Later this morning, my wife and I will drive from Orange County to UC Berkeley, where I’ll speak to a group of students about my journey through prison. I’ll invite those students to become involved with our nonprofit, the Prison Professors Charitable Corporation.
During the presentation, I’ll speak about perspective, helping them see how experiences shape our view of the world.
In 1987, Federal Judge Jack Tanner sentenced me to serve a 45-year term in prison. It felt like my life had come to an end. I was 23 years old, and the weight of those decades seemed impossible to carry. At first, I didn’t know how to move forward, as I’d never been incarcerated before. I felt a combination of shame and fear over what the future held, but I wasn’t yet read to accept responsibility for the crimes I had committed. Over time, I learned how perspective could shape reality.
A book brought this lesson into focus for me. In Meditations, the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote:
“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
At first, I didn’t fully understand what that meant. After all, I hadn’t been sentenced yet and didn’t know what awaited me. But I felt the walls of the solitary cell that confined me. They could extinguish hope. Marcus Aurelius helped me see those walls differently. I had been looking at them wrong, with a focus on all that I’d lost—my freedom, my reputation, my opportunities.
To restore confidence, I needed to focus on all that I could still control: my mindset, my actions, and how I spent each day, even while in solitary confinement.
Shifting Perspective
This shift began with small, deliberate steps:
- I chose to see my time in prison not as a punishment, but as a chance to introspect.
- By thinking back to all the decisions that led to my struggle, I could start to rebuild.
- I started to reflect by asking new questions: What can I learn today? How can I grow?
- I began to see challenges as opportunities to practice resilience, discipline, and growth.
By changing my perspective, I transformed my experience. Prison became a training ground where I could prepare for the life I wanted to build.
Through reflection and learning, I came to understand three key truths about perspective:
- Perspective is a Choice
We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can control how we interpret it. Is a setback the end of the road, or is it a detour that leads to something better? That choice is ours to make. - Perspective Shapes Behavior
How we see our circumstances influences how we respond. When I began to see prison as an opportunity rather than a punishment, I stopped feeling defeated. I started taking actions—reading, writing, studying—that aligned with my goals for the future. - Perspective Creates Possibility
A shift in perspective opens doors that were previously invisible. When I began to focus on growth, I saw opportunities to educate myself, build relationships, and contribute to society, even from within the confines of a cell.
Applying This Lesson Today
Even now, more than a decade after my release, I rely on this lesson. In business, setbacks happen—investments underperform, deals fall through, unexpected challenges arise. Withthe right perspective, I can view all struggles as being part of the journey, opportunities to learn, adapt, and improve.
At Prison Professors, we teach this mindset to others. Whether someone is in prison, struggling with personal challenges, or striving to reach a higher potential, the principle is the same: perspective determines the path forward.
If you’re facing a difficult situation, ask yourself:
- What am I focusing on right now?
- How can I shift my perspective to see the opportunity in this challenge?
- What small action can I take today to move in the right direction?
Perspective is a powerful tool. Use it to reframe your circumstances, and you’ll find the strength to keep moving forward.
Self-Directed Learning Question:
- How can you shift your perspective on a current challenge to see it as an opportunity for growth? What actions can you take to turn that opportunity into progress?