Decisions After a Federal Conviction
Rebuilding your life after a federal conviction can be overwhelming. It's also an opportunity to redefine your future. The road ahead may seem uncertain. To get clarity, remember that your past does not have to dictate your potential. Every step forward, no matter how small, is a testament to your resilience and determination.
I'll offer some strategies, resources, and insights that I learned from leaders. They may help you face the complexities of this new chapter with hope and confidence. Whether you are seeking personal growth, rebuilding relationships, or re-entering the workforce, know that success is possible with the right mindset and support system in place.
Backstory:
When a jury convicted me of all counts, my life changed. I was no longer an accused individual or a criminal defendant—I was a man convicted of a felony. I didn’t know what to expect. I remember returning to my solitary cell being afraid, confused, and frustrated that I had made so many bad decisions during the time I spent in pre-trial detention.
I vividly remember my lawyer’s grim words—that the judge would impose a lengthy sentence. Overwhelmed by uncertainty and regret, I began questioning every decision I had made leading up to that point.
Looking back, I wish someone had given me a framework to prepare for what came next—a practical pathway through the challenges of incarceration and beyond. Through years of struggle, learning, and reflection, I turned the despair of a 45-year prison sentence into an opportunity to transform my life. Today my life is different, largely because of the decisions I made after a jury convicted me of numerous counts in a federal court, back in 1987.
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Key Lessons for Navigating Life After Conviction
Below I offer some strategies I followed to overcome obstacles, rebuild my future, and regain control over my life:
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1. Your Past Does Not Dictate Your Future
The first and most crucial step is a decision—a choice to believe that change is possible. Yes, the past led to this moment, but it doesn’t have to dictate what comes next. I realized that while I couldn’t control the judge’s sentence or the environment I was entering, I could control how I responded to the situation.
During pre-trial detention, I transformed my mindset from victim to strategist. I began to see each challenge as an opportunity to grow. Every day became an investment in my future.
Lesson: Once you acknowledge that your choices today pave the way for a better tomorrow, you can start aligning your actions with the future you want to create. If you don't know what to do, make sure that you learn from others who've conquered a prison term. An old proverb tells us that if you want to know the road ahead, ask someone who has walked back.
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2. Learn from Those Who’ve Walked the Path
Navigating life after a conviction is unfamiliar territory, but others have walked this path successfully. During my early years in prison, I sought role models who had turned their lives around. I read books written by leaders or written about leaders. I studied how they overcame adversity, and absorbed their lessons on discipline and resilience.
Not everyone in a prison environment offers good advice, and I quickly learned to be selective. Dismiss advice from individuals whose outlooks or actions reflect stagnation rather than growth.
Actionable Insight: Seek guidance from mentors, whether they are other people in prison, family members, or leaders in your community. Surround yourself with people who embody the success you want to achieve. Learn from their experiences. Find the best possible role model possible, and figure out the steps they took. To learn how I did it, read through the "Founders" section of Prison Professors website. I write about the leaders who inspired me at different stages of the journey.
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3. Start Sowing Seeds for the Future
It’s never too early to prepare for what comes next. Use your time wisely by setting clear goals and working daily toward them. For me, education became my anchor. I began taking college classes, reading voraciously, and developing communication skills. Each achievement, no matter how small, reminded me of my potential and kept me moving forward.
Writing became another tool for building my future. I drafted strategic plans for my life after release, detailing the steps I needed to take to integrate back into society, rebuild relationships, and achieve financial stability.
Your Story: Start building a “body of work,” whether it involves completing educational programs, creating a professional resume, or learning new skills. These efforts serve as evidence of your transformation and position you for future opportunities. Now is the time to start building assets that will become a part of your self-advocacy campaign later.
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4. Treat Your Life Like a Business
One of the most important lessons I learned was to think of myself as the CEO of my life. CEOs make decisions with long-term success in mind. Similarly, I committed to decisions that would prepare me for the highest level of liberty at the earliest possible time.
This mindset required accountability and structure. I held myself accountable through daily progress reviews, writing down what I’d achieved and where I needed to improve. Small wins—whether finishing a book or writing an essay—kept me motivated.
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Questions I Asked Myself Daily as 'CEO' of My Life
- What actions today will set me up for greater opportunities tomorrow?
- How can I measure success today—professionally, physically, and emotionally?
Key Takeaway: When you treat every day as an opportunity to build, you start to see obstacles as stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
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5. Be Prepared for Institutional Challenges
During incarceration, I discovered that many people who work in the prison system focused more on enforcing a sentence than recognizing the work I was putting in to transform myself. I couldn't rely on validation from others to confirm my progress.
Instead, I documented everything. I kept detailed records of my achievements, and prepared for my release by setting goals aligned with the life I wanted to live on the other side of the journey.
Advice: Be proactive in creating accountability tools like journals or daily planners. These records not only help you track growth but position you as a proactive individual ready for reentry. We built Prison Professors Talent as a platform to help members of our community. I encourage them to use the platform as a tool that will become an asset, one they can leverage for a higher level of liberty later.
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6. Build a Community and Give Back
Isolation can be a real challenge during and after incarceration, but success thrives on connection. Engage with others who share similar goals and values. During my sentence, I found small ways to contribute, primarily by learning to write, then opening opportunities to publish. These contributions created a ripple effect, improving the environment around me and reinforcing my sense of purpose.
Post-release, I built a community through Prison Professors, dedicated to helping others overcome their challenges. Working to change the system in ways that will impact millions of people is of the most fulfilling parts of my transformation.
Suggestion: Foster relationships with people who inspire you and find ways to contribute to their work—whether by mentoring, volunteering, or simply sharing your story.
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A Final Word (and a Question for You)
When I reflect on the choices I made during my 26 years in prison, I see a clear pattern: transformation comes from consistent, intentional effort. No matter how dark your current situation feels, there is a pathway forward. You hold the power to define your legacy—not the conviction, not the sentence, but your actions moving forward.
Ask Yourself:
- What steps can I take today to sow the seeds of the future I want to build?
- How will I hold myself accountable to ensure progress every day?
The possibilities are limitless if you’re willing to commit to change. Remember, success doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of strategy, discipline, and persistence. You’re capable of achieving more than you think. Start now.
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