FROM INMATE TO INSPIRATION - One of the Most Motivational Videos You'll Ever See
Summary
TLDRThis powerful narrative recounts the speaker's early release from prison, propelled by a letter from the governor's office. With a renewed sense of purpose, the speaker shares his journey of overcoming adversity, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and the refusal to succumb to fear. He discusses the transformative impact of hard work, good choices, and valuing people, drawing from his own experiences, including a tragic accident that led to personal growth and a commitment to making a positive difference. The speaker's message is one of hope, progress, and the power of intentional change, encouraging listeners to take control of their lives and leave a lasting impact on the world.
Takeaways
- 📜 The speaker had his prison sentence reduced by 11 years and was released early with a letter of commendation from the governor's office.
- 🏡 Upon release, he was determined to change his life and refused to fail despite being broke and facing challenges.
- 🚫 He emphasizes that failure is not final unless one gives up, and it's important to keep trying even after making mistakes.
- 🌊 He uses the metaphor of swimming to illustrate that one must take the plunge to know if they can achieve their dreams.
- 💪 He shares his journey of sobriety, being ten years sober, and encourages others to make a difference in the world.
- 🚗 He recounts a tragic incident from 2009 where his poor decision-making led to a car accident and the death of Priscilla Owens.
- 💔 Priscilla's family forgave him and urged him to make a positive impact in the world, which became a driving force for his change.
- 🛠️ He lives by three principles: hard work, making good choices, and valuing people, which he believes can change one's life.
- 🔄 Change requires intentional choices and a commitment to progress, not perfection.
- 🤝 He stresses the importance of surrounding oneself with positive influences, mentors, and accountability.
Q & A
How much time was reduced from the speaker's prison sentence?
-The speaker had 11 years knocked off their prison sentence.
What did the speaker receive from the governor's office upon leaving prison?
-The speaker received a letter stating that they were serious about their change and inspiring.
What was the speaker's mindset when they left prison and returned home?
-The speaker was on a mission, determined not to fail, and refused to give up despite potential mistakes.
What advice does the speaker give to those who are afraid to pursue their dreams?
-The speaker advises that one must take the first step, like jumping into the water to find out if they can swim, to know if they can achieve their dreams.
How does the speaker define failure?
-Failure is only a failure until one gives up, according to the speaker. It's not about perfection but about progress.
What significant event happened on July 17th, 2009, in the speaker's life?
-The speaker, while under the influence, caused a car accident that resulted in the death of Priscilla Owens.
What was the response of Priscilla Owens' family towards the speaker after the accident?
-Priscilla Owens' family forgave the speaker and urged them to make a difference in the world in memory of Priscilla.
What are the three principles the speaker lives by?
-The speaker lives by the principles of hard work, making good choices, and valuing people.
What did the speaker write on their prison cell window and why?
-The speaker wrote 'change the world' on their prison cell window as a reminder to make good choices and to honor the promise made to Priscilla Owens' family.
How does the speaker encourage others to take ownership of their lives?
-The speaker encourages others to take ownership by making intentional choices, being accountable, and surrounding themselves with positive influences.
What is the speaker's message about the importance of the people we surround ourselves with?
-The speaker emphasizes that who we surround ourselves with matters and can influence our choices and progress in life.
Outlines
💪 Overcoming Adversity and Inspiring Change
The speaker shares his journey of redemption after serving 11 years of a prison sentence. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance and not giving up on one's dreams despite past mistakes. He talks about the fear that can paralyze people from pursuing their goals and encourages taking risks to discover one's true potential. The speaker also discusses his personal struggles with addiction and how he has managed to stay sober for ten years, highlighting the significance of progress over perfection. He shares a tragic story from 2009 where his choices led to a fatal accident, and how the forgiveness from the victim's family motivated him to make a positive impact on the world.
🌟 Living by Principles and Leaving a Legacy
The speaker outlines three core principles that guide his life: hard work, making good choices, and valuing people. He reflects on the importance of taking ownership of one's life and making intentional choices for change. The speaker talks about the need for accountability, transparency, and the support of mentors and counselors in personal growth. He encourages the audience to strive for progress daily and to not let external factors control their lives. The speaker concludes by urging everyone to take responsibility for their actions, to be the best version of themselves, and to leave a positive mark on history.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Change
💡Failure
💡Accountability
💡Choices
💡Perseverance
💡Addiction
💡Forgiveness
💡Support System
💡Sobriety
💡Impact
Highlights
Received a letter from the governor's office acknowledging the individual's serious change and inspiring efforts.
Left prison 11 years early, returning to society with determination and a mission.
Emphasized the importance of not giving up, despite potential failures and mistakes.
Encouraged overcoming fear to pursue dreams and goals.
Highlighted the necessity of trying and learning from the experience, like jumping into water to learn to swim.
Stressed that failure is only failure if one stops trying.
Shared a personal story of struggle with addiction and the journey to sobriety.
Revealed a tragic incident from 2009 where poor choices led to the loss of a life.
Expressed the victim's family's forgiveness and their request to make a positive impact.
Introduced three principles for living: hard work, making good choices, and valuing people.
Described the commitment to change and the importance of making intentional choices.
Discussed the importance of accountability and transparency in personal growth.
Highlighted the need for mentors and counselors to help identify and overcome blind spots.
Encouraged taking ownership of one's life and making good choices for progress.
Shared the belief that everyone has the potential to leave a positive mark on history.
Concluded with a call to action for self-improvement, encouragement, and living a life of purpose.
Transcripts
I got 11 years of my prison sentence
knocked off 11 years
I left prison and when I left there I
got a letter from the governor's office
that said that this young man is his
he's serious about his change and he's
trying to overcome these impact and
inspiring I got this this letter this
paper that I left the prison I was
leaving the prison in street clothes I
left 11 years early I came home five
years ago
five years ago I came home
and I was on a mission man and I was
just a brokedown dude that's just hungry
and I refuse to fail I refuse to give up
I may make mistakes I may do it the
wrong the first time the second time but
failures only failure until you stop
trying listen some of you you're afraid
and you're letting fear or whatever your
dream whatever your goal whatever it is
that you want to achieve
you're letting fear paralyze you listen
to me you're never going to know if you
can swim unless you jump in the water
you're never going to know that you can
achieve your dreams or you're going to
fail unless you get into the water
that's when you're gonna find out if
you're sinking or you're swimming and
here's the truth failures only failure
until you give up man it is that you
don't have to get it right the first
time
it's not about perfection and so some of
you maybe you struggled and you've
messed up and you're relapse or you
you've made some hiccups and even some
of us that are struggle with addiction
you've made some for business choices
some poor relationship choices you've
struggled I'm telling you what it's not
about perfection it's about progress
keep putting one foot in front of the
other giving up it's not an option
giving up on your loved ones is not an
option feeling that when you're sobriety
is not an option it's not I want you
guys to understand you're in the game
and the gay man we're in this together I
refuse to believe that addiction and
living a life full of drugs and bound to
this these thoughts and these failures
this all that we have it's not I'm ten
years sober and I promise I don't like
knuckle it I'm not counting the days I'm
just tasting down my dream and I'm no
different than any one of you in here
you was God is always the majority
period and so here's what happened with
me was a Friday night 2009 July 17th so
I had drank and consumed a half a fifth
of whiskey and 13 shots of tequila I was
drunk a girl named Priscilla Owens she
comes to get me my friend mike says
Nathan you're not driving right I said
oh no I'm not driving she is she's been
designated driver we got this we're
going out to TJ's we're starting the
fire I'll see you in a little bit cool
we shook up and we're out the door but
in the process of leaving that bar to
getting to the car there's one question
that I'm never gonna have probably ever
have answered and I can't quite put my
finger on it but somehow when I left
that bar Priscilla gave me her keys and
I remember these next few moments I
remember the atmosphere I remember what
was being said I remember what
everything every part of it I remember
the shorts that I had on I remember more
clearly than anything the next words I
heard out of Priscilla's mouth I
remember him so clearly every vow every
constant articulated so precisely and it
was so clear as crystal clear as day
well the next words I heard from
Priscilla were simply this tree and when
I hit that tree that case of beer
bottles that was behind her catapulted
forward at impact
and then what we're neighbor silicum
didn't have her seat not on quatre point
for it impact and that thing called the
windshield in your car and that case of
beer bottles Matt with Priscilla in
between and she slid down to a full of
wood and her neck rested on the middle
console that 23
choices and decisions that I made
Priscilla
Owens lost her life
she was a mother too she was a daughter
and she was a sister
what happened though is the family
wanted me to contact them right after
that they said listen there's no reason
for two families to be destroyed we want
you to know that we we love you even
though we don't know you we forgive you
mean that we don't know you but do us a
favor it's trying to make the world a
better place try it - don't let
Priscilla die for nothing just make a
difference
[Music]
I live with these three principles and I
promise you man they will change
everything about who you are
hard work works make good choices and
value people I decided ten years ago
literally when this all happened and
went to prison I wanted to be I was like
you know what I want to make this
promise I want to keep it to this family
I come from a lot of brokenness I don't
know where to start but what I do know
is the importance of the choices that I
make and so literally I wrote the word
change the world and I slapped it on a
little prison cell window and every
single day I woke up and I realized make
good choices great things happen aim
small miss small I promise you if some
of you will just begin to take ownership
of your life and so you feel you're
already striving and doing phenomenal
and making good choices I would say keep
going don't give up keep pursuing it
because I promise you every single one
of you were meant to leave your
fingerprints on history but I'm here to
tell any of you in here if you're
battling if you're struggling you've got
to know when to cut anchor and go on
about your life because you can't be
letting people live ready free up here
you can't be letting people hold you
back and who you surround yourself with
matters changes I'm having by accident
change takes intentional choices to be
different and that's just truthful today
I'm gonna get my attitude all that I got
I'm gonna give up working on my
character all that I got I want to try
to be responsible with all that I got
I want to be the best me with everything
that I got was all that I got if we can
every day look in the mirror and say I
don't need to be perfect but I want to
progress today every day I'm gonna get a
little bit better I promise you
accountability and transparency will
change your life as much as you want to
sometimes isolate and be by yourself and
think that you can do this on your own
you can't you're not an island and you
can't do this on your own and it yes we
got to have our good friends we need to
have those people that can encourage us
but it's not just on a horizontal level
there has to be a vertical level those
coaches those mentors those people that
have been through some things in life
you lead them in your life you need
counselors and people in your life that
can see you and see your blind spots
because we normally in life we will not
see our blind spots make good choices
great things happen you see every choice
that I can make listen I can't control
what you think about me I can't control
your opinion of me I can't control what
you say about me but I control how I
react respond and what I do with my life
I'm in control of my life I don't let
external factors control me I'm in
control of my life
because sometimes life can be tough life
can be challenging
and sometimes the opticals in front of
you seem like they're too big it's
easier just to lay down you know what I
remember I remember when my dad used to
look at me on the kids that listed
Nathan life is never going to keep you
but if you make it and if you build that
nobody can t be funny because hardwork
and tenacity refusing to quit and
chasing your dream you'll get there I
promise you maybe you don't hit the star
to show that on the moon you don't still
give up when you go after and you stop
care about the opinions of people around
you stop hating everybody hurts
take ownership of your life take off
your mask don't let them
make good choices be a best friend
encourage somebody be Lavoie
outward installation this is your moment
[Music]
[Music]
you
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