Alfie
Featured Keynote Speaker
Favorite YouTube Channel:
Summoning Salt
Favorite Song:
Take the Long Way Home
Inspirational Quote:
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan
Alfie's Six-Year Self:
I help people who know they're capable of more—people with light still burning inside despite the darkness they've walked through—understand the unglamorous work and unwavering focus it takes to taste redemption.
A Bit About Alfie
Alfie is a dedicated practitioner of applied wisdom, translating nearly three decades of hard-won life experience into a powerful force for personal and social transformation. Recently released after a 30-year incarceration for murder, he utilized his time—half of which was spent navigating some of the most challenging mental and physical environments imaginable—to embark on a rigorous path of self-redemption and intentional development.
Unconventional Expertise in Human Dynamics
During his incarceration, Alfie developed an extraordinary mastery of reading people and complex situations. Standing 6 feet tall and 300 pounds, with a formidable presence, he leveraged his reputation not for dominance, but to create an unexpected intellectual sanctuary. He assembled a "think tank" of professors, theologians, and highly intelligent individuals often overlooked in that environment. This period was marked by intensive, deliberate study: he committed 15 years to the study of Buddhism and the Bodhisattva path, while also exploring Spiral Dynamics and Integral Life Practice. He actively sought mentors who could enrich his spiritual and intellectual life amidst conditions designed to degrade it.
The Philosophy of Applied Intuition
Alfie's core philosophy centers on Applied Intuition, which he now defines as spirit. He recognizes its critical importance, noting that the three times he disregarded his intuition resulted in devastating consequences, culminating in the crime that led to his imprisonment. Conversely, this inner guidance has since been instrumental in preserving his life and navigating countless volatile situations. His experience forged a precise understanding of human nature, teaching him when to assert authority, when to deploy force, and, critically, when to offer calm and soothe—a necessity-born precision that few possess.
Commitment to Remorse and Deterrence
Today, Alfie is wholly dedicated to demonstrating his remorse through constructive action. He approaches face-to-face conversation as a sacred endeavor, committed to sharing his candid journey to deter others from following a similar path. His mission is clear: to ensure his life serves as a powerful testament to the possibility of change, believing that if he can prevent even one person from destroying their life, his own will have achieved profound meaning. He views vulnerability not as weakness, but as a superior form of courage—a bravery most people fear more than physical confrontation. Alfie is currently focused on building a legacy defined not by his past, but by his profound capacity for personal evolution, proving that redemption is possible through consistent self-examination and long-term commitment.
Listener Submitted Questions: 1. How do you shift from surviving prison to surviving freedom? 2. Did you get any tats in prison? If so, what? 3. Did you always know parole/freedom was an eventual option, and if it wasn't, would there be any chance of you still aiming for redemption? 4. If it was a true life sentence, would the violence have won? 5. On which date do you tell a potential love interest about your history? 6. Do you think there was a spiritual component to the winking/grinning reflection, or just by the product of a meth bender? 7. Is forgiveness important? 8. Who deserves compassion? 9. Does violence have good use? 10. What, if any, temptation still exists to use drugs? 11. Is redemption a destination with obvious qualities, or an arc that a human must work diligently to teeter atop? 12. When you say, "I'm full of light," what's the source? 13. Given that you're a keen study of human nature, and reading cues, do you find people quickening into fear when they learn your story, or facination? Is there ever neutrality? 14. How does fear / fascination make you feel? 15. Do you suffer any symptoms relating to the complex trauma? 16. Who do you admire?
Three Short Stories about Alfie
Short Story #1
Short Story #2
Short Story #3
A fellow inmate confronted Alfie outside his cell, incensed by Alfie's failure to adhere to the required "table knock" tradition when leaving the chow hall. Alfie met the aggression not with force, but with a challenge: "Prove it. Tell me the origin and purpose of that tradition. If you can, I'll apologize publicly and comply from this day forward. If you cannot, step away from my door."
The inmate was unable to provide a substantive explanation. Alfie never knocked.
In the volatile environment of incarceration, questioning established rules or assumptions—asking why—was inherently dangerous. Alfie recognized this danger and made critical inquiry his central practice. This incident exemplified his approach: substituting reckless compliance with decisive, reasoned confrontation.
Alfie confronted a towering, 6'4" inmate who was exploiting a younger individual under the guise of prison "politics." When the two finally faced off, the aggressor attempted to assert dominance by forcefully slapping Alfie across the face.
Alfie, maintaining an inviolable commitment to civility, stood motionless and composed. Having already survived multiple deadly confrontations, he assessed the bully as an insignificant threat. Instead of retaliating, Alfie offered a soft smile, yet distinctly dangerous, and calmly inquired whether the aggressor was prepared for the consequences of his actions.
The sheer composure and certainty behind the question broke the bully's resolve. The inmate never again victimized anyone. This event underscores Alfie's profound insight: in high-stakes environments, the ultimate display of control and power is often the strategic decision not to fight.
On the day of Alfie's release, a 29-year-old inmate named Squirrel, whose spirit had been severely damaged by years within the system, helped carry Alfie’s legal materials to the gate.
Squirrel gave Alfie a final high-five, sharing a profound validation: "If anybody deserves this, you do. I saw the work you put in."
Three weeks later, Squirrel tragically took his own life. This loss underscores the brutal reality of the environment Alfie transcended. Even those who acknowledge and support the redemption of others may be too broken to save themselves. Squirrel’s final vow remains a poignant and powerful motivator, emphasizing the fragility of life and reinforcing the urgency of Alfie's mission to deter others from the path of self-destruction.