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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3 Simple Ways I Discovered Purpose Outside of My 9-5
After prison I landed a job at a gym in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I worked at the front desk at first but eventually moved my way up to general manager. I was grateful for the job, and I met some of my now closest friends thanks to the…
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How to Create a Life of Meaning After Midlife
“Craig, you have a blank canvas. Paint whatever picture you want.” I was leaving prison and reentering the real world, a world filled with so many unknowns and overwhelming fear when I heard these words. They came from my mentor, Ed, as I expressed those unknowns and fears. The words reframed…
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How I Make Better Decisions
It was around October 2012 when I made the choice that would shatter my life. I was a successful Senior Enterprise Account manager for a large tech firm, working with some of the world’s most prominent banks and hedge funds. The products I was selling were becoming commoditized, profit margins on…
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How to Overcome Your Brain’s Fear Tactics
You’ve got big dreams and goals completely outside your career. They’re the dreams and goals that light you up inside and terrify you simultaneously. You’re finally going to write your novel, become an artist, or maybe master the craft of Japanese woodworking. All of which are firmly on the other side of…
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Unboxing My Life Story After Federal Prison
We like to put things, especially people, in boxes. We like to slap a label on that box and “know” what that person is. Notice I said what, not who. “What” is easy. “Who” involves a deeper level of understanding most people aren’t willing to explore. They’re either afraid to confront…
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Your Potential Unleashed: The Path to an Authentic Life
Years ago, I wrote a sentence that has remerged and ignited something in me. All thanks to a stranger on the internet highlighting the line on my Medium post. I have a deeper understanding of the line, and honestly, its undiscovered layers scare and frustrate me. I’m living in this bizarre…
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