Lately I’ve really been talking about content, and a huge piece of content is stories. Today’s guest is Mike Pisciotta and he’s going to share how his story drove him to get his business going. At the young age of 18 years old Mike woke up in a jail cell with no idea of what happened or why he was there. I had a Skype call with Mike before we did our interview and the second we started talking I knew I wanted to be a part of sharing his message. Mike's energy is infectious to say the least... and his enthusiasm for making the most out of his life will definitely light a spark in you! Growing up Mike experienced a lot of negativity at home, dealt with drugs,  and there really wasn’t any positive success that he could look to. At 18 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and he felt overwhelmed at the idea of going away to prison while everyone else his age passed him by while they started their lives and their careers. Mike spent a lot of time reflecting on his life and looking at what was ahead of him. He accepted that his choices and his actions put him where he was and he fully realized that he would give them 10 years of freedom, but he decided that he would not give them 10 years of life. At that moment he made that internal commitment that he had to focus on every single day because he knew he still had life. He knew he had 10 years to continue to live life and better himself in everything from exercise to foreign languages to business skills so he could prepare himself for life when he was done serving his time.  [Tweet ""Working hard isn't always working right" @freedomcatalyst"] That choice to continue to live his life to the best of his ability was a constant struggle that was challenged every single day, but his commitment to change everything that he was removed anyone’s excuses and/or doubts. Mike explains that we all live in little prisons, whether it’s a cubicle, excess weight, etc. we always have a choice to let that thing define us, break us, and hold us back, or we can let that thing be the catalyst that pushes us into success.  Often times we assume that we’re the only ones dealing with that little prison. We think that we’re the only one’s struggling, but we need to realize that there are so many people struggling with the same things too. So instead of continuing to let it pull us down, we need to let it fuel us and allow it to push us forward. Learn how to enjoy the small victories instead of always looking at what the next thing is.  Questions I Asked:  How did Mike transition from prison to life outside of prison? How did Mike start working online? What did Mike and his wife do to find clients online? What was it like to move into a consulting business?  How does someone go out and make a name for themselves? Things You’ll Learn  You are not your experiences.  Why “working hard” isn’t always “working right.” The importance of a traffic strategy.  Why content is such a crucial part of being online.  The biggest thing Mike doesn’t see people doing online.  Where to connect with Mike Website | Facebook | Twitter Other episodes you might enjoy  The Truth about Facebook Advertising - My Interview with Jason Hornung Breaking the Perfectionist Mindset - My Interview with Bob McIntosh Gratitude & Retiring the Hustle WPCP: 081