Brenda Ring Wood is known as the “Professor of Change.” She has been an entrepreneur since high school and has seen many challenges in life, including battling cancer and spending 4 years in prison. Through those challenging times, Brenda realized it was up to her to make a significant shift in her life if she wanted true happiness. Shifting our perception of our circumstances and the world around us can make all the difference in our mindset and reality. The idea of the American Dream might not actually be most people’s dream, and Brenda believes it is time to stop trying to fit into the box we think we should fit into, and instead go after our own dream.

In this episode, Brenda takes us through her journey of finding her true self and completely changing her perception of life after serving time in prison. She believes that you have to know who you are in order to be successful, and success isn’t just defined by money. Reputation, integrity, and character are the keys to long-lasting success, and Brenda explains the difference and importance of each one.

Key highlights:

• Introduction to Brenda Ring Wood 
• Why the “easy way” is usually a red flag
• Lessons Brenda learned after going to prison
• Her philosophy of underpromising and over-delivering
• You have to know who you are to be successful
• Her first and final years in prison: What was different about them?
• Writing her first book in prison
• Sources that helped her in prison and were a catalyst for change
• Problems with our justice and reform systems
• Words of advice when someone is feeling low in life
• It's okay to outgrow people - how do you know who should or shouldn't be on your journey?
• Sticking to what you say you're going to do
• The importance of self-health
• Advice to the younger generation - get away from instant gratification
• Being aware of the people you can trust
• Reputation, integrity, and character - the differences and importance
• Tony’s advice to millennials
• Changing your perception and mindset to change your life
• Becoming the best version of yourself
• Brenda’s TV show coming out soon, which features people doing extraordinary things
• Who you see yourself as is who you are going to be. You have to act like you are already in possession of what you want
• Look at the steps to get there, don’t focus on how long the journey will be

Quotes from the episode:

• “Perception is most people’s reality, but it doesn’t mean it's true. You have to make sure that what people perceive of you is actually true.”
• “If you truly want change, and you want to be inspired to do it, then find the resources, because they’re out there, and some of them are free.”

For more information about this episode, visit: 365driven.com/episode256