I am starting to realize as I write each page in these journals, that these writings may be the most monumental thing that I accomplish in my young adult life. Being disciplined and focused, and fearless enough to do this, is more important than any job I have had, or any class that IRead more
I just took a shower. I feel clean and good about myself. Afterward, I socialized with a few other inmates in my cell block. It is New Year’s Day, and I realized I have just taken the first few steps I will take in the year 2003. In these steps, I have decided thatRead more
I woke up the call of “Breakfast!” this morning. The trap door to our jail cell pod slammed open, and all the men rushed toward the cell block door. I thought it was super strange what was happening, and that’s when I realized it was one of those “free dreams” that was happening to me.Read more
“In Jail, it seems like a minute is an hour, and an hour is as long as an entire day.” This is what my new roomie just told me, and I think he’s right. He was talking about the contrast between “free time” and “jail time.” I thought it was a perfectly descriptive quoteRead more
It’s Friday night in Jail, and I’m sort of bummed out that I don’t have any plans or parties to attend. All of my friends are out there in the real world, on a college campus, having a blast, and I’m stuck in here: Jail! I think I am just going to sitRead more
I took a break from my afternoon routine, and I watched a movie in the day room with my fellow inmates. “Airheads” was the name of the movie, and it was about three struggling musicians who hold a radio station hostage in order to gain recognition and popularity. It was a simple, playfulRead more
On my way through the incarceration system, every once in awhile I would ask someone interesting to write a page in my journal. It was their page. My idea was that part of finding your purpose in life, is meeting the unique people who come into your life. And jail was full of other people.Read more
I am awake again: It’s past 2 AM and I am enjoying this Wednesday night alone in the darkness and silence that is known as lock-down every night in jail. I am lying on my stomach in my bunk, enjoying this nightly lonliness with my four favorite possessions: My notebook. My pencil. My Eraser.Read more
The song is playing in my head. “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.” Well I woke up dreaming of a white Christmas, but I woke up in this reality of life in a jail cell block. We don’t have windows in here. I have no idea what it looks like outside. In fact, IRead more
I am thrilled with the way my writing has evolved since my first day incarcerated. Writing has become my personal release. It has been an awesome art form that I have used to help me escape from this horrible place.Read more
Today I am surviving my first Christmas behind bars. Tonight is Christmas Eve. My cellie, Ron Schwartz, and I were just whistling and singing Christmas carols together in our cell. The song was, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”Read more
I was writing a journal post, when I was called into the visiting room. Someone was here to see me. As I approached the door, I was surprised to see my girlfriend standing in the first visiting booth behind the glass wall. I haven’t seen her for at least a month, and I was beginningRead more
Written in Jail 12/25/2002 I feel very alive tonight. I am sipping on my 3rd cup of coffee, probably around the 2 AM morning hour. I am up later than everyone else, and it is so quiet and peaceful in the cell block. Out of 22 people, I think I am the only one leftRead more
Written in Jail 12/20/2002 When I was high on heroin one time, I called and left this voice mail on a friend’s answering machine. In the morning, she delivered the typed transcript to me in an envelope. I don’t know if she did it as a joke, or if she was subtly saying I neededRead more
What happened to me? I used to be so… unhappy, unorganized, unfocused, and confused inside. Somewhere along my life journey I changed. I became honest, likable, responsible, driven, motivated, and productive? Somehow, at some point, I changed from an entitled, ungrateful, manipulative human being into a man I am proud to be today. So howRead more
Only God can lead you to your Purpose in Life, and I found God in 3 major ways: 1) First, I became so unhappy and unfulfilled with my life, that I was desperate for change. My life had become a unmanageable state of misery. A good friend of mine had just died of a drugRead more
I see a major problem with our current 40-hour-a-week, chase the American Dream mentality our culture has accepted as truth. This popular version of the American Dream includes making as much money as you can, raising-a-family-you-are-debatably-close-to; and then retiring into the sunset of old-age with a mind full of dying, unfulfilled dreams. We American’s workRead more
Before I ever knew I would have to spend ten years in prison for a mistake I had made in college while partying and using drugs – (Read about that INTENSE life story HERE) – before I ever really had a true relationship with God; I had to spend my first date in jail wonderingRead more
This is the story of how I got my first job after college – It will come in installments. After graduating college in September, I was intimidated like any other college grad – Where do I go now? I had to look myself in the mirror. When you’re in school, the school makes all sortsRead more
So I went fishing with my girlfriend yesterday on Lake Sylvia, MN. Our relationship is only two months old, but it already feels very deep and meaningful. Neither of us are looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend to just occupy a role. We’re both looking for a life-long partner to enjoy this journey of lifeRead more
I’m sitting on a deck overlooking a Minnesota garden right now. I’m graduating school next week and pondering the next move I have to make in my life. I’m kind of nervous and afraid of what may be coming next and I feel like I’m jumping off a cliff into the unknown. I’m just oneRead more
I’ve disappeared from real life, and I’m hidden in a cabin in Northwestern Minnesota right now. No, I’m not evading people I owe money to, or women whom claim I’m a crook for selling them a dream. I’m here because I have a ton of writing work to do – butRead more
This story proves three powerful steps work when making new friends. It is about how I met one of my best friends, and how this website came to be. Here are the steps I recommend: Be honest. Be vulnerable. If they don’t like you after you do those two steps, you weren’t meant to be friends, andRead more
My alarm went off at 6:30 AM last Friday. I looked around my room remembering it was a big day and orientated myself to my memories. The ordinary room looked like this. The day would end with me many miles from home looking like this: This is a great example that a single day canRead more
I think we sometimes forget how awesome our education system is this country. Sometimes we forget how brilliant it is supposed to make us. But really it doesn’t make all of us that brilliant. It’s just a norm. But there is a better way. Let’s create aRead more
It’s six in the morning, and I planned on waking up before work, and writing about my adventure this past Saturday night to an indoor soccer field where I played a fascinating game of soccer with a group of Egyptians, African’s, and Latino’s, and American’s. Just being part of it felt likeRead more
What we’re going to try to do with The Purpose Pages in the coming years is actually pretty cool stuff I think, and some of the changes we’re preparing for have already begun. I’ve been immersed in a crash course of website development since beginning this Purpose Page project a few months ago. InRead more
I have a dream and I’m not giving up no matter what stands in my way. I see a vision, and I’m going to keep pounding at all the barriers holding me back until my light blasts through and shines to the other side! I am committed to this. I am going to makeRead more
The path is dark with just a few sparks before it gets bright. I have a dream and I’m not giving up no matter what stands in my way. I see a vision, and I’m going to keep pounding at all the barriers holding me back until myRead more
This morning I walked to the front door and stared outside. Everything was white; it sparkled and flashed in my eyes. Ten inches of fresh snow covered the ground as far as I could see until the falling snow covered it across the road. IRead more