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Spiritual Growth Is Harder Than The NFL (Eben Britton)
A convo on transforming yourself when you're at rock bottom
Scott Britton
August 07, 2025
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“Anything is possible, truly, if you're willing to take the step and have faith. There's a lot of faith involved, you know? It's being the fool, man, if you're into tarot. It's being the fool. You're blissfully, you know, just head tilted to the warmth and the light of the sun, walking on the edge of the cliff. You know, your next step might be right over the edge, but are you going to walk on air? You might, man. You might. You have to trust. You have to have faith.“ (53:58 in this cast)
Eben Britton is a former NFL offensive lineman turned yogi, healer, and podcast host who has spent the last decade transforming pain into purpose. He also has a tremendous last name ; )
After a six-year NFL career, he found himself standing at the edge of collapse only to find the start of something far greater. In this conversation, he shares that rock bottom isn't the end of your story. It's often the beginning of your real one.
What struck me most about our chat is how Eben has learned to treat every breakdown as a breakthrough in disguise, transforming his most painful moments into his greatest sources of wisdom and service.
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This episode is great for:
Anyone experiencing a major life transition or identity crisis
People struggling with addictive patterns or numbing behaviors
High achievers who feel spiritually empty despite external success
Anyone who's "gotten their ass kicked by life" recently
People caught between spiritual bypassing and practical responsibility
Ideas that really stuck out to me:
Your escape valves eventually become mirrors to what you're avoiding. Eben describes how all his coping mechanisms such as alcohol, cannabis, porn, and excessive exercise suddenly stopped working as distractions. They became gateways to the reality that he was choosing. As he said, “When your numbing strategies fail, that's life forcing you to face what needs healing.”
Rock bottom strips away illusions about getting somewhere. After years of spiritual practice, he thought he was on top of the mountain until life knocked him down again. He realized that his journey has shown him to get out of that illusion of getting somewhere and finding the divine in the moment.
Brutal honesty about your choices reclaims your power. A conversation with a homeless man showed Eben a hard truth that we spend enormous energy blaming circumstances, other people, or bad luck for our problems rather than examining our own decisions. Taking ownership isn't about beating yourself up, it's about accepting that you have the power to create a different reality.
Sometimes you need to turn everything down to zero. After his divorce and losing his sense of purpose. He intentionally entered a period where his days were waking up, meditating, having a cup of coffee, reading a book, and drawing in a notepad. This radical pause allowed him to rediscover what genuinely motivated him versus what he thought he should be doing.
Work and purpose don't have to be identical. He pushes back against the cultural pressure that says you must monetize what you love. Work can just be work. It's perfectly honorable to clock in, do your job well, and take care of your responsibilities while your true purpose unfolds in ways that have nothing to do with your paycheck.
You can't game the system of being human. He questions the relentless pressure to make every passion profitable. Work can serve the practical purpose of paying bills and providing stability which is completely valid. Your soul's work might happen in the spaces between. Through parenting, mentoring, or contributing to your community in ways that never touch your bank account.
What I love about Eben's story is how it demonstrates that spiritual awakening isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process of showing up authentically, even when life repeatedly knocks you down.
He's living proof that rock bottom isn't a dead end. It's often the solid foundation from which you build something real.
Whether you're in your own version of rock bottom or simply tired of running from life's harder lessons, Eben's approach offers both hope and practical tools for transformation. Because sometimes the most powerful teachers come disguised as our worst days.
I hope you enjoy this conversation!
- Scott
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Episode Transcript
Show Notes
00:00 - The Journey Begins: From Football to Spiritual Awakening
09:21 - Facing Inner Demons: The Struggle with Addiction
19:17 - The Illusion of Progress: Finding Clarity in Chaos
28:37 - Taking Responsibility: The Power of Choice
38:07 - Navigating Life's Crossroads: Trusting Your Inner Guidance
47:47 - The Balance of Work and Purpose: Finding Meaning in Action