I worked in the corporate world for about 14 years before being arrested by the FBI and going to prison. 

I was a “Senior Enterprise Account Manager” for a large technology firm. 

In the simplest terms, I sold all the stuff that makes the Internet work to the most significant financial firms in the world. 

The job taught me to hate Sundays. 

Mostly because I was dreading Monday. 

Monday mornings were our weekly sales calls. 

Was I on track to hit my monthly target? Could I bring in extra business to make up for others’ shortfalls? 

I hated these calls. 

Then, my email was a separate issue. 

What was waiting for me in my inbox? 

What was the laundry list of customer demands, management requests, and other nonsense?

I’d check my phone all weekend to alleviate the stress, but in doing so, I was chipping away at my weekends. 

The very weekends I spent all week hoping and praying for. 

PS: I know I’m not the only one, and this is pretty much the status quo for anyone in the corporate world. 

But this is perhaps the worst part of the equation:

I didn’t like my job. 

When anyone would ask me, “Do you like what you do?” my answer was always the same: 

“No, I don’t like my job. But, I like what my job affords me.”

There was no fulfillment, no joy, no purpose or meaning. 

Only money, and a tremendous amount at that. 

I thought that would be enough. I thought the money and the status would be enough. 

Hell, it should be enough.

That’s what we’re told, get a good job, work your ass off, get the promotions, land the big deals, drive the BMWs, own the gorgeous house, eat at the best restaurants, and wear the nicest watches and clothes. 

That’s what it’s all about. That should be enough. 

If it’s not enough, there’s something wrong with you. 

Who am I to ask for more? What are passion and purpose anyway? Why do I need meaning? I’m making bank. 

It was an endless cycle of wanting more, feeling guilty for wanting more, and then buying more so that I could “fix” everything. 

I was desperate to reinvent my life and do something that mattered. . . but I had too much invested to throw it all away and start all over from scratch.

I was stuck on the golden treadmill but too blind to see I was.

In retrospect, neon signs flashed at me every day that it was time to start over.  

Here are the Top 5 Key Signs I experienced that it was time to hit the reset button and reinvent my life:

• Struggling to get out of bed
• Seeking escapes: For me, it was alcohol and materialism
• Feeling as though I had no command over my time or my life
• Financially successful and comfortable, but woefully unfulfilled
• Living on autopilot, the same thing day after day, week after week

Do any of these strike a chord with you? 

Do you feel stuck in your career, relationships, and life?

Are you doing the same things, day in and day out, but expecting different results?

If so, I invite you to take a step back and examine your life. 

Life on autopilot won’t, will never, and can’t ever create something new in your life.

That’s like expecting orange juice from apples.

Your life won’t change unless you change, and these 2 simple yet wickedly profound questions will facilitate that change:

• Am I living a life that’s true to myself?
• What will I regret NOT doing?

Answering these 2 questions is the first step to reinventing your life into the extraordinary life you dream of. 

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I’m Craig Stanland, a speaker who transforms the hard-won lessons from my journey through federal prison into actionable insights. I empower audiences to unlock their authentic potential, redefine success, and thrive personally and professionally.

Let’s chat if you’re interested in having me speak at your next event. Contact me here.