Focus on Results, Not Process

I’m writing this update from Washington, D.C., where I had the privilege of visiting the Bureau of Prisons headquarters. Today, I met with Josh Smith, the agency’s Deputy Director. While I can’t share all the details of our meeting, I want to offer a few insights—especially for those navigating challenges in the justice system. I’ll start with one key takeaway that I hope everyone receives: plant seeds today to build the future you want tomorrow.

Redefining Success

Success evolves as we grow, with one constant principle: if we want to succeed, we must define success clearly and build a deliberate plan to reach it. My personal timeline shows how that definition shifted at each stage of my journey:

• August 11, 1987: Arrested and locked in solitary. Success meant learning how to respond to a criminal charge.
  
  
• After conviction: Success became working toward the lowest possible sentence.
  
  
• Post-sentencing: Sentenced to 45 years in a high-security penitentiary, success meant creating a strategy for the journey ahead.
  
  
• After 26 years in prison: When I returned to society, success meant building financial independence.
  
  
• Today: Success is about making an impact—opening opportunities for others to earn freedom through merit.

This evolution reminds me that no matter what phase you’re in, success starts with a vision and a plan. That mindset applies to anyone in crisis, whether you're facing a sentence, living inside a prison, or working to rebuild after release.

The World Will Judge You by Results

People won’t care how hard you work. They’ll care about what you achieve. I learned this lesson from studying leaders, and then living in the real work. Leaders taught me how to model the CEO mindset, which means taking responsibility for your outcomes—regardless of your environment. That mindset guided me to:

• Define success in measurable terms.
• Create a structured plan.
• Prioritize actions that align with long-term goals.
• Build tools and systems to accelerate progress.
• Measure results and adjust continuously.

When I met with Deputy Director Smith today, I saw that same mindset at work. He understands the depth of the challenges within the Bureau of Prisons. He recognizes the need for reform. And most importantly, he’s willing to lead.

Planting Seeds of Reform

Deputy Director Smith encouraged me to bring ideas forward—big ideas. He invited me to help envision how the BOP might evolve. For me, the vision is clear:

• Make the prison system more like America—where we reward merit, incentivize growth, and open pathways to liberty.

To do that, we must start by defining excellence. Then we build systems that allow people to earn increased liberty through demonstrated effort. That might mean moving to a lower-security facility, gaining access to more family visits, or transitioning to home confinement.

Whatever the pathway, it should be earned—through education, work, discipline, and contribution. Regardless of guilt or innocence, a person can reconcile with society through personal effort. And the system should be transparent, so people know what they must do to move forward.

Your Role in the Reform

While I continue meeting with leaders and submitting proposals, don’t wait for others to define your future. Focus on what you can control.

If you’re inside or going inside the system, use our system to build a profile. Show the ways that you’re working to earn freedom and preparing for success. Use your journal entries, book reports, and release plans to demonstrate growth. If you’re supporting a loved one, help them document their progress.

No one can change the past. But we can all work toward a better future—one step, one decision, one day at a time.

Self-Directed Questions:

• How do I define success at this stage of my journey?
• What concrete steps am I taking to build a better future?
• What evidence am I creating today that will persuade others to believe in me tomorrow?

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