By Randall White

When I was in prison, I didn’t feel hopeless. I never felt like it was over. And even though I was sentenced to 100 years, there were things I learned inside that completely changed my life. These lessons came from real experience, not theory. They’re what carried me through, and I believe they can help others too.

1. Take Responsibility for Your Life

One of my biggest pet peeves in society is the number of people who won’t take responsibility for the situations or circumstances they find themselves in. It’s always somebody else’s fault—what somebody said or did. But the truth is, even though we can be influenced, we can’t be forced. I had to decide to take the path I took. And I take responsibility for it.

I already had that attitude going in, but it became more pronounced the more I saw people around me blaming everybody but themselves. I found out that the people who overcome in life are the ones who realize that their failures are their choices—and their successes are too.

2. Don’t Let the Environment Control Your Mind

Just because you're in a certain place doesn’t mean you have to think like it. The prison environment was rough, but I had to make up my mind that I wasn’t going to let it shape my thoughts or actions. Your physical surroundings don’t have to determine your mindset or your future.

3. Don’t Compare Your Growth to Others Around You

Don’t make your growth relative to those around you. I’ve seen people think they were further ahead in life just because the people around them were less fortunate. In reality, they hadn’t grown at all.

One of my college basketball coaches once told me, “You’re no better than the company you keep.” He explained that a lot of times, we think we’ve grown, but we haven’t. It’s like being a big fish in a little pond. But put that fish in the ocean, and now sharks come calling—and you find out you weren’t really that big after all.

4. Keep Growing—Outgrow the Problem

You can't get out of a problem with the same level of thinking you had when you got into it. I think Albert Einstein said that. So I had to outgrow my situation. That meant studying, growing spiritually, and going deeper. You have to keep going and growing—there's no way around it.

5. It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over

Don’t let anybody tell you life is over just because you’re in a bad situation. It’s only over when you decide it is. If you don’t decide it’s over, you can keep changing and keep fighting. You can overcome any situation at any time—because it ain’t over till it’s over.

These weren’t just ideas to me. They became principles I lived by every day behind bars. And they’re still with me now. If you’re facing something that feels impossible, I hope these words encourage you to keep going—because it ain’t over for you either.