When I first read Marshall Goldsmith’s book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, I had already been in prison for over two decades. While I had spent those years investing in myself, building skills, and crafting a personal philosophy for success, Goldsmith’s book helped me see a crucial truth: the strategies that had helped me succeed in one phase of life might not necessarily carry me through the next. If I wanted to thrive after release, I needed to evolve.
Goldsmith’s message tells us that growth requires self-awareness, adaptability, and a willingness to change. His book challenged me to reflect deeply on my own behavior and mindset. It taught me that success will always require a commitment to:
- learn how to connect with others,
- develop emotional intelligence, and
- recognize the habits that may hold us back.
Key Lessons from What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
- Recognizing What No Longer Serves You
Goldsmith emphasizes the importance of letting go of habits or attitudes that may have been helpful in the past but are now barriers to growth. For me, this meant reassessing the solitary mindset I had cultivated in prison—a mindset focused on self-reliance and endurance. While those traits had served me well behind bars, they could limit my ability to build relationships and partnerships once I returned to society.
Lesson for overcoming crises: Identify patterns of thought or behavior that may have worked in the past but now hold you back. Be willing to change course. - Conducting a SWOT Analysis
Goldsmith’s principles align well with the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis I undertook after reading his book. I needed to objectively evaluate my assets and challenges to plan my next steps. This process gave me clarity on where to focus my energy and what skills I still needed to develop.
Lesson for overcoming crises: Take an honest inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Use this analysis to guide your next steps. - Building Relationships
Goldsmith highlights the importance of creating positive relationships and engaging others in your journey. Success often depends on how well you collaborate, inspire, and adapt to the needs of those around you. For someone like me—who had spent years in isolation—this was a critical reminder that my ability to rebuild trust and form new connections would determine much of my future success.
Lesson for overcoming crises: Invest in building relationships. Listen more, empathize with others, and seek to add value to the people around you. - Practicing Feedforward Instead of Feedback
Goldsmith introduces the concept of “feedforward,” which focuses on future possibilities rather than past mistakes. This principle was particularly empowering for me. Instead of dwelling on the missteps that led to my incarceration, I focused on actionable steps I could take to improve my future.
Lesson for overcoming crises: Focus on forward momentum. Learn from the past, but don’t let it anchor you. Concentrate on what you can do to move ahead.
Applying Goldsmith’s Lessons to Overcome Crises of Life
Goldsmith’s insights taught me that crises, like incarceration, require us to evolve in ways we might not expect. I had to embrace a mindset of lifelong learning and adaptability. By applying his teachings, I began to see my time in prison as preparation for something greater.
If you’re facing a crisis, Goldsmith’s work offers a roadmap for reinvention. Start by asking yourself:
- What habits or attitudes no longer serve you?
- What skills do you need to learn to succeed in the next phase of your journey?
- How can you build meaningful relationships to support your growth?
By answering these questions honestly, you can begin to craft a strategy for overcoming adversity and reaching your goals.
Self-Directed Learning Question:
- What habits, behaviors, or attitudes helped you get to where you are today, and which ones might you need to change or let go of to move forward?
- How can you adapt Goldsmith’s principles to create a new path for success?
