Entry5: Follow Until You Are Ready To Lead
An important lesson I learned about life while serving time in prison is that: no matter what obstacles you go through, or whatever challenges you face there is someone out there who has endured similar difficulties and who has prevailed. I also learned that every path carries with it, its own unique obstacles that are intended to shape the character associated with whatever the nature of the path is.
These insights put a new light on how I observed behavior. I began to pay attention to a person’s movements with the aim of identifying prodigious characters who can help me navigate the path they’ve already walked. Thinking proactively, I understood that once I spotted them I had to demonstrate that I was worthy of their time. To achieve this I decided to to develop strategies to ingratiate myself with such characters when the proper moment presented itself.
One extremely effective strategy was to enlarge my vocabulary so that I could speak their language and keep up with them in terms of communication. Another strategy I employed was what I called the ‘Trying on Shoes’ approach, which is the equivalent of dress the part.
One day while in observation mode I took notice of the contents people placed in their mesh bags. Basically, I observed two types of content categories: miscellaneous, and educational. This observation was availing because it served as a promising lead towards identifying those positive characters walking down an edifying path that I too wanted to head down.
Switching from observational mode to detective mode I choose to act based on my findings. On one particular day I decided to tail two guys because of the contents I saw in their mesh bags. During the ten minute compound move I followed them from a distance to find out where they were going. Although my sights were set on them I was walking at a slow enough pace that others came into my view carrying mesh bags with similar contents heading in the same direction as the first two guys I was following.
In retrospect, it’s funny to reflect that before I employed my ‘Trying on Shoes’ strategy I remember thinking, “man I don’t even have a mesh bag filled with material like these guys, I’m going to look out of place”, but I was at the point of no return I had to keep going. I saw the first two guys arrive at the destination, open up the door, then enter the building. Others were behind them.
Finally when I walked up to the building, I opened the door, walked through and found myself in the educational department. As soon as I walked in I was facing the law library area and saw groups of people, including the two guys I was following, conducting their business. The environment felt as if I was in a downtown commercial office building. I then thought now that I found the place where some positive peers congregate I could begin to build a support network, but first I had to position myself for the first impression.
