first misdiagnosed as an ulcer turned out to be bleeding in my esophagus. My body crashed, my blood count plummeted, and I spent nine days on life support. I shouldn’t have made it—but I did.

This episode is where I share the full story: the pain, the fight, and the perspective I gained from nearly losing it all. It’s the beginning of my comeback, and the reason I’m here today to talk about strength, resilience, and the will to keep going.