Mitigation

When we face a crisis, our instinct is often to wish it away—to hope for a shortcut, an escape, a way to undo what’s already been done. As many experts have advised, hope is not a strategy. To get a better outcome, we need a mitigation plan—a structured approach to minimizing damage and positioning ourselves for a stronger future.

I didn’t understand the concept of mitigation when authorities arrested me on August 11, 1987. I was only 23 years old, and I had never been in the criminal justice system before. Like many who find themselves in a crisis, the only thing I wanted was to get out—fast.

Instead of accepting responsibility and crafting a plan to reconcile with society, I lived in denial, believing that an attorney could somehow make the problem disappear.

I was wrong.

Had I understood mitigation, I could have made better decisions. And better decisions lead to better outcomes. After a jury trial, I learned to accept that we can’t change the past, but we can make the present worse with bad decisions.

A better decision, in my case, would have been to accept responsibility early, plead guilty, and immediately begin demonstrating my commitment to making amends.

• Would that strategy have eliminated my problem overnight? No.
• Would it have put me on a better path toward redemption? Absolutely.

As Mick Jagger famously sang:

“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.”

Mitigation strategies help us create the conditions that will get us where we need to be in the long run. This principle doesn’t only apply to the criminal justice system. It applies to:

• Becoming more physically fit – You can’t undo years of unhealthy habits overnight, but you can create a system for improvement.
• Developing a better marriage – You can’t erase past mistakes, but you can take consistent actions to build trust and connection.
• Increasing earning capacity – You can’t immediately double your income, but you can develop new skills and create opportunities.
• Becoming a better investor – You can’t predict the market, but you can educate yourself and make calculated, long-term decisions.

I didn’t learn to think strategically about mitigation until after a judge sentenced me to 45 years in prison. At that moment, I had two choices:

1. Dwell on what I had lost.
2. Start building a better future, despite my circumstances.

I chose the second path. I developed a mitigation strategy that empowered me:

• Instead of feeling like a criminal, I began acting like a student of success.
• Instead of waiting for help, I created opportunities by investing in my education.
• Instead of complaining about my sentence, I crafted a plan for the day I would walk free.

Over time, those decisions restored my dignity and confidence. Lessons I learned during the journey helped me understand that a proper mitigation strategy requires four key elements:

1. Define Success – Know exactly what outcome you’re working toward.
2. Make a Plan – Identify specific actions that will move you closer to that outcome.
3. Prioritize Wisely – Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t.
4. Execute Relentlessly – Success is built through daily, disciplined effort.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
– Peter Drucker

This strategy can help us prosper through any environment, including with our efforts to grow our businesses or to become more successful investors. Even though I finished my prison sentence more than a decade ago, I still use the same mitigation strategies today as a businessman and an investor.

Markets change. Businesses evolve. External factors—like inflation, interest rates, and global disruptions—influence financial decisions. Instead of reacting emotionally, I stick to my strategy.

For example, as I wrote in an earlier blog entry, when I saw the shifts in California’s real estate market, I knew I had to adjust my foundation. Rather than clinging to what worked in the past, I realigned my strategy toward Bitcoin and AI stocks—asset classes I believe will fuel the future. In both prison and business, I’ve learned that mitigation can help us minimize losses, but it can also position us for long-term gains.

I wish I had understood how a good mitigation strategy could empower us when I went into the prison system. But I was only 23 years old, and I wasn’t yet ready. Fortunately, it’s never too early, and it’s never too late to work toward a better outcome. Whether you’re in a legal crisis, a financial struggle, a personal setback, or an uncertain career path, the principles of mitigation apply:

• Accept reality, but don’t accept defeat.
• Craft a plan based on what you can control.
• Execute with discipline, even when progress is slow.

Better decisions lead to better outcomes.

Self-Directed Learning Question:

• What crisis or challenge are you currently facing, and what mitigation strategy can you implement today to improve your future outcome?

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