Extraordinary and Compelling
I transitioned from a federal prison to a halfway house in August, 2012. I’d already served 25 years in prison, but I wouldn’t be free from the BOP for another year. I felt ready, eager to resume my life, thanks to the many preparations I’d made along the way. Those preparations led to an invitation from San Francisco State University to become a professor. I also received an invitation from a group of judges in the Southern District of California. They wanted me to keynote a symposium to help judges understand what happened after they imposed sentencing, with the ominous words:
- I hereby sentencing you to the custody of the Attorney General.
I looked forward to addressing the judges, but there would be some complications. As my case manager in the halfway house routinely told me, “You still in custody.”
Until I finished with the Bureau of Prisons, I’d have to comply with the BOP rules. Those rules would not permit me to travel outside my judicial district, or to go anywhere that was not outlined in the release plan a case manager had put together for me.
Fortunately, I had developed my own release plan. And I prepared by memorializing all the ways I had planned for success while serving my sentence. Although the case manager objected to me attending the conference in San Diego, I could rely upon all the preparations I made during my prison term to overcome the obstacles wrought by the prison system.
Anyone can follow that same path of preparation, and they can use our nonprofit’s website, PrisonProfessors.org, to build a body of assets that will assist their self-advocacy efforts. Defense attorneys should use this resource. It will save them time, and it will help the people they serve restore confidence and hope.
Many things happen after a judge imposes a sentence. Both defense attorneys and judges would do well to learn more about the process, including all the policies of the Bureau of Prisons. Administrators in that agency love their policies and processes, including the designation process, transfers, furloughs, or what real life looks like behind the walls. Unlike business leaders, administrators in the system like to keep their policies secret, hidden from questioning by lawyers or judges. It’s not a transparent system that focuses on the result of preparing people for success. Instead, like many bureaucracies, the prison system likes to perpetuate itself.
Those who face time in prison do not benefit from this lack of transparency. They do not get great guidance on how to prepare for the best outcomes. A lack of clarity can lead to fear, frustration, and costly mistakes.
After finishing my obligation to the prison system, and becoming financially successful, I created PrisonProfessors.org. I wanted to share the strategies that had worked for me, to bring light into dark spaces and help people build power through knowledge and preparation.
A New Life Requires a New Mindset
When someone is heading to prison, they’re entering a completely foreign world—an ecosystem with its own rules, culture, and complications. Success comes from having a good plan. To make a good plan, a person must learn and build a stronger mindset.
In truth, all prisons are hard. Anytime a bureaucratic system separates a person's family, identity, and liberty, it’s hard. To overcome, a person should build an effective plan. The plan will help a person succeed in the face of adversity.
- What are you going to do with the time?
- How will you emerge better, stronger, and more prepared?
- Describe the obstacles you anticipate.
Perspective Is Everything
I started in solitary confinement. I couldn’t stretch my arms without touching both walls. I couldn’t see the sky. But when I transferred to a high-security penitentiary—described by The New York Times as one of the most violent in the country—I felt hope rather than fear. I could walk. I could breathe fresh air. I could look up and see the clouds.
From there, I went to a medium-security facility, then a low, and eventually to a camp. Each move felt like a gift, not because the facilities were luxurious (they weren’t), but because I learned how to carry my mindset with me. I learned to work the plan—not the prison. Neither the prison, nor the sentence my judge imposed, would define my life. My adjustment would keep me pushing forward. Every day, I focused on progress.
Preparation Leads to Liberty
By the time I left prison, I had a lot of history of executing my plan. Early during the term, I set a goal of having enough money in the bank to cover all my expenses for a year, including all the things I would need to start in business. That plan led to me walking out with $100,000 in savings, a clear business plan, a strong marriage, and an accountability partner who believed in me. I didn’t do it alone. I had mentors. I had purpose. And most importantly, I documented the journey.
Because of the plan, I had higher levels of liberty. Although bureaucrats tried to restrict me, the assets I had built helped me overcome. I found people who trusted me, and since they were people of influence, I could rely upon them to overcome the petty obstacles.
Too many people come home to a system that doesn’t believe in second chances. And if you haven’t taken the time to show your transformation, don’t be surprised if they hand you a vest and send you to clean highways. Each person must learn to rewrite the narrative, and build a body of work that shows their commitment.
Families Are Doing Time Too
If you’re reading our blogs, both you and your family are part of our community. The family also serves time. We write daily lessons and blogs to prompt action plans and offer perspective. To build bridges between families and incarcerated loved ones.
Take Daily Action
Everything we publish on PrisonProfessors.org is free. The courses. The articles. The AMA (Ask Me Anything) form exist to help people work toward better outcomes.
You don’t need to consume it all at once. Just commit to 10–15 minutes a day. Chip away. Learn something new. Talk about it with your loved one. Help them prepare for release with intention—not just hope.
‍
‍
A few years ago, I interviewed a senior leader from the Bureau of Prisons. I reached out as part of my efforts to connect with policymakers and gather valuable insights for individuals entering the prison system. People who seek relief from a sentence should understand policy statements, which sometimes require stakeholders to determine whether a person has made an “extraordinary and compelling” adjustment..
If a person is going into the system, it would make sense to figure out the meaning of an extraordinary and compelling adjustment strategy. Ironically, when I asked the senior BOP leader to define it, he was not able to give me a clear definition–or any definition at all.
I’ll tell you how I saw that meaning while I went through my term. From my perspective, it meant that a person would have to do much more than the bare minimum—staying out of trouble and following the rules. If a person were trying to persuade influeners to grant relief (I’m talking about a judge or case manager), they would argue that the system expected people to comply with rules. In other words, complying with rules or staying out of trouble is not extraordinary. It’s not compelling. It’s just required.
So, what is extraordinary and compelling?
I’ll share my perspective
Being a "Defendant"
When someone enters the justice system, stakeholders—judges, probation officers, case managers—see only the charges or convictions. People tend to judge a person in prison for their worst decision. To persuade others to take a different view, it’s crucial to change the narrative. And to do that, they must go far beyond what's expected. Start with a question.
- What is the best possible outcome for my future?
Most people just want to get through the time. They think, “If I can get through the term without any problems, I’ll be okay. I’ll exercise, stay quiet, and eventually go home.”
I wouldn’t call that a strategy, or a plan. It doesn’t inspire anyone to change perspectives on how they see you.
While I served my term, I knew that I hated being in prison. So an integral part of my adjustment strategy required planning. Then prioritizing. Then building tools, tactics, and resources. I had to execute the plan, and adjust when necessary.
Defining Success—Intentionally
There’s a powerful quote from Alice in Wonderland:
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”
In other words, if you don’t define success clearly, you’re just wandering. That’s what happens to most people in prison—they meander through time, waiting for it to pass.
But extraordinary individuals define success with specificity. They ask themselves:
- What will I accomplish while I’m here?
- What tools and skills do I need to build?
- How can I position myself for success after release?
- How can I build a record that shows the world who I truly am—inspiring them to view me for more than the crime I served?
Those questions can prompt a person to action. They can take incremental steps to improve. Yet they should also memorialize the efforts they’re making.
When I served my term, I trained myself to write daily. I built a record of personal growth, discipline, and intention. I wrote to build an irrefutable case that I was more than my past bad decisions. It led to unexpected support, and sometimes, from the most unlikely places.
One day, a defense attorney read about my work. It prompted her to research more, and then to connect with a U.S. Attorney on my behalf. Those two attorneys became my advocate. They read my work. It moved them to file a motion for early termination of my supervised release—without my asking. I didn’t ask. I didn’t beg. The attorneys simply saw the body of work and decided I was extraordinary and compelling. They persuaded a federal judge to agree, and together, they advanced me to liberty early.
That’s the power of documentation.
There’s a proverb that says:
‍“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today.”
Many people wait. They say, “I’ll start next week,” or “I’ll wait until I get transferred,” or “No one cares what I write.”
But you never know who’s reading. You never know who will come across your profile, your book report, your release plan.
Start today—not because there’s a guarantee of outcome, but because there’s a guarantee of progress.
At PrisonProfessorsTalent.com, we’ve created a way to gamify personal development. Every time you:
- Write a book report
- Journal about your goals
- Add to your biography
- Help someone else build their profile
…you earn points. These points are visible on our dashboard. Use this tools to show why you’re the best candidate for relief. Imagine being able to say:
“I taught 30 men a class on investing while in prison. Here are their profiles. Here’s what they wrote. Here’s the proof.”
That’s extraordinary and compelling.
No Guarantees—Just Opportunity
We can’t promise that building your profile will lead to higher levels of liberty, a new job, or a changed perception. But if there’s even a 1% chance that it could help, isn’t it worth the effort?
No one can change the past, but all of us can work to influence a better future.
We invite you to use the free tools we’ve built:
- The Straight-A Guide course
- Our accountability journal
- Our book report system
- Our release plan template
The Prison Professors Talent profile platform
‍