This Conversation Will Change Your Life: Do This to Find Purpose & Meaning

They grabbed this man and they threw him against the wall, they pulled his arms back, they put the handcuffs on his wrists, and I watched him close his eyes, throw his head back, and then he started to sing. And then, she said, this pickup truck came down the road and she said she was afraid. And he goes over to the drawer, he pulls it open, he pulls out the gun, he goes over to where the man is sleeping and he points the gun at the man's head, and at some point the man stops snoring and jumps. And when the man jumps, the little boy jumps, and when the little boy jumps, he pulls the trigger.

Bryan Stevenson is my personal hero who has saved over 140 people from death row, many of whom were innocent. He's won the MacArthur Foundation Genius Award. The blockbuster movie, Just Mercy, he's portrayed by none other than Michael B. Jordan. And today, he's here on the podcast, bringing his biggest cases to life for you.

If someone tells a lie, they're not just a liar. If someone takes something that doesn't belong to them, they're not just a thief. We all don't want to be reduced to the worst thing we've ever done.

I am just so moved-

Yeah. Yeah.

... by what a force you are.

Yeah. Thank you.

Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to The Mel Robbins Podcast. I am absolutely thrilled that you're here. I have goosebumps. I cannot wait for our conversation today. And look, it's always an honor to spend time with you and to be together, but today, oh my gosh, we get to spend time together with somebody who has been a mentor, a personal hero of mine. His work, his life inspires me so much, so I just am thrilled that we get to be together for this. And if you're a new listener, I just want to take a minute and welcome you personally to The Mel Robbins Podcast family. I'm glad that you're here. And because you made the time to listen to this particular episode, here's what it tells me. It tells me you're the kind of person who really cares. You care about people, about doing good in the world, about becoming the kind of person who is more compassionate, even when it feels hard to be compassionate. And if you're listening right now because someone in your life shared this with you, here's what I want to point out to you. They also know that you're someone who cares deeply and who is ready to make a meaningful impact. I think that's pretty cool that you have people in your life like that, and so welcome. Because today, the person that you're about to meet is gonna show you exactly how to be that kinda person who has a more purpose-driven life. I'm so thrilled and honored to have one of my personal heroes here in our Boston studios today. He came here for one reason, he came here to inspire you. I mean, this, for me, it is one of the highlights of my entire career, because joining us today is the remarkable Bryan Stevenson. Bryan Stevenson is a world-renowned constitutional law and civil rights attorney. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Law School and the Harvard Kennedy School, and that's probably the least impressive thing I could say about Bryan. Bryan has argued and won multiple landmark cases before the United States Supreme Court. He's also the author of a mega best-selling book that documents his life work, Just Mercy, which was named one of the most influential books of the decade by CNN, and I think it's one of the most influential books of this century. This book was then turned into this amazing feature film starring none other than Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, and the movie went on to win four NAACP Image Awards. He's received some of the highest honors that a human being can be awarded, like the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, the American Bar Association Medal, and the National Medal of Liberty from the ACLU. Bryan is also the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit that for over 30 years has provided legal representation to people on death row, children tried as adults, and individuals with intellectual disabilities, and other people who have been unfairly incarcerated or abused by the legal system. Under Bryan's leadership, the Equal Justice Initiative have helped change laws across the country and won reversals or release for more than 140 death row prisoners, many of whom were innocent and were wrongly convicted for crimes they did not commit. These are innocent people's lives that he saved. And it's not just 140 people, that's 140 families and communities that were also saved by his work. And look, I know, when you hear the words death row, you might be thinking, "Wait, death row? Aren't those the worst people? Isn't that why they're on death row?" Grace is not one of those things you think about until you need it. Hope is not something you think you need until you're in despair. Bryan is here to show you how to look deeper within yourself, to be more compassionate, to be more curious about people's stories, to live a purpose-driven life, how to stand up for people in causes that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Because in doing that, he'll remind you that grace and hope might just be the most powerful gift you can give to the world, to other people, and to yourself. So please help me welcome the extraordinary Bryan Stevenson to The Mel Robbins Podcast. Bryan Stevenson, it is an absolute honor to meet you and to just be able to sit down and learn from you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here.