How The Power of No Transformed My Life

Prison taught me the beauty, power, and complexity of freedom.

There are seemingly countless ways to experience freedom. There are nuances and layers, and I’m fascinated by all of them.

That’s because freedom is one of my core values.

A couple of years ago, that core value and my commitment to it was challenged.

I was fortunate to land a job after prison. That’s not an easy thing to do.

I worked the front desk at a gym, making $12 an hour.

There were more nights than I care to remember that I skipped meals because I couldn’t afford the chicken cutlet that this one guy at the deli would sell to me for $1.50.

I literally didn’t have $1.50 for sustenance and the subway to get to work.

A far cry from my former six-figure salary, plus commission, expense account, and car allowance.

Over time I became friends with many of the members, and we spoke in great detail about life and work, and of course, working out.

One of my friends learned about my corporate background; they knew what I was capable of in a corporate sales setting. I generated 21M in sales in my best year. I was consistently in the top 3 in the country.