6 Unforgettable Lessons That 6 Years In Prison Taught What does it take to rebuild your life when you’ve lost everything? At just 21, Shawn Balva went from top football prospect to facing 40 years in prison. But prison didn’t break him, it built him. In solitary confinement, he found faith. In structure, he found purpose. And through it all, he transformed from inmate to mentor. I sat down with Shawn to unpack how pain, discipline, and spiritual conviction reshaped his identity, and how he’s now helping others find redemption in their own story. In this episode of Common Denominator, I unpack:
- The first prayer that sparked Shawn’s spiritual awakening
- What prison taught him about leadership, identity, and mindset
- Why true change starts with structure and self-respect
- How he turned isolation into authorship and impact
