When authorities took me into custody, on August 11, 1987, I was 23. I had a lawyer who told me what I wanted to hear rather than what I needed to hear. Young and inexperienced, I didn’t know how to lay out a plan.
Had I understood more about how to confront a crisis, I may have chosen a better path than the one I was on. Instead of assessing the predicament I had put myself in, I relied upon my lawyer. He advised me to leave everything in his capable hands.
I waited in solitary confinement while he navigated the judicial process. Even though I knew that I was guilty of the charges I faced, I pled not guilty and proceeded through trial. That decision exposed me to a much harsher punishment than I would have faced had I been more decisive.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot. We all have to live in the world as it exists, and not as we would like it to be.
Anyone going into a crisis should think about the strategy they’re implementing to push through to the other side. As I wrote in courses I create and lessons I publish on PrisonProfessors.org, focus on the best possible outcome. Then make decisions that align with the plan, understanding that you may have to adjust along the way.
Being decisive in times of crisis requires a strong mindset and strategy. Every choice comes with opportunity costs and consequences. If we hesitate when we’re supposed to take action, we can miss opportunities that could potentially shape our future.
A Decision That Didn’t Go My Way
By training our mind to assess current circumstances, we strengthen our ability to respond when situations don’t go our way. In prison, we get used to being rejected, or facing obstacles. We’ve always got to pivot. That discipline can become a strength, helping us to overcome obstacles once we get out.
When life doesn’t go our way, we’ve got to assess where we are, and make a quick decision on what to do next. In my accountability logs, I show how I make daily decisions. Sometimes, those decisions don’t go my wa–such as with an investment I made in Tesla yesterday.
I’ve long admired Elon Musk. I’ve driven a Tesla Model S since 2018, and I’ve studied his journey closely, reading both of his major biographies. I even use lessons from Musk’s life in the content I create for others, especially in the books and courses we offer through Prison Professors.
From time to time, I also trade Tesla stock. Sometimes I make money. Sometimes I lose. But every trade is based on a strategy—and on the willingness to be decisive.
Yesterday, in the premarket, I bought 2,000 shares of Tesla at $345.10 per share. I believed the stock would bounce in early trading, giving me a chance to exit at $347–$348 for a modest gain. Typically, that’s how I earn a living. I look for opportunities, put my money on the line, and speculate on how the stock will perform.
The stock didn’t behave as I anticipated.
Instead of climbing, the stock started falling—fast. I watched it slip from $344 to $342, then to $339. I told myself I’d cut my losses at $334, but by the time I moved to sell, the price dropped again. I placed a limit order for $332.75. Only one share sold.
The stock kept falling.
Instead of a limit order, I sold the remaining 1,999 shares at the market. The position closed at $331.19, booking a total loss of about $28,000—just minutes after the market opened. Had I not closed the position, my equity would have dropped significantly more, because the stock closed today at $284.87–down $47.35, which would have caused me to lose an additional $94,000+!
While in prison, I learned that if things aren’t going my way, I can’t hesitate. I’ve got to act in accordance with the plan I laid out. As I teach through all the courses I create for Prison Professors, to overcome a challenge we’ve got to:
- Define success clearly.
- Plan.
- Prioritize
- Build tools, tactics, resources,
- Act in accordance with the plan,
- Measure progress and adjust,
- Execute the plan without hesitation.
I didn’t know whether Tesla would bounce back later in the day or continue falling. But by accepting the loss and preserving cash, I gave myself the flexibility to pivot and prepare for the next opportunity.
Being decisive requires us to adjust when necessary.
We don’t always get the outcomes we want. We’ve got to handle many disappointments. When they come, it’s crucial for us to recalibrate and push forward to open the next opportunity.
Don’t wait for the situation to change. We’ve got to be the change.
That mindset helped me through 26 years in prison, and it helped me succeed after I got out. If you’re going through a crisis, don’t wait around hoping things will get better. Decide and act. Use every experience—win or lose—to make better decisions next time. Keep recalibrating, always remembering that more opportunities open in the future for those who prepare.
Consider the stakeholders who will influence your future.
What decisions can you make to influence how they see you? They will look for evidence that you’ve taken ownership of your actions, made meaningful efforts to improve, and can contribute positively moving forward. Proving these qualities requires decisive action, such as:
- Documenting all the steps you’re taking to work toward a better outcome.
- Build a plan that persuades them to see you as something more than a criminal defendant.
- Showing reasons why you’re a worthy candidate for leniency.
When you’re decisive, you make it easier for people to see that you hold yourself accountable.
- If today was the last opportunity to make your case for leniency, what steps would you take?
Being decisive requires action. Every choice influences the life you will lead. I encourage readers to work through all the lessons we publish daily at PrisonProfessors.org. Use the self-directed lessons as prompts to build and develop your profile on Prison Professors Talent.
