Prison Journal: Day 7,979
June 14, 2009
This past Friday, I enjoyed a wonderful visit with my friend Lee Nobmann. Lee is the founder of Golden State Lumber and several other successful business ventures. He is a man who has achieved an extraordinarily high level of success on many levels. Besides creating businesses that employ hundreds of people, he is a role model in that he is a true family man.
I’ve spoken a lot about Lee in courses that I teach here at Taft Prison camp, or when I’m mentoring other prisoners. Some of my fellow prisoners ask whether I plan to work with Lee upon my release. although I’m confident that he would open an opportunity for me, the truth is that Lee respects me because he trusts that I’m capable of creating my own opportunities. He is right, because I can and I will.
Upon my release, I intend to build a business that enables me to contribute to the lives of others. Some may think that as a consequence of my having served so much of my life in prison, I wouldn’t have too much to offer. That’s not the way I see the world, however.
We as human beings share adversity in common. It is a human experience, part of life’s journey. My adversity may have required that I endure multiple decades in prison, though others struggle with adversity taht can feel just as daunting. Millions of Americans are losing their homes to foreclosure each month, and millions more suffer with employment issues, personal finance problems, or relationship difficulties. I’m confident that the strategies I have relied upon to thrive through 22-plus years in prison will help others overcome struggle in their own lives.
My work may not bring me financial success or a private jet, though I will derive a sense of fulfillment in helping others empower themselves. That is the career I intend to pursue.
Today I worked toward that career goal by writing a lengthy letter to an executive at Franklin Covey, as I hope to build a relationship with that organization. I ran 10 miles, I did 200 pushups, and I interviewed David, a successful real estate mogul from Los Angeles.
My running tally is now 1,620 miles in 184 days.
Sunday, 14 June 2009
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