We hear a lot of metaphors thrown around about mental imprisonment. And those are certainly easy to make if you haven’t stepped foot into an actual prison. But maybe hearing those types of thoughts from an actual prisoner, say one on death row, could really help put things into perspective.
This is The Psychology of Entrepreneurship,
I’m Ronsley Vaz. This uniquely produced audio docuseries follows me, and my guests from all walks of life. We examine world events and break down the reactions and responses to them from business-minded people. Then, together we go inside and unravel the inner workings of the mind of entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and academics. Our goal is to answer the question, “What is the psychology of our decisions?”.
If you are an entrepreneur or would like to explore the entrepreneurial mindset, this is the podcast for you.
Terry Robinson refuses to let imprisonment define him.
If you’ve listened to the last couple of volumes of this podcast, you know the direction I’m heading in with this one. I got to speak to yet another death row inmate, and yet again had my mind blown. The thing that makes this interview different from the others I’ve had is that Terry Robinson, or Chanton, as he prefers, maintains that he’s innocent. So for this volume, I’ve decided to present this conversation from that perspective.
Chanton is an inmate on North Carolina’s Death Row and has been for the last twenty years. In April of 2000, he was found guilty of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and first-degree murder. A jury of his peers recommended a sentence of death. Chanton has claimed innocence for those entire 20 years, and his story has never wavered. He openly speaks and writes about the stigma against innocent people in prison and the uphill battle that exists to exoneration. You can read Chanton’s thoughts for yourself on the Walk in Those Shoes blog.
In this volume, with the help of Chanton’s candid words, I explore the concepts of both innocence and imprisonment. I’m talking about the imprisonment of your own making, and the one of the very literal sense. Because despite the despair that is waiting to die in prison, Chanton offers a very uplifting look at inner peace. We discuss meditation and books, and the absolute necessity to embrace empathy above all else.
Other topics within this volume:
- The story of Rodney Reed
- Chanton’s Innocence
- Chanton’s morning routine
- The book that got him through the first night in prison
- Why meditation is essential in prison
- The happiest day he had in prison
- What prison are you living in?
Links & Resources:
Crimson Letters: Voices from Death Row
Chanton’s Writing on Walk in Those Shoes
Video: Death Row Inmate Maintains His Innocence
Video: A Former Prosecutor Apologizes for Putting an Innocent Man on Death Row
Psychology of Entrepreneurship Volume 60: The Death Penalty
Psychology of Entrepreneurship Volume 61: Lyle May
Psychology of Entrepreneurship Volume 62: Michael Jerome Braxton
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Author: Ronsley Vaz
Ronsley is the founder & chief day dreamer at AMPLIFY. He is an author, speaker & serial entrepreneur.
He has a Masters’ degree in Software Engineering and an MBA in Psychology and Leadership. He is known as the creator of We Are Podcast – the first Podcasting Conference in the Southern Hemisphere, and the host of The Bond Appetit Podcast and Should I Start a Podcast. He has an audience of over 3 million in 133 countries.
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