In the face of adversity, it’s easy to let days blur into one another without direction. To overcome the crisis, we need to create accountability tools that will help us measure the progress we’re making. By tracking our actions honestly, we turn vague intentions into measurable progress. We can adjust if our progress isn’t up to our standards, or if we find complications.
We build confidence when we create plans, prioritize actions, and measure our progress with the accountability tools we create. We can open doors to new opportunities if we prepare ourselves to succeed.
This principle of making intentional decisions carried me through 26 years in prison. Daily logs helped me stay focused on growth rather than regret. Without accountability, I might have stayed stuck in the cycle of blame and stagnation that traps so many. Instead, living deliberately became the foundation of viewing myself as the CEO of my life—defining success, setting goals, developing tactics, measuring daily, adjusting as needed, and executing consistently.
Accountability starts with a simple truth: We are responsible for our choices, even when external forces seem overwhelming. During my early days in solitary confinement after my 1987 arrest, I could have given in to despair. The isolation was crushing. No visitors. No programs. Just endless hours staring at concrete walls. But books from the cart taught me otherwise. Stories of people who’d faced far worse showed that tracking small steps could lead to big transformations. I began journaling—not just random thoughts, but deliberate records of what I read, what I learned, and how it aligned with my vision of emerging stronger. This wasn’t easy. Prison bureaucracy often discouraged initiative. Yet, by holding myself accountable, I turned those logs into evidence of progress that influenced everything from custody reductions to building a support network.
Over time, this practice evolved. It became more structured. While at USP Atlanta, amid rising violence and lockdowns, I expanded my logs to include fitness goals. I tracked miles run in the yard, push-ups completed, even calories consumed from commissary items.
Why?
Because physical discipline mirrored mental resilience. It reminded me that small, daily commitments compound.
Later, at FCI McKean, where I found more opportunities to broaden my education, I logged academic milestones: Courses completed, papers written, degrees earned. Despite the obstacles of being confined, by staying focused, I earned a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University and a master’s degree from Hofstra University. To satisfy the requirements for those degrees, I relied upon accountability tools I created to stay focused and on track. Those logs became my tools to rebuild and restore self-confidence. When denials came—for transfers or program access—I reviewed them to adjust my approach, never excusing failure but learning from it.
Today, I earn a living from managing my investments—skills honed by logging trades, reading market analyses, and measuring outcomes. My finance logs track short-term trades and Bitcoin positions, not as advice, but as personal discipline to sustain Prison Professors’ mission.
As the founder of the nonprofit, it’s important for me to share lessons I learned with other people in prison. I want them to learn that the decisions they’re making today lead to the opportunities that will open for them in the future. I always make three promises to people in our community:
- I’ll always be truthful,
- I’ll never ask anyone to do anything that I didn’t do while in prison, and that I’m not still doing today, and
- I’ll never ask anyone to pay a penny for the free resources that we make available on PrisonProfessors.org.
No one should have to pay for resources that will prepare them for success, but everyone should put in the work to grow.
Expanding Accountability: From Prison Logs to Lifelong Habits
One of the most powerful aspects of accountability is how it adapts to any stage of life. In high-security prisons like Atlanta, I created accountability logs that would help me make progress, even while living in a volatile environment. As I transferred to lower-security prisons, I adjusted the goals I set, and the daily progress I made. Accountability logs revealed patterns. I saw how consistent journaling reduced stress, sharpened focus, and built momentum. It echoed the Straight-A Guide’s core: Attitude drives commitment, but accountability ensures follow-through.
Consider how this plays out beyond prison. A young person at risk might log study hours to avoid poor choices. A professional facing burnout could track work-life balance to rebuild energy. For those in the justice system, logs become mitigation tools—evidence for judges or parole boards showing rehabilitation. I’ve seen participants in our programs use them to secure earlier releases or jobs. One man, serving time for fraud, logged his reading of business ethics books and volunteer hours. His documented growth impressed employers, leading to a stable career post-release. Stories like these prove accountability isn’t punishment. It’s empowerment.
As Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” His reflections during 27 years in prison fueled a movement. They show that logging thoughts and actions creates clarity amid chaos. Mandela’s words still inspire me. They remind us to document not just successes, but struggles too—for that’s where real learning happens.
To harness accountability in your life, here are teachable points in a step-by-step approach:
- Establish a Simple System: Begin with a notebook or digital app. Decide on categories like fitness, learning, or relationships. Commit to one entry per day, no matter how small. This builds the habit without overwhelm.
- Align with Your Goals: Tie logs to your definition of success. If preparing for release, track program completions or skill-building. If rebuilding finances, note expenses and savings. Always ask: Does this advance my long-term vision?
- Measure Honestly and Objectively: Avoid sugarcoating. Record facts—what you did, what you learned, what fell short. Use metrics like pages read or miles walked to make progress tangible and motivating.
- Review and Adjust Weekly: Set aside time to analyze patterns. Celebrate wins to sustain energy. Address gaps by tweaking tactics, like adding accountability partners for extra motivation.
- Scale for Impact: As consistency grows, share logs selectively. This invites feedback and opportunities. In my case, sharing academic logs with mentors opened advocacy doors.
These steps are proven through my experiences and those we’ve helped at Prison Professors. To deepen this, incorporate self-directed exercises. For instance, reflect on a current challenge.
- What one area could benefit from logging? Start tonight: Write three actions from today and their outcomes. Over a month, review how this shifts your mindset. Or, draw from a leader’s story—research someone who’s overcome similar hurdles and log key takeaways.
Accountability fosters resilience. It turns “impossible” into “done,” as Mandela illustrated. At Prison Professors, we embed this in our free courses and seminars, reaching jails nationwide to promote merit-based reforms. It creates safer communities by empowering individuals to own their paths.
What area of your life needs more accountability?
Don’t just track your journey—memorialize it to inspire and attract support. By building and developing a profile on PrisonProfessorsTalent.com, you create a living record of your growth, connect with like-minded people, and unlock new possibilities. We built that platform to help people learn. What step will you take today?
