When I served time in prison, I sought inspiration to transform my life. Jeff Bezos influenced my thinking and became a mentor to me, even though I never met him.
His story resonated with me on multiple levels—personally, because he shared a Cuban connection through his stepfather, and geographically, because he built Amazon in my hometown of Seattle. His methodical approach to pursuing his goals taught me lessons I could apply, even in the confines of prison.
Jeff Bezos was deliberate in every step of his journey. From his early achievements, such as earning admission to Princeton University, to his work at D.E. Shaw, a hedge fund, his story revealed the importance of setting clear goals and working methodically to achieve them. Getting into an Ivy League school like Princeton would have required relentless effort and a clear vision of where he wanted his life to go. I admired tenacity and perseverance anywhere I saw it, and I saw it in the story of Jeff Bezos. His subsequent role at the hedge fund provided him with valuable insights into emerging technologies and markets, particularly the internet.
Due to his earlier preservation, Bezos put himself in a position to identify trends. He saw the explosive growth of internet, which was reportedly increasing by 1,000% per year. Rather than waiting for an opportunity to come to him, Bezos seized this trend, leaving his secure job to start his entrepreneurial journey. He focused on a niche—selling books online—because he recognized an unmet need. Traditional bookstores couldn’t stock every book, but an online platform could. This simple, focused vision became the foundation for Amazon.
Bezos didn’t just leap into entrepreneurship blindly. He applied a deliberate, methodical strategy. He raised the capital he needed to build the infrastructure for Amazon. He hired talented people who shared his vision. He built a system that gave Amazon a competitive advantage, allowing it to scale quickly and efficiently. As Bezos grew Amazon, he continually looked for ways to innovate, eventually expanding the platform to allow other sellers to reach their customers.
This approach taught me the importance of thinking strategically and acting with purpose. Even though I couldn’t raise capital or hire a team from prison, I realized I could apply these principles to my personal development. I could invest in myself, create opportunities to grow, and build systems to achieve my goals, just as Bezos had done.
One of the greatest lessons I learned from Bezos was the importance of focusing on results, not just the process. He didn’t let doubt or skepticism deter him. Many people questioned the viability of an online bookstore in the mid-1990s, but Bezos maintained his focus on the end goal—creating a platform that would make life easier for people. He was willing to do hard things, including losing money, to realize his dream. This relentless focus on results allowed him to evolve Amazon into one of the most influential companies in the world.
I applied this mindset to my own circumstances. I couldn’t build a business while serving a 45-year sentence, but I could build myself. By focusing on learning, growing, and preparing for the future, I could create opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the world once I was released. Bezos’s story inspired me to set my sights high, even when others doubted me.
Jeff Bezos’s journey from a hardworking student to a world-changing entrepreneur illustrated that success comes from maximizing one’s potential. He didn’t settle for mediocrity. He pursued excellence, even when it required significant risk. His story taught me that even in adversity, it’s possible to lay a foundation for a better future.
I began to see my time in prison as an opportunity to prepare for the life I wanted to live. I focused on learning, writing, and creating plans that would help me transition successfully back into society. Like Bezos, I committed to methodical progress, knowing that each small step brought me closer to my goals.
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How can you identify trends or opportunities in your current environment—no matter how limited it may seem—and invest in yourself to create a better future?