May 24, 2015
White-Collar Crime
“But your journey was easier.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked this former physician and white-collar offender who continues to struggle since his release from prison.
At least 20% of the people who reach out to me have been released from prison. Many are still angry over their case, the white-collar lawyer they hired, the injustices done them and more. Their rage and action less prison term, they are learning, has consequences. This caller attempted to take his frustration out on me.
Rather than bitch at me, I told him, perhaps it was time to begin taking more aggressive action. It is never too late to start.
“Whatever,” I felt like I was having a conversation with a three-year old.
“You think my journey was easier because you see books, blogs, a thriving career and a network who has a vested interest in my success. You discount my efforts and impugn my character as a way to make your self feel better. How is that approach working? I presume I am not the only one whose efforts you discount and chalk up to good luck. Walk me through your last week, month, and year. What steps have you taken to position yourself for a better future?”
“Who are you Anthony Robbins, the motivational guru?” he asked.
“No, nothing I do is motivational. In fact, I have turned down paid speaking events when they insisted I be the “motivational speaker.” I served a year in camp. Throughout history people have endured 10 million times more than I have ever endured. I had it easy, still do, relative to most people who have ever endured struggle. If prison turns out to be the greatest struggle of my lifetime I will have hit the jackpot! What I do is help people overcome the myriad consequences of their crime. Simple! I engineered a blueprint others can learn from. Some follow it, then lead more productive lives. Some do not.”
“How much?”, he was more interested now.
“Could be free, it could be $20,000. Not sure. Frankly, we are not ready to talk money. Even if you made the investment I am not sure you are ready to act. For this to work, and to get a better idea I direct you to Chapter 6 of Ethics in Motion, you will need to implement a few small things to your daily routine. If you can do that, we can discuss working together longer term.”
“Fine.” he said.
My first small thing was not giving prison advice or working as a prison consultant or writing books about white-collar crime, but rather a walk around the track with my friend Michael Santos at Taft Federal Prison Camp. On that walk, much like I did with this Doctor, he suggested I implement a few small daily things to get on track. Slowly, incrementally, as Aesop’s fable Tortoise and The Hare teaches, I improved. Most important, I came to find great value in the journey along with the pain and frustration that accompanies it. If I do my job well, this gentlemen will take some small steps, hire me, then embark on a plan to continue to become better, stronger and more capable. No, that is not a motivational message, but rather a message of personal responsibility.
For some perspective, I attach a video that includes my first blog, along with some info on a new white-collar crime directory I created.
Justin Paperny
P.S. I am getting some emails asking about our sentencing calculator that tells the best day to surrender to get up to an extra 6 days off your prison term. The calculator is $99 dollars and will be for sale in early June.
