How does a person go from prison to Harvard? Not without willpower, hard work, and a willingness to use your strengths and your unique perspective - even if you got that perspective while behind bars - to turn goals into reality.
Andre Norman is the founder of The Academy of Hope, author of Ambassador of Hope, and a former convicted felon who turned the darkest point in his life into an inspiring success story. Now, Andre is committed to using his story to help other felons experience the same success and empowerment.
On this episode of ConvictEd Life, Zach gets together with Andre to cover how Andre got to prison, how he got out and put himself on an upward trajectory, and how he came to understand the prison system and the perspectives of the people who run it and the people who experience it, the legal disaster that drew out Andre’s prison time, plus how he got dialed into his role as a mentor, and living (and achieving) with relentless intention and the actions to back it up. Listen in to hear about the kind of success and growth that’s possible for anyone who’s willing to work for it.
What You’ll Learn:
- How Andre found a space that helped him cope with his anxiety while he helped mentor others
- What Andre’s experience living the life that the academics theorized about allowed him to do in terms of growing the organization that hired him
- Why you have to intentionally walk in the direction of positivity if you want to see positivity, and how your life changes when you make that choice
- And much more!
Favorite Quote:
"My day is not consumed, it is focused. Being busy don't mean shit... you can be busy. You can make money. But is it getting you to where you want to be? We was in the streets. We were getting money. But was it getting us to where we wanted to be? No. So making money is not bad. Living your life ain't bad. But if it's not getting you to where you want to be, then it's not good for you."
- Andre Norman
Connect with Andre:
Andre’s website
How to Get Involved:
Zach Babcock and Travis Richey are on a mission to turn their combined passion for prison reform into a show that provides all the information, encouragement, and access to resources that those in (or out) of the prison system need to take their lives to the next level of success and satisfaction.
You can get in touch with the guys at [email protected], and you can find more information, plus the ConvictEd Life newsletter, on ConvictEdLife.com (be sure to check out the Resources tab).
Check out Zach on Instagram here and through Underdog Empowerment, and visit Travis on Instagram here and at AccomplishEd Ventures.
And if you liked this episode and want to keep up with future episodes, head over to Apple Podcasts and subscribe - don’t forget to drop a like, rating, and review while you’re at it!