Books

Daily Journal, Volume 2

Transformation begins with disciplined daily action. In Daily Journal, Volume 2, I continue sharing the structured strategies that empowered me through 26 years in federal prison. Covering 28 insightful lessons from February 2025, this book blends personal experience with practical exercises, guided reflections, and self-directed prompts designed to help readers facing adversity take meaningful steps toward growth and success. Learn to harness the power of consistency, self-accountability, and clear goal-setting as you build your own path toward freedom and fulfillment.

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Daily Journal, Volume 1

Every day presents an opportunity to sow seeds for success. In Daily Journal, Volume 1, I share 31 actionable lessons inspired by my personal journey through 26 years in federal prison. Each entry combines real-life experience with practical guidance, structured reflections, and self-directed questions to empower readers who face adversity. This journal demonstrates how daily accountability, disciplined decision-making, and intentional goal-setting lead to lasting transformation. Start each day with purpose, and build your pathway to freedom, meaning, and success.

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Digital Economy

This introductory, self-directed course helps people in prison become more literate about the rapidly evolving digital economy. Drawing from my personal journey of learning about Bitcoin, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and alternative cryptocurrencies, this workbook simplifies complex topics, making them accessible even to those unfamiliar with the digital landscape. Participants will gain insights into decentralized finance and understand how cryptocurrency is reshaping economies worldwide. Additionally, I share practical strategies and personal experiences from building a Bitcoin portfolio that now exceeds $2 million in value.

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Preparing for Success after Prison

This self-directed workbook introduces readers to the transformative principles of the Straight-A Guide. Participants learn how to define success clearly and create values-based, goal-oriented strategies. Rather than allowing external circumstances to dictate their lives, readers discover how intentional decision-making can empower them to grow stronger through adversity. By mastering these strategies, they'll prepare to add greater value to the world and accelerate their pathway to success upon release.

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Earning Freedom: Conquering a 45-Year Sentence

This memoir chronicles my journey, starting from the day of my arrest on August 11, 1987. Readers experience the judicial process—the trial, conviction, and the daunting reality of a 45-year prison sentence. Follow along as I navigate the challenges of confinement, moving from high-security penitentiaries to minimum-security camps. Discover the strategies I used to create an effective adjustment plan, earning academic credentials, cultivating a powerful support network, and building a substantial body of work. These efforts ultimately paved the path for a successful career upon release. Learn how you can also adopt the mindset to live as the CEO of your life.

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Prison: My 8,344th Day

Inspired by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's classic One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, this self-directed workbook highlights how each day's decisions shape our future. Drawing from my 8,344th day in prison, I emphasize the profound impact our daily choices have on life's outcomes. Through intentional exercises and reflective prompts, readers learn about the opportunity costs tied to every decision—learning how to plant seeds that grow into lasting success. Use this book as your guide to mindful living, making each day a stepping stone toward personal growth and fulfillment.

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Or apply for a scholarship if you cannot afford to purchase a copy.

Success after Prison

This self-directed workbook shows how preparation opens the door to extraordinary results after incarceration. During my own journey, I developed a three-pronged approach: pursuing academic credentials, contributing meaningfully to society, and cultivating a strong support network. Inspired by lessons from remarkable leaders, this strategy led to millions in earnings and a successful transition into purposeful work—empowering others to achieve their fullest potential. Use these proven principles to create your pathway to lasting success, transforming adversity into opportunity.

Support our Nonprofit with your Purchase on Amazon

Or apply for a scholarship if you cannot afford to purchase a copy.

Principles we teach

The origins of our self-directed courses began with readings of Socrates, Frederick Douglass, Nelson Mandela, and modern leaders who teach us how to live as if we're the CEO of our life. To overcome any crisis, or build solutions, follow the principles of our Straight-A Guide.

Appreciation

Adversity is part of life, and there will always be more. The 26 years I had to serve helped me learn how to appreciate the blessings of my life. Living in gratitude is a powerful tool for transformation. Even when living amidst challenges, we can open doors to hope and opportunity. Gratitude creates space for growth, resilience, and success.

Achievement

Incremental achievements can help anyone climb out of adversity and into a life of meaning, relevance, and dignity. We start by defining success, then lay out the plan with incremental steps. As we reach milestones, we grow our self-confidence. This strategy helped me grow stronger while serving 26 years in prison. Celebrate little achievements.

Authenticity

To empower ourselves while climbing from adversity to success, we've got to be authentic. We don't grow confidence by talking. We have to take meaningful steps, adhering to a plan we established on our pathway to success. If we prioritize our actions, then develop our tools, tactics, and resources, our commitment becomes self-evident.

Attitude

By adopting a values-based, goal-oriented mindset, I could more easily navigate the complexities of confinement. Instead of seeing all that was bad around me, I could find ways to conquer adversity and work toward a brighter future. It opened a better attitude, empowering me along the way. Attitude influences success.

Aspiration

During my sentencing hearing, I remember Judge Tanner telling me that I'd be an old man before I got out of prison. He sentenced me to 45-years. Life could have seemed bleak. Yet I returned to my solitary cell with a new vision. Leaders had taught me to focus on what I could control. Through reflection and aspiration, I found a path to purpose.

Action

We should expect obstacles, but we can't allow them to define our path or limit our pursuit of success. The Straight-A Guide became my framework for persevering through challenges and obstacles, helping me focus on the action steps I could take each day, regardless of what adversity I had to endure. Take bold action steps to build success.

Accountability

To transform our lives, we need tools that allow us to measure progress. Those tools, which we call our accountability metrics, empower transformation. While serving 26 years, accountability tools helped me take full ownership of my actions. They kept me moving toward the milestones I had to work toward each day.

Awareness

To climb through adversity, we've got to keep our head in the game, staying aware of every opportunity around us. The more we think about what we're striving to build, the more aware we become of action steps we can take. Others become aware of our commitment, too, which creates a virtuous cycle of growth. Awareness opens opportunities to succeed.

Who we serve

We offer resources that people who are going through a crisis or challenge can use to recalibrate. It's never too early or too late to begin building pathways to a better outcome. Each individual can build a body of work that opens opportunities for the next phase, empowering them to live meaningful, contributing lives.

Incarcerated Learners

Get access to our lessons, books, or self-directed courses. Regardless of what staff do, you grow.

Correctional Facilities

Improve the culture of your facility, inspiring people to learn. Be the change you want to see.

Lawyers & Law Firms

Offering resources to help people develop assets for self-advocacy, building mitigation stories.

Family, Friends, & Community

Download daily lessons to inspire people in custody. Help them build self-confidence and prepare.

50+

Prisons we've visited to make in-person presentations. We don't only teach and inspire, we lead train-the-trainer seminars to promote peer-to-peer learning and improve the culture of confinement.

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1,000+

People in custody taking initiative to build profiles on the Prison Professors Talent platform. They're memorializing steps to prepare for success as law-abiding, contributing citizens.

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1,100+

Jails and prisons that offer our lessons, courses, and books to teach and inspire people. In our self-directed courses, people learn how to accelerate pathways to success upon release.

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900K+

People in custody with daily access to Prison Professors lessons, courses, and books through our collaboration with the Edovo Foundation and direct partnership with government agencies.

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