Hi, I’m Craig Stanland.
Welcome to my page.
I f*cked up; you don’t have to.
How?
Let me show you how my journey can help you craft your own extraordinary second act.
I was a massively successful corporate sales executive with all the professional, financial, and materialistic success many would say was having “it all.”
But that couldn’t have been further from the truth; I had zero sense of direction, purpose, meaning, authenticity, or fulfillment.
My life was riddled with fear, self-doubt, and a sense of unworthiness and inadequacy.
I felt suffocated by my own success, trapped in a life that didn’t truly reflect who I was.
Desperate to break free, I made a catastrophic choice:
I defrauded a tech giant. The consequences were severe.
The FBI arrested me, I was sentenced to federal prison, and I lost everything material. But my greatest loss was my sense of self.
I had no idea who I was but hated who I had become.
At my lowest, I considered ending my life until a simple visit from a friend changed everything.
From here, my life transformed, and one of the most important questions we can ever ask ourselves presented itself:
Continue as is, or choose to create something new and reinvent?
I chose reinvention.
Today, I’m a Speaker, Reinvention Architect, and Author of the best-seller, “Blank Canvas, How I Reinvented My Life After Prison” and the soon-to-be-published series, “Mastering Midlife: Get Unstuck, and Reinvent Your Authentic Extraordinary Second Half.“
I also write the “Midlife Reinvented” newsletter. A weekly edition filled with actionable strategies and insights from my personal journey over the last decade.
My mission? To inspire you to discover your authentic self, unleash your full potential, and craft a meaningful, extraordinary second act.
And, most importantly, to do it NOW
Not later, not waiting for life to change, not waiting for the “perfect” time, but NOW.
Ready for Your Reinvention?
Join The “Midlife Reinvented” Newsletter
This is your first step toward creating your extraordinary second act.
📣 Looking for a keynote speaker that will leave your audience inspired and ready to take bold action in their lives?
Let’s connect and bring the power of reinvention to your event.
Speaking Engagements
With a deeply personal story of overcoming federal prison and hitting rock bottom, Craig delivers powerful keynotes that resonate with anyone seeking to unleash their potential, discover purpose, and live authentically.
Midlife Reinvention Newsletter
Are you professionally & financially successful yet woefully unfulfilled? Are you ready to craft your authentic and extraordinary second half? Join the “Midlife Reinvention” newsletter for weekly tips, insights, and inspiration.
Blank Canvas Book
This book isn’t just a memoir; it’s a roadmap for anyone who has ever felt lost inside their own life, a guide back to authenticity, and a call to action to reinvent. Hear more about Craig’s memoir and purchase Blank Canvas.
Hear from Craig
Craig is a regular contributor to numerous blogs and publications and has been a guest on many different podcasts. To read and hear the latest from Craig, see the latest blog posts and our in the media section.
The Latest from Craig
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How a Simple Quote Lifted Years of Fear and Perfectionism
I was sitting in one of my favorite spots in town, a wooden bench with a commemorative plaque inviting people to sit, overlooking the water when it happened. I was reading a book, and words I’ve read and heard countless times before appeared on the page before me. They arrived unexpectedly;…
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When You Challenge Your Beliefs, You Change Your Life
A letter to my 38-year-old self: — Do you feel that? There’s a heaviness and burden on your shoulders that you don’t realize you’re carrying. It goes where you go. Maybe you don’t know it’s there. It’s grown slowly and subtly; its existence lives beyond your current perspective. Much like a…
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Mission Paves The Painful, Powerful Path To Fulfillment
Fulfilling unfulfilled dreams is a leap of faith. Creating something from nothing is insane. Whether it be a book of poetry, a sculpture, a new business, or finally breathing life into the screenplay that’s been burning a hole in your brain, it’s crazy. You have to leave the comfort of certainty…
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Finding Freedom On The Other Side Of Your Stories
For most of my life, I’ve lived a story, stories, really. It’s not just one. Lots of us do this. I didn’t realize they were stories; they felt like indelible truths, reinforced by how I live, react, and show up. A self-fulfilling prophecy of confirmation bias continues the cycle. These “indelible”…
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Why You Need to Build Your 2nd Mountain
What mountain are you climbing? In the 1st half of our lives, we climbed the mountain we believed we needed to climb to be happy. It was a mountain of shoulds, expectations, and the opinions of others. It was a mountain of perceived safety. Get good grades, go to a good…
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The Truth About Work-Life Balance: It’s Bullshit
Work/Life balance is bullshit. A career occupies the majority of people’s lives. At least 40 hours a week working, throw in the commute, and add a splash of checking emails out of “normal” office hours. In today’s 24/7 accessibility, I’m not sure “normal” hours are even a thing. Balance is very…