While in prision
I know this is going to sound crazy but I am happy that I went away. I learned how to be happy with myself, by myself. And by that I mean alone. You learn how to work a lot of stuff out by your self. The first thing I did was decide that I was coming home after 8 years, I could have done 11. My sentence was 8-16 years. So I had to go in front of a Parole board to be granted release. I decided that reinventing me was the most important thing. My brain was not the problem, I knew I was smart.
While in prision continued...
My decision making was very bad. So for 8 years I read every self help, get started, motivational, inspirational, spiritual positive book I could find. Covey, Les Brown, Osteen everybody. In 8 years, I watched no TV (except football) and no movies. Anybody who knows me knows how much I read. During that time, the State of NY decided that I needed to take a drug program (even though I never had a problem). So I did (whatever it takes to get out) and you know what, I loved it. I became the assistant coordinator. I loved preparing the classes and helping people into something that was good for them even though they didn't want any part of it. At the same time, a couple guys asked me to help them get into shape (I was in very good shape at the time and I still am). I started a program called Cardio Hooray, modeled after J.C. Santana's metabolic circuits.
It took off, we had over 10 guys into it and everyone was getting in shape. Now I found a new passion. I got a couple certificates and wrote the letter that has changed my life. It was to J.C. Santana, asking how I would be viewed by successful people in the industry coming out of jail. The man wrote me back and invited me to correspond with him. He sent me all kinds of information and a friendship blossomed. I was reading the Ace, AFAA, ISSA training manuals. I read them all. He turned me onto NSCA and that’s what I went after. All the while training people as I went from one jail to the next. As my time got less your security goes down. Everywhere I went people bought into my style. I got a reputation for getting people right. Wolf knows his shit. Right before I came home I was in one place for only two months and in that time I started a wellness circuit class for beginners to advanced. It had 18 people and a waiting list when I left. I found my calling and without going away, it would have never happened. You find happiness in the strangest places.
My life and the crazy things that I have seen and been through will be in the monthly newsletter. Sign up and read every month.
