Reaching our highest potential or overcoming any crisis requires more than just strategy and tactics. We also need resources.
The right resources can help us overcome the challenges we face, and put us in a position to thrive. They allow us to accelerate progress, create opportunities, and transform obstacles into stepping stones. One of the earliest lessons I learned about resourcefulness came from a television show I watched as an adolescent: MacGyver.
In each show, the main character, MacGyver, found himself in difficult predicaments. Regardless of how dire the situation, he never panicked, never complained, and never accepted defeat. Instead, he would look at what he had, think creatively, and turn everyday objects into tools that helped him escape danger.
While serving my prison term, I often thought about that show. It reinforced a critical mindset:
“The key to overcoming challenges requires us to focus on what we have and using it effectively.”
That realization changed the way I approached every aspect of my sentence.
My Three-Part Strategy
Despite not having access to technology, capital, or traditional opportunities, I knew I could still develop resources. I built my plan around three pillars:
- Education – I committed to self-directed learning, earning university degrees and studying leadership.
- Contribution – I wrote, published, and found ways to add value, even from behind bars.
- Building a Support Network – I connected with mentors, business leaders, and people who could help me succeed.
I also needed tangible tools. They would help me communicate my journey and open new relationships. That’s when I created one of my most valuable resources: my personal portfolio. The portfolio was a physical booklet that contained:
- A letter describing my journey, past mistakes, and commitment to growth.
- My strategy for preparing for success after prison.
- Evidence of my work—degrees, certificates, published writings.
- A list of mentors and advisors who supported my transformation.
Since I often wrote about being the CEO of my life, I referred to my mentors as my board of directors.
Each time I wanted to connect with someone new, I sent a handwritten letter home to my sister, Julie. She would print and bind my portfolio at an office supply store, then send it out along with my letter.
That portfolio became a powerful resource—one that helped me build relationships, gain support, and create opportunities that would never have existed otherwise.
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
– Theodore Roosevelt
The ability to develop resources isn’t limited to prison. Anyone can build tools that accelerate success:
- If you want to grow professionally, develop a strong personal brand, an impressive portfolio, and a valuable network.
- If you want to improve financially, create systems to manage money, increase earning potential, and invest strategically.
- If you want to develop new skills, build a curriculum of books, courses, and mentors who can guide you.
The most successful people never wait for resources to appear—they create them.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
– Peter Drucker
Prison Professors Talent
To help others develop their own resource, our nonprofit launched Prison Professors Talent. This free platform allows justice-impacted individuals to:
- Showcase how they are preparing for success.
- Build a digital portfolio of accomplishments.
- Receive testimonial letters from those who support their growth.
We offer this service at no cost because we know how valuable a strong portfolio can be. Just as my portfolio opened doors for me, this platform can help others create opportunities for themselves.
Opportunities don’t happen by accident. They happen when we build the right resources to attract them. Wherever you are today—whether in prison, in business, or rebuilding after a setback—you have tools at your disposal. The question is, are you using them effectively?
Self-Directed Learning Question:
- What resources can you develop today that will help you accelerate progress toward your goals?
