We recently had the chance to connect with Donny-Joshua Felix and have shared our conversation below.
Donny-Joshua, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day start pretty simply. I get out of bed and head straight to my desk for my Morning Pages. That’s just dumping all my thoughts onto paper for three full pages—it usually takes me around 45 to 55 minutes.
For the first 15 minutes of writing, I also do red light therapy, which helps with recovery, skin health, and just overall energy.
Once I’m done journaling, I move into my daily affirmations. After that, I’ll throw on a motivational video—usually something from Eric Thomas, Nipsey Hussle, or Kobe Bryant. It’s all about reinforcing the mindset I’m building every day.
By the time that’s done, I’m ready to really start my day—usually with some music and a shower to get fully locked in.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Donny-Joshua Felix, a former Division I soccer athlete from Howard University who transitioned from chasing a professional career on the field to helping others unlock their potential off it. My journey started at DBC Fitness, where I gained hands-on experience working with everyone from youth athletes to elite NBA, NFL, and MLS players.
Now, I’m a Performance Coach and Speaker, focusing on both sports performance and lifestyle—helping people improve their physical health, mental resilience, and overall well-being. I’m passionate about inspiring athletes, youth, and school communities through talks that promote discipline, self-mastery, and purpose-driven living.
Right now, I’m also working on creating a personal journal inspired by my own daily practices with affirmations and Morning Pages—something that’s played a huge role in my growth and mindset over the years.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest feeling of power came the summer of my senior year. I stayed in D.C. and committed to training five days a week, twice a day, and playing games on the weekends. That summer, I truly understood what consistency meant and how much it could transform you. I fell in love with pushing my limits and spending time alone, fully locked in on my growth.
My self-perception completely shifted. I watched myself reach a whole new level of fitness and went into preseason passing every fitness test with ease. It was a feeling like no other—pure pride in knowing I had put in the work and earned every bit of it.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Some of the defining wounds of my life came from things kids said about me in middle and high school, along with the fact that I didn’t take school seriously and was just getting by. I definitely internalized a lot of the things kids made fun of me for. It wasn’t that I was bullied—I could handle what was said on the surface and even dish it back as a defense. But deep down, I started to believe those negative things, and I carried them for a while.
My deepest wound, though, was feeling like I wasted my time in school because I only ever aimed to get by. I never really studied, I wasn’t prepared for tests, and I didn’t put effort into assignments—but I was really good at finding ways to skate through. After college, I realized I had only hurt myself with that mindset.
I healed that wound by becoming obsessed with learning—constantly reading, seeking new information, and exposing myself to new mindsets. Journaling became a tool to rewrite the way I saw myself and to convince myself of the beliefs I wanted to live by.
These days, I’ve healed those wounds through loving myself fully, spending time alone, training, praying, and truly getting to know who I am beyond what anyone else says or thinks. Most importantly, I’ve found deeper healing through praying and spending intentional time with God.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Hell yeah! I’m super true to who I am and I definitely practice what I preach. I’m genuinely obsessed with trying to be great and becoming the best version of myself. That doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes or that I’m perfect, but for the most part, what you see is what you get.
If you really get to know me, I’m probably more chill than I seem online. On social media, I share a lot of positivity and mindset-driven content, but in person, I’m pretty calm and more of an observer. Lately, I’ve been learning to listen more and say less.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes, for sure! I always thought money, living on my own, landing the job I wanted, getting attention from women—all the things we crave and chase in life—would make me happy. But honestly, at certain points, especially in the beginning, it actually made me feel worse. It was such a crazy and eye-opening realization.
You always hear people say, “Those things won’t truly satisfy you,” but until you experience it for yourself, you don’t fully understand. Going through that shifted my perspective and made me pay closer attention to what really brings me happiness.
For me, it’s being a man of my word, keeping promises I make to myself, helping and serving others, doing everything with excellence, and spending quality time with my loved ones—while also living and experiencing life exactly how I want, doing the things I love that feel true to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.djfperformance.com/
- Instagram: Donnyjoshua
- Twitter: _FelixEra
- Facebook: Donny-Joshua Felix
- Youtube: Donny-JoshuaFelix
- Other: Tiktok : DonnyJoshua
Image Credits
Kev Arrieta – @krieta
Jeremey Fletcher – @theanjci
Alejandro Arango – @arangomedia
Freddy Fraticelli – @miwayfilms
