Criminal to Motivator
ARMAN
VESTAD
I am Arman Vestad. You may have heard my name for all the wrong reasons. I used to be a criminal, dealing in drugs, weapons, and misery.
A lot has changed since then. I’m now a public speaker, a financial expert, a husband, and a father. I’ve left crime behind and set out to build a better life – helping as many people as I can along the way.
My Story
I grew up in rural Norway. Times were simpler, I had a loving family and my whole life was ahead of me. From a young age I developed a fascination with money and this was my downfall. I started small, stealing a little from my grandfather’s wallet to buy friendship. For the first time I felt seen, but sadly it didn’t stop there.
When school finished, I started work as a doorman. It was during those nights that I fell into a different lifestyle. Partying and drugs gave way to violence and threats as I became a full-time criminal. Ultimately, these poor choices landed me in prison time after time. To my great shame, I even gained notoriety as the ‘Gunman from Molde’ when I supplied the murder weapon used in a triple homicide. At the time I enjoyed the reputation I had gained, but that just shows how far I’d strayed from the right path.
My Story
I grew up in rural Norway. Times were simpler, I had a loving family and my whole life was ahead of me. From a young age I developed a fascination with money and this was my downfall. I started small, stealing a little from my grandfather’s wallet to buy friendship. For the first time I felt seen, but sadly it didn’t stop there.
When school finished, I started work as a doorman. It was during those nights that I fell into a different lifestyle. Partying and drugs gave way to violence and threats as I became a full-time criminal. Ultimately, these poor choices landed me in prison time after time. To my great shame, I even gained notoriety as the ‘Gunman from Molde’ when I supplied the murder weapon used in a triple homicide. At the time I enjoyed the reputation I had gained, but that just shows how far I’d strayed from the right path.
After leaving prison for the 10th time, it wasn’t long until I found myself under arrest once again. This time, a policeman sat down with me and asked what he could do to help. In one phrase he changed my life: “It doesn’t have to be this way.” For the first time in years, I felt that somebody cared. It was at that moment I realised I had to start caring, too.
It wasn’t easy to change. I had a devastating drug addiction, a long criminal record, and little hope for the future. My mental health had hit rock bottom and I needed to turn myself around. I took up running to address my physical health, started paying towards my debts, and began making meaningful connections with the people around me.
I wanted to help people, and so I built up the courage to apply for a job giving debt advice. I had huge debts myself, so I knew how they felt and wanted to give them the practical advice I could have used myself. By some miracle, I landed the role and went on to work as a national adviser for personal debt in Norway. I also became a husband, father, and family man. I had turned my life around.
Now I work as a motivational speaker and adviser. I help people to overcome the hardest things life can throw at them. My experiences are extreme, but they allow me to empathise with people going through even the toughest of times. I’m lucky to have turned my life around, but doing so took bravery and determination.
I wanted to help people, and so I built up the courage to apply for a job giving debt advice. I had huge debts myself, so I knew how they felt and wanted to give them the practical advice I could have used myself. By some miracle, I landed the role and went on to work as a national adviser for personal debt in Norway. I also became a husband, father, and family man. I had turned my life around.
Now I work as a motivational speaker and adviser. I help people to overcome the hardest things life can throw at them. My experiences are extreme, but they allow me to empathise with people going through even the toughest of times. I’m lucky to have turned my life around, but doing so took bravery and determination.
Even now there are days when I struggle with my fears, thoughts, and finances. When times are hard, I now know to ask for help, to be kind to those around me, and to tackle the challenges I face head-on.
It’s not always easy,
but it’s always worth it - because
Brave Living is Better Living.
The Human Aspect of Arman
Growing up I felt like an outsider without place to fit in in the community.
Money became my way of making friends, but this slowly turned into a life of heavy crime and addition.
See how I managed to find a way out of the crime and my addiction, when I saw that people believed in me.
Learn how I created the happy and fulfilling life that I always dreamed of.
This is my story.
Arman’s Method
- Step 1
Understand Your Challenges
You can’t solve a problem you don’t understand. Take time for soul searching, think carefully about what’s challenging you and about who you want to be. There is another way. Things can get better.
- Step 2
Identify Your Breaking Point
Discover why you want to change. You need to understand the real consequences of whatever you’re worried about. This will act as your motivation for change, fuelling your journey and pushing you to be better. There is another way. Things can get better.
- Step 3
Build Hope For the Future
Realise that things don’t have to be this way forever. Anyone can change, and every situation has a solution. Your problems aren’t permanent. Think positively and start to change your perspective.
- Step 4
Change Your Thinking
We have a habit of letting our challenges take over our lives. Anger, frustration, and sadness seep into everything – but the bigger picture is almost always positive. See the world in a different way and realise there is so much more than your problems.
- Step 5
Embrace Vulnerability
The most important step you can take is to admit that you have a problem. Opening up to others could solve everything, or at least lift the weight from your shoulders. People care and can help. Don’t suffer alone.
- Step 6
Grow Your Confidence
When we’re struggling it’s easy to feel like a failure. The truth is that everyone has problems and you shouldn’t let them rule your life. Your problems don’t define you. Discover yourself again.
- Step 7
Take Decisive Action
Don’t panic. Take small, effective steps that chip away at your problems until there’s nothing left. There is always a solution and a new way forward. Take control of your own future.
- Step 8
Live With Your Mistakes
Life isn’t linear. There will always be difficult times, so it’s important to stay grounded and not lose sight of that bigger picture. Live with your mistakes. Ride the ups and downs.
- Step 9
Find Accountability and Trust
People are the key to health, wealth, and happiness. Build a strong support network that keeps you accountable and pushes you on to a better future. Find your tribe.
To follow this path for yourself, visit one of my product pages to change your life and find your brave.
Arman’s Journey
My life has been full of soaring highs and crippling lows. I’ve seen the world through the eyes of a lonely criminal and of a hopeful family man. I know how hard it can be to make a change, but I’ve learned how to beat my demons and live a life to be proud of.
Buy my book, read about my incredible journey, and discover how you too can build a healthy, happy, and content way of life.
