What does it really mean to design your own destiny? In this episode of Legendary Leaders Podcast, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Donzel Leggett—former Fortune 200 executive, author of Make Your Destiny Happen, and founder of Destiny Development Delta whose career has spanned three decades of transformational global leadership.

From his Key West roots to the pivotal moment he walked away from professional football, Donzel shares how he turned missed opportunities and painful kicks in the butt into clarity about his calling. With warmth and honesty, he opens up about the weight of expectations, the courage to challenge them, and how a life plan created at 24 has guided everything since—including losing 90 pounds in four months and bouncing back from a million-dollar business failure that shaped his next chapter.

Together, Cathleen and Donzel explore the difference between change and transformation, why spending time with yourself is the most radical act of leadership, and how his Destiny Development Delta model helps people stop leaving life to chance. This conversation is for anyone ready to lead themselves with intention, passion, and purpose.

Episode Timeline:

04:49 Growing up in Key West: lessons in diversity and strong women leaders

07:41 College football and missed opportunities to lead teammates

10:12 Creating a life plan at 24—and what destiny really means

15:11 Challenging expectations: when others' dreams don't match your own

23:34 Walking away from professional football and the emotional fallout

30:36 Three pivotal moments: football, fatherhood, and finding his calling

36:14 Recognizing your calling: the feeling you can't ignore

40:45 Why 90% of people can't answer where they want to be in 10 years

47:06 First steps to self-leadership—even when life feels overwhelming

52:19 Getting back on track: losing 90 pounds and finding balance

55:44 The restaurant that failed—and the million-dollar MBA

01:01:20 The Destiny Development Delta model: A-Attitudes and iLead Change

01:04:23 Change vs. transformation: chameleon or butterfly?

01:09:05 Transformation as an iterative journey through life's shifts

01:13:32 What's next: spreading hope around the world

Key Takeaway:

• Creating Your Own Destiny: Donzel challenges the idea that destiny is predetermined—it's something you design by getting clear on what you want, building a life plan, and taking sustained action.

• Leading Yourself First: Leadership isn't about titles or hierarchy—it's about taking charge of your own life, whether you're an executive, a barber, or a stay-at-home parent.

• Transformation vs. Change: Real transformation means becoming something different (like a caterpillar to butterfly), not just making adjustments—and it starts with spending time with yourself to uncover what you truly want.

• The Power of a Life Plan: Donzel created his life plan at 24 and has followed it for over 30 years, showing how vision plus intentional action creates both success and fulfillment.

• Learning from Failure: From walking away from football to losing a million dollars on a restaurant, Donzel shows how reframing failure as learning and taking accountability fuels growth and resilience.

About Donzel Leggett:

Donzel Leggett is a global operations and leadership executive with over 30 years of experience leading large-scale teams and operations in consumer products companies, including a 28-year tenure at General Mills. He is the Principal and Founder of Destiny Development Delta, LLC, where he coaches executives and teams to unlock their full potential and build inclusive, high-performing cultures. He is the author of Make Your Destiny Happen, a transformational framework for designing and living a purposeful life. Known for driving exceptional results while uplifting people, his leadership approach centers on authenticity, accountability, and helping others take charge of their destinies. Donzel's mission is to inspire people globally to transform their leadership, envision their future, and take sustained action to make it reality.

Connect with Donzel Leggett:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donzelleggett/

Facebook (Donzel Leggett): https://www.facebook.com/donzel.leggett.9/

Facebook (Destiny Dev Delta): https://www.facebook.com/destinydevdelta

Instagram (Donzel Leggett) https://www.instagram.com/donzel_leggett/

Linktree: https://li nktr.ee/destinydevdelta

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DonzelLeggett

Make Your Destiny Happen Petite Podcast: https://feeds.captivate.fm/make-your-destiny-happen/

Website: https://destinydevdelta.com/

Make Your Destiny Happen Book: https://www.makeyourdestinyhappen.com

Connect with Cathleen O'Sullivan:

Business: https://cathleenosullivan.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleen-osullivan/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendary_leaders_cathleenos/

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