I'm addicted to listening to podcasts and when I say that, I mean I am addicted to listening to the Tim Ferriss Show. I listen to other podcast shows but let's just say that I listen to TFS 80% of the time.

Tim Ferriss has been my "friend" for almost 3 years and I still learn a lot from his shows in every episode. Since this post is not about The Tim Ferriss show I wouldn't write much about it but basically Tim interviews world class performers to deconstruct their habits routines and strategies. Find more and listen to him here.

I've also wanted to write and retain all the information that I am learning from all the podcasts that I listen to but I always have excuses. So this is my way of crossing it off on my to do list.

I just feel that if I try to summarize and write about what I've just listened to then:

• I can retain more information
• It will serve as a reminder on what I've learned because I'll have my blog as my "notebook"
• I can research more on the subject because I would need to write about it
• And of course everyone who reads it will also learn from anything that I've listened to or (you can just listen directly to the podcasts)

One of my favorite episode of the TFS is his recent interview with Catherine Hoke.

Who is Catherine Hoke?

She is the founder of Defy Ventures a non profit organization that helps the currently and formerly incarcerated people in the US. The organization's mission is to help the people who got out of and are currently in jail to have a second chance in life. So what does that mean? Defy Ventures teaches the incarcerated to be enterpreneurs so that once they get out of jail, there will be opportunities waiting for them.

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My Realization:

In the Philippines and all over the world there is a stigma once a person is known to be an "ex-convict". Most of them will get out of jail but will have a hard time getting a job which makes it more difficult for them to rebuild their life. And so the cycle begins. OnlyJuan serves his sentence, realizes that he has done wrong and wants to build a new life outside prison, he gets out of jail, tries to get a job but gets rejected a hundred times because of his "criminal records"; man has to eat so he goes back to where is good at -- picking pockets. He survived the day and calmed the grumbling stomach. The next day, he is again in prison.

Sure, people who gets convicted should be responsible for what they have done (most of them are not even guilty of the crimes they are accused of) but once they are out of prison don't you think they should be given a second chance at life? I don't only mean setting them free but giving them the chance to rebuild the life that has been destroyed by their past mistakes -- without judgement.

My father once employed a convict - he repainted our whole house and stayed with us during the entire duration of the job, I was still a high school student then. When I found out that Sau was a convict, the first emotion that has gotten into me was disbelief. Disbelief because Sau did a wonderful job in painting our house (he hand painted our walls with wood patterns) and with how protective my father is with us, he welcomed Sau in our house without questions. The actions of my father taught me that a person is not his past. A person is a person - everyone is as talented as every body else and should be treated with respect like everyone else regardless of what he has gone through.

As Catherine Hoke puts it:

“We’re all ex-somethings. I wish we’d ask ourselves, ‘What would it be like if I was only known for the worst thing I’ve done?’ Moved by empathy, we’d recognize people for who they are today and not for the mistakes they made yesterday. Millions with criminal histories would unlock their potential.”