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Dr. David Griffin: ‘The success in my life has come from the worst day of my life’

The Charleston, S.C., chief reflects on his journey from the trauma of the Sofa Super Store fire tragedy to finding – and living – his growth-focused mission

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Dr. David Griffin, assistant chief of administration in Charleston, S.C., joins Better Every Shift this week, sharing powerful lessons learned from the tragic Sofa Super Store fire where nine of his fellow firefighters died; his journey trying to find himself and his mission after the tragedy; how he resurfaced his love of learning; and how he manages to keep all the plates spinning.

Plus, we get into all this: Griffin’s initial resistance to change following the fire; acknowledging why so many members retired after the incident; the various coping mechanisms he tried following the deadly incident, including MMA; and his subsequent realization about not knowing what he didn’t know – and diving head-first into absorbing training and operations resources.

What else

  • Don’t miss: The power of combining years of operational experience with a “super nerd” appetite for learning
  • Episode power quote: “My day doesn’t manage me. I manage my day.”
  • Hot seat sneak peek: His favorite tattoo – and its deeply personal meaning – plus his first time smoking a steak

Resources we mentioned on the show

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