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Wrestling for My Life: The Legend, the Reality, and the Faith of a WWE Superstar
As a WWE wrestler with millions of fans, Shawn Michaels had adulation and all the attention he could ask for, but he found himself longing for something more. When he became a committed Christian at the height of his career, Shawn learned what it's like to be a man of faith in a secular arena.
Wrestling for My Life documents Shawn's journey to finding a new way of life--one that's marked by faith, family, and forgiveness.
As you watch Shawn's testimony unfold, you'll learn
The power of self-disciplineThe importance of finding a supportive mentor who challenges you to be the best version of yourselfThe freedom that's found in true forgivenessPraise for Wrestling for My
"Shawn's greatest challenge came from deep within himself, and it's been awe-inspiring to watch this man pull himself from the depths of his own personal hell by immersing himself in his faith in God. I couldn't be more amazed at the man, husband, father, and friend he has become." —The Undertaker
"I am certain that you will enjoy getting to know Shawn Michaels from the pages within as much as I have in his everyday life. If you read one book this year, make it this one" —Pastor Matthew Hagee
"Shawn's story is an important reminder of life's priorities and how we choose to use our given gifts. While I work with Shawn outside of the wrestling world, I can still strongly attest to his perseverance, passion, and humility. These pages offer an inside look into how he found strength for better change." —Jeff Wayne, Executive Vice President Programming of Outdoor Channel
Wrestling for My Life documents Shawn's journey to finding a new way of life--one that's marked by faith, family, and forgiveness.
As you watch Shawn's testimony unfold, you'll learn
The power of self-disciplineThe importance of finding a supportive mentor who challenges you to be the best version of yourselfThe freedom that's found in true forgivenessPraise for Wrestling for My
"Shawn's greatest challenge came from deep within himself, and it's been awe-inspiring to watch this man pull himself from the depths of his own personal hell by immersing himself in his faith in God. I couldn't be more amazed at the man, husband, father, and friend he has become." —The Undertaker
"I am certain that you will enjoy getting to know Shawn Michaels from the pages within as much as I have in his everyday life. If you read one book this year, make it this one" —Pastor Matthew Hagee
"Shawn's story is an important reminder of life's priorities and how we choose to use our given gifts. While I work with Shawn outside of the wrestling world, I can still strongly attest to his perseverance, passion, and humility. These pages offer an inside look into how he found strength for better change." —Jeff Wayne, Executive Vice President Programming of Outdoor Channel
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2014
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April 2, 2020
"I'm not competing for any Christian of the Year awards. If you ask me how I'm doing, I am liable to say "Great," "Fantastic", or even "This has been a tough day" if that's what the truth is. But you are not going to hear me answer, "Blessed and high favored, oh brother!" I don't speak Christianese. That's not who I am."
I'm sorry but at times that's exactly what it sounds like Shawn is doing. I have no problem with people discovering religion, without it Shawn probably wouldn't be alive today so it's good to see him embrace it. I also understand that as it is a huge part of his life he's going to talk about it. But there's talking about it and then there's the feeling it's been rammed down your throat.
This is the latter.
This is Shawn's second book and while the first book mostly covered his wrestling career and felt like it had little to no actual input from him this feels like the ghost writer was just there to get the punctuation etc correct and covers his life since he first retired from wrestling, returned, found religion and retired for a second and final time.
Shawn is very open about how he acted in his pre-Christian days, how he was perceived and how it has changed his life. It's also not solely a wrestling book. Yes he talks about his return to the ring but he also talks about his life away from the spotlight and his love of the outdoors.
All of this is fine, the wrestling parts were very intriguing, especially observations on how the locker room has changed and his reconciliation with Bret Hart. Learning more about what a celebrity you have an interest in does away from their fame is part of the reason you buy a book about them and this delivered. And the religious aspect would have been fine.
In moderation.
It didn't feel like there was any situation where Shawn wouldn't try to add God to what he was telling you, and it really got too much. He also, in my opinion at least, highlighted the narrow mindness of people within the Christian church. Being chastised for saying the word "Damn" on television (and when I read he had a very southern drawl I instantly pictured a Brother Love type of character and couldn't take him serious) or being asked how he could play a heel and still be a Christian just smacked of plain stupidity.
I finished this book in a day, it's only 161 pages long. Because of the length and the continuous groans I've had to ask myself a few questions.
*Was the book worth £8? Yes and no. it had enough content that I really enjoyed to justify the price but on the other hand it's so short that afterwards I was left feeling like I should have just rented it from a library.
*Am I glad I read it? Yes, for the same reason as above, although I wish I'd not payed for it
*Would I recommend other fans buy / read it? No and yes. By all means read the book and make your own mind up, but don't pay for it. Check your local library and if they don't have it request they buy it in. It'such a short book that it's hard to justify paying for it. If you can't find any other way then please don't pay full price for it, I'm sure it'll turn up in charity shops or nice and cheap on Amazon.
I'm sorry but at times that's exactly what it sounds like Shawn is doing. I have no problem with people discovering religion, without it Shawn probably wouldn't be alive today so it's good to see him embrace it. I also understand that as it is a huge part of his life he's going to talk about it. But there's talking about it and then there's the feeling it's been rammed down your throat.
This is the latter.
This is Shawn's second book and while the first book mostly covered his wrestling career and felt like it had little to no actual input from him this feels like the ghost writer was just there to get the punctuation etc correct and covers his life since he first retired from wrestling, returned, found religion and retired for a second and final time.
Shawn is very open about how he acted in his pre-Christian days, how he was perceived and how it has changed his life. It's also not solely a wrestling book. Yes he talks about his return to the ring but he also talks about his life away from the spotlight and his love of the outdoors.
All of this is fine, the wrestling parts were very intriguing, especially observations on how the locker room has changed and his reconciliation with Bret Hart. Learning more about what a celebrity you have an interest in does away from their fame is part of the reason you buy a book about them and this delivered. And the religious aspect would have been fine.
In moderation.
It didn't feel like there was any situation where Shawn wouldn't try to add God to what he was telling you, and it really got too much. He also, in my opinion at least, highlighted the narrow mindness of people within the Christian church. Being chastised for saying the word "Damn" on television (and when I read he had a very southern drawl I instantly pictured a Brother Love type of character and couldn't take him serious) or being asked how he could play a heel and still be a Christian just smacked of plain stupidity.
I finished this book in a day, it's only 161 pages long. Because of the length and the continuous groans I've had to ask myself a few questions.
*Was the book worth £8? Yes and no. it had enough content that I really enjoyed to justify the price but on the other hand it's so short that afterwards I was left feeling like I should have just rented it from a library.
*Am I glad I read it? Yes, for the same reason as above, although I wish I'd not payed for it
*Would I recommend other fans buy / read it? No and yes. By all means read the book and make your own mind up, but don't pay for it. Check your local library and if they don't have it request they buy it in. It'such a short book that it's hard to justify paying for it. If you can't find any other way then please don't pay full price for it, I'm sure it'll turn up in charity shops or nice and cheap on Amazon.
April 2, 2017
Ok, I'll admit it. I was into wrestling when I was a child. Razor Ramon was my favorite and my brother and I only watched WWF. WCW didn't exist for us. Shawn Michaels wasn't hugely on my radar, but I knew who he was. I admit, I requested this book because it brought back memories and I was curious about the wrestling world from that time period by an insider. I was also rather curious to see how he dealt with that world as a Christian. I had no idea he was one.
And he wasn't, until after he came back to wrestling after his first retirement. Complete 180 in how he behaved with the other wrestlers behind the curtain and how his storylines went in front of the camera.
This book was very insightful and humble. He wasn't bragging about anything, other than God and how God's plan was unfolding, from even before Shawn was a Christian. Hind-sight is 20/20 and Shawn Michaels applied it to his life and was shocked and awed by God's love for him and others. He shares his mistakes and his following the road God planned for him, before he took Christ as his Lord and Savior, and afterwards. He admits he's not magically perfect because he's now a Christian, just that he can deal with things better when they do happen.
His wife was really an amazing person, praying for him instead of nagging. She is also a strong Christian and their kids are as well. It's great to see how God works in the lives of all, money, position, fame, have nothing to do with how God treats us all. Even the powerful can be humble and thankful and blessed by God.
Not sure that makes a whole lot of sense, but I really enjoyed reading this book and you can feel the love he has for God coming through the words on the page. It takes guts to share the ugly parts of one's life, along with the good and the bad, but he does it. Not to sensationalize it, not to shock or name names. He wants to show where he came from and how God's love and his accepting it changed him for the better. He wants to share it because he wants the same for everyone. That's powerful.
Really good book, four solid stars. I would recommend this for wrestling fans and those who enjoy reading about the lives of famous people who see the light and decide to follow God's will and not their own.
My thanks to NetGalley and Zondervan Non-Fiction for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
And he wasn't, until after he came back to wrestling after his first retirement. Complete 180 in how he behaved with the other wrestlers behind the curtain and how his storylines went in front of the camera.
This book was very insightful and humble. He wasn't bragging about anything, other than God and how God's plan was unfolding, from even before Shawn was a Christian. Hind-sight is 20/20 and Shawn Michaels applied it to his life and was shocked and awed by God's love for him and others. He shares his mistakes and his following the road God planned for him, before he took Christ as his Lord and Savior, and afterwards. He admits he's not magically perfect because he's now a Christian, just that he can deal with things better when they do happen.
His wife was really an amazing person, praying for him instead of nagging. She is also a strong Christian and their kids are as well. It's great to see how God works in the lives of all, money, position, fame, have nothing to do with how God treats us all. Even the powerful can be humble and thankful and blessed by God.
Not sure that makes a whole lot of sense, but I really enjoyed reading this book and you can feel the love he has for God coming through the words on the page. It takes guts to share the ugly parts of one's life, along with the good and the bad, but he does it. Not to sensationalize it, not to shock or name names. He wants to show where he came from and how God's love and his accepting it changed him for the better. He wants to share it because he wants the same for everyone. That's powerful.
Really good book, four solid stars. I would recommend this for wrestling fans and those who enjoy reading about the lives of famous people who see the light and decide to follow God's will and not their own.
My thanks to NetGalley and Zondervan Non-Fiction for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
June 5, 2023
I think sometimes God puts odd stuff in peculiar places so that we can find them when we least expect them. This book is one of those stuff.
You should definitely check it out if you like Shawn Michaels or wrestling, and do it regardless of your religious experience.
You should definitely check it out if you like Shawn Michaels or wrestling, and do it regardless of your religious experience.
April 12, 2015
This is a difficult to rate -- is it a 3-star or a 4-star book? -- and a difficult review to write. I am not a fan of professional wrestling and had absolutely no idea who Shawn Michaels is. I selected the book mostly because I have such a low regard for wrestling and wanted to see what one of these actors had to say about how his faith impacted his career.
This is not primarily a book about professional wrestling. There is a lot of the wrestling life, but the purpose of the book is to show the change that Christ made in Michaels' life and in his career.
My take-aways from the book:
• Professional wrestling is, as I've always known, acting. Victory and defeat are illusions that are determined ahead of any match. It is athletic acting -- the actors are incredibly strong and dedicated to their acting. They are agile and some of their moves are quite gymnastic. There is the very real possibility of injury with these massive bodies colliding with each other, with tables, with floors, and with other objects. But, in the end, it's only a show.
• Shawn seems to have had a very real conversion experience. While some might argue that he tended to compromise his faith in his chosen profession, he did make what seem to be very honest attempts to live out his faith in the context of this very secular and often very non-Christian environment. And, I think he largely succeeded.
I think the writing was pretty flat, stilted. But I think David Thomas (listed as "Contributor", but I suspect his real task was to make the book readable) allowed Michaels' "voice" to come through and I suspect that fans of wrestling will like that -- one isn't hearing someone else telling Michaels' story. That is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a comment on wrestling fans, just an acknowledgement that the book is not sanitized they will hear Michaels tell his story.
There's nothing particularly new in Michaels' telling of his conversion and the change Christ made. However, I think he speaks to an audience that doesn't get many, if any, opportunities to hear this perspective in professional wrestling.
In the end, while this is a 3-star book for me, I expect that wrestling fans and particularly fans of Shawn Michaels will find this book a welcome and interesting explanation of his life and career.
(Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book as a part of the publisher's BookLook Bloggers programme. I was free to write the review I thought the book deserved and received no further compensation except for continued participation in the programee.)
This is not primarily a book about professional wrestling. There is a lot of the wrestling life, but the purpose of the book is to show the change that Christ made in Michaels' life and in his career.
My take-aways from the book:
• Professional wrestling is, as I've always known, acting. Victory and defeat are illusions that are determined ahead of any match. It is athletic acting -- the actors are incredibly strong and dedicated to their acting. They are agile and some of their moves are quite gymnastic. There is the very real possibility of injury with these massive bodies colliding with each other, with tables, with floors, and with other objects. But, in the end, it's only a show.
• Shawn seems to have had a very real conversion experience. While some might argue that he tended to compromise his faith in his chosen profession, he did make what seem to be very honest attempts to live out his faith in the context of this very secular and often very non-Christian environment. And, I think he largely succeeded.
I think the writing was pretty flat, stilted. But I think David Thomas (listed as "Contributor", but I suspect his real task was to make the book readable) allowed Michaels' "voice" to come through and I suspect that fans of wrestling will like that -- one isn't hearing someone else telling Michaels' story. That is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a comment on wrestling fans, just an acknowledgement that the book is not sanitized they will hear Michaels tell his story.
There's nothing particularly new in Michaels' telling of his conversion and the change Christ made. However, I think he speaks to an audience that doesn't get many, if any, opportunities to hear this perspective in professional wrestling.
In the end, while this is a 3-star book for me, I expect that wrestling fans and particularly fans of Shawn Michaels will find this book a welcome and interesting explanation of his life and career.
(Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book as a part of the publisher's BookLook Bloggers programme. I was free to write the review I thought the book deserved and received no further compensation except for continued participation in the programee.)
February 8, 2025
Really enjoyed this! Of course, all the wrestling stories are interesting, but I really gleaned a lot from his faith journey. He relates a lot that will be relatable to new believers, but good reminders for the seasoned believer as well. Excellent, succinct spiritual memoir.
February 27, 2015
I received an advanced copy of this book through Zondervan and Netgalley for an honest review. The official street date for this title is February 10th 2015.
Shawn Michaels was always one of my favorite wrestlers; few guys could put on a show like he did in the ring, throughout his career. He is understandably considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE is the second book that Shawn has pinned (co-wrote by David Thomas) and this time around, Shawn takes us through the second half of his career which began in 2002 and ended in 2010, but it doesn’t stop there. Shawn makes it very clear at the beginning of the book that this isn’t going to be solely a wrestling book. The wrestling side of Shawn is present, as is his love for the outdoors and his current television show about it, but the main theme behind WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE is rather a look into how his Christian faith transformed his life in every regard. Shawn tells us how he and his wife Rebecca met (a former WCW Nitro girl, which I did not previously know) and their journey to finding God, Shawn’s return to the ring and the trepidations that came with that and ultimately him coming to peace with retiring from the ring to be a husband, father and pursue his passion for the outdoors.
The thing I really liked about this book is that while it’s main theme is structured around Shawn’s life altering decision to take up his cross and follow Christ, I never felt like he was being preachy, which I will admit, I had thought might be the case going into it. God, Jesus or faith in general is mentioned on virtually ever page in the book, but it’s done in a tasteful, respectful and non pushy way. Shawn is without question a changed man from the brash and cocky “sexy boy” that we all knew earlier in his career. His 2002 return showed that he was different, but in this book his humble nature is genuine and he isn’t pushing his faith on you, but rather telling you the changes it made to his life and how exactly they came about. The books culmination of Shawn coming to terms with Bret Hart over the infamous Montreal Screwjob and how both of them found forgiveness towards one another, plays right into Shawn's overall message of love and forgiveness that he presents with this book.
A full on wrestling examination, this book is not. It is however and encouraging and uplifting look at how this man’s life was changed for the better through his salvation. I may not share all of the beliefs that Shawn talks about in this book, but I always judge a book on how well it written, how well it conveys its message and how captivating the story is, rather than letting my personal beliefs get in the way. From that angle, WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE greatly succeeds. Although this is a ghost written book, it is very much Shawn’s voice throughout and he makes it very clear that just because he now walks a life of faith, he is a flawed man who has made mistakes, but has taken the steps necessary to try and improve himself and in a humbled fashion as well. Combining at under 200 pages, WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE is a short book and I easily blazed through it in less than a day, so needless to say, I greatly enjoyed this one and highly recommend checking it out. I give this book a 4/5!
February 10, 2024
As a wrestling fan, I'm a massive fan of Shawn Michaels. His skill inside the squared circle is 2nd to none. Though I am not a fan at all of Michael Shawn Hickenbottom...
This book details mostly his life after he was brainwashed into the cult that is christianity. It's quite sad really to see just how brainwashed he is.
He keeps talking about how finding god has made him a better person, and I'm happy for him, I'm glad he was able to turn his life around and quit the drugs, etc.. but you don't need to be a Christian to be a good person. You just need self-control.
The odd short story about his wrestling life (the only good bits of this book) are long, boring, and repetitive sections about god and also how he enjoys murdering poor innocent animals.
This book details mostly his life after he was brainwashed into the cult that is christianity. It's quite sad really to see just how brainwashed he is.
He keeps talking about how finding god has made him a better person, and I'm happy for him, I'm glad he was able to turn his life around and quit the drugs, etc.. but you don't need to be a Christian to be a good person. You just need self-control.
The odd short story about his wrestling life (the only good bits of this book) are long, boring, and repetitive sections about god and also how he enjoys murdering poor innocent animals.
February 27, 2021
Unfortunately I couldn’t wait to finish this book. I love Shawn and I love wrestling but his love for Christianity and Religion was a bit too much for my liking in this book. Nothing against his faith and it’s great to see him doing so well but I just didn’t find it interesting.
July 24, 2016
Former professional wrestler Shawn Michaels is a Christian. He will tell you this pretty much every page of this. He was once hooked on pain pills and it affected his family, friends, and co-workers. Basically this book is one saved cliche after another.
It seems that no matter what he accomplished in his wrestling comeback; the Montreal Screwjob still hung over his head. He tried to put it past him, but that one sin still followed. He prayed on it. There is a conclusion reached and the lessons of giving and receiving forgiveness are taught during the course of the book.
This is pretty much like Sting's and Lex Lugar's books. They're religious people now, they pray, say that they are sorry for past indiscretions without giving any details.
He prays in case you missed that on the prior page.
He tries to get over the bad blood with Bret Hart and Montreal. I'm not going to spoil how that ends.
A little while after reading this, I watched Shawn Micheals vs. Hulk Hogan in 2005. For all his prayers, and all the career corrections that he tried to make: he's a dick. I had read that Micheals didn't want to face Hogan in the ring and he certainly didn't want to do the honors. Hogan was too old to sell moves so Micheals oversold everything. He flipped over ropes, over the ring and after every slight bump. He went out of his way to show his gymnastic ability while leaving Hogan to stand there and look dazed and useless. His job was to make Hogan look as good as well as himself and he couldn't do it.
He writes this book because he never made anyone else look good. It was always about Shawn Michaels. He's still a stage hog. That makes most of this book sound self-serving and like lies.
The $1.99 I paid was about the right price for this.
It seems that no matter what he accomplished in his wrestling comeback; the Montreal Screwjob still hung over his head. He tried to put it past him, but that one sin still followed. He prayed on it. There is a conclusion reached and the lessons of giving and receiving forgiveness are taught during the course of the book.
This is pretty much like Sting's and Lex Lugar's books. They're religious people now, they pray, say that they are sorry for past indiscretions without giving any details.
He prays in case you missed that on the prior page.
He tries to get over the bad blood with Bret Hart and Montreal. I'm not going to spoil how that ends.
A little while after reading this, I watched Shawn Micheals vs. Hulk Hogan in 2005. For all his prayers, and all the career corrections that he tried to make: he's a dick. I had read that Micheals didn't want to face Hogan in the ring and he certainly didn't want to do the honors. Hogan was too old to sell moves so Micheals oversold everything. He flipped over ropes, over the ring and after every slight bump. He went out of his way to show his gymnastic ability while leaving Hogan to stand there and look dazed and useless. His job was to make Hogan look as good as well as himself and he couldn't do it.
He writes this book because he never made anyone else look good. It was always about Shawn Michaels. He's still a stage hog. That makes most of this book sound self-serving and like lies.
The $1.99 I paid was about the right price for this.
June 18, 2019
Could not finish this book. Got about 60 pages in and couldn't go on. It's only the second book I've read that I actually abandoned reading.
I had read Shawns first book and was a fan of him for years (even had a slight crush on him in High School). The only reason I picked up the Kindle version because it was on sale for $1.99, and figured it would be a continuation of where the last one left off. But if you're looking for some more wrestling stories from the WWE, it's very minimal.
Even though I knew most of it was going to be about his "Born Again" experience, I couldn't help but feel like it was kinda being shoved down my throat. It seemed like every other paragraph started with "before I was Christian," or "When I became Christian." While I commend him that this transformation helped him out of his addictions and any other life issues he may have had, it just seems like he had to pray for every decision he had to make, even something as simple as a yes or no answer. I was raised Catholic (though more in theory rather than practice), and have used prayer for meditation, but have never used it to get through everyday decisions.
I was also put off by finding out that he does trophy hunting. I know everyone needs some sort of hobby if you're retired, but eh. I don't mind hunting if you plan on using the animal for something like food and not decorating it's head on your wall. Some of the pictures I've seen seem like it's more on the trophy side of things.
Anyway, if you're looking for maybe a self help book, this may be something for you. But if you're looking for more WWE/Wrestling stories, you won't find it here.
I had read Shawns first book and was a fan of him for years (even had a slight crush on him in High School). The only reason I picked up the Kindle version because it was on sale for $1.99, and figured it would be a continuation of where the last one left off. But if you're looking for some more wrestling stories from the WWE, it's very minimal.
Even though I knew most of it was going to be about his "Born Again" experience, I couldn't help but feel like it was kinda being shoved down my throat. It seemed like every other paragraph started with "before I was Christian," or "When I became Christian." While I commend him that this transformation helped him out of his addictions and any other life issues he may have had, it just seems like he had to pray for every decision he had to make, even something as simple as a yes or no answer. I was raised Catholic (though more in theory rather than practice), and have used prayer for meditation, but have never used it to get through everyday decisions.
I was also put off by finding out that he does trophy hunting. I know everyone needs some sort of hobby if you're retired, but eh. I don't mind hunting if you plan on using the animal for something like food and not decorating it's head on your wall. Some of the pictures I've seen seem like it's more on the trophy side of things.
Anyway, if you're looking for maybe a self help book, this may be something for you. But if you're looking for more WWE/Wrestling stories, you won't find it here.
March 10, 2021
Honestly I enjoyed this memoir much more than I had enjoyed his first one, but this is a different type of book. This book isn't really about Shawn Michaels the wrestler, it's about Shawn Michaels the man. As the girlfriend of an independent wrestler, I really enjoyed Michaels inside look on how the things he has done in the ring have shaped him to be the man that he is now outside of the ring. I really enjoyed how he brought his faith into this book, addressing things that he had done earlier in his career, how they don't align with who he is now, and how he had to face that/ come to terms with that. This book made Shawn Michaels human in the best ways possible. I had been told by someone a while back to read both of Shawn Michaels memoirs back to back and I am very glad that I listened!
June 7, 2015
I love Shawn Michaels. He was easily one of my favorite wrestlers in the WWE.
"I've got the moves, that really move 'em.
I send chills up.
Up and down their spines.
I'm just a sexy boy,
Sexy boy"
Sorry....now I have his theme song stuck in my head. Anyway, when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. I loved reading his story about him finding faith. Going from a cocky superstar, who had it all, to finding what's missing in his life. He talks about how wrestling was his number one priority until he found his wife Rebecca and Christianity. This is what this book is about. Him finding peace and joy through Christ. Wrestling for My Life is well written, extremely refreshing and eye opening for fans of Shawn Michaels.
"I've got the moves, that really move 'em.
I send chills up.
Up and down their spines.
I'm just a sexy boy,
Sexy boy"
Sorry....now I have his theme song stuck in my head. Anyway, when I saw this book, I knew I had to read it. I loved reading his story about him finding faith. Going from a cocky superstar, who had it all, to finding what's missing in his life. He talks about how wrestling was his number one priority until he found his wife Rebecca and Christianity. This is what this book is about. Him finding peace and joy through Christ. Wrestling for My Life is well written, extremely refreshing and eye opening for fans of Shawn Michaels.
November 13, 2016
An eye opening read. I was a big fan of professional wrestling when Shawn was at his most famous, yet I doubt I could have told you that the man who seemed to have it all was in actuality a miserable failure as a person. An experience with his toddler son was the catalyst for him to seek a different path and I'm happy for him that it worked out. By his own words he tells you he should have been dead. It's an inspiring story of a man who turned his life around in a drastic way. I'm glad I read it.
September 18, 2020
I love Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs. Reading an Autobiography by one of my favorite wrestlers was a blessing. I knew Shawn had changed before his return, I just didn’t realize how significantly. I’m thankful he shared his journey with Beautiful Tender Heart-Breaking honesty.
April 3, 2019
thank GOD it’s over ⛪️
October 27, 2019
He's christian, we get it; little to no information about his wrestling career, way too much information about how god will make sure he's financially secure in the future.
July 26, 2019
3 stars. Random fact about me, when I was in the 7th grade my friend and I got detention for singing Shawn Michaels theme song in the hallway. Good times. We still crack up over it to this day.
Anyways, I read Shawn's first book back when it came out in 2005 and I remember loving it (though I do need to do a re-read to see if that still holds up but I digress). He is hands down one of my all time favorite wrestlers. His in ring work speaks for itself. I knew what I was getting into when I picked this up and I was excited for it. Everyone knows that he is a born again Christian and how important his religion is to him and I was interested to read more about his walk with Christ but this seemed so basic level. He would mention something interesting but then gloss over it. The only interesting thing here was him talking about how he and Bret Hart made amends after the infamous Montreal screw job.
And also, I really wanted him to talk about him and Hulk Hogan's SummerSlam match from 2005 where Michael's over sold the hell out of everything and was basically trolling Hogan the entire time but he didn't. I'm disappointed.
Other than that, this was okay. It's a very quick read and it had quite a few quotes that I liked but other than that there wasn't much else to it. If you want to really know Shawn Michaels, read Heartbreak & Triumph it's far superior and gives you a better insight as to who he is outside of the ring. This was fine if you're looking for something quick though.
Anyways, I read Shawn's first book back when it came out in 2005 and I remember loving it (though I do need to do a re-read to see if that still holds up but I digress). He is hands down one of my all time favorite wrestlers. His in ring work speaks for itself. I knew what I was getting into when I picked this up and I was excited for it. Everyone knows that he is a born again Christian and how important his religion is to him and I was interested to read more about his walk with Christ but this seemed so basic level. He would mention something interesting but then gloss over it. The only interesting thing here was him talking about how he and Bret Hart made amends after the infamous Montreal screw job.
And also, I really wanted him to talk about him and Hulk Hogan's SummerSlam match from 2005 where Michael's over sold the hell out of everything and was basically trolling Hogan the entire time but he didn't. I'm disappointed.
Other than that, this was okay. It's a very quick read and it had quite a few quotes that I liked but other than that there wasn't much else to it. If you want to really know Shawn Michaels, read Heartbreak & Triumph it's far superior and gives you a better insight as to who he is outside of the ring. This was fine if you're looking for something quick though.
August 4, 2024
Let me start by saying that this is not your typical wrestling autobiography. This is the story of Shawn Michaels’ rebirth as a christian and how this changed his life. This is made abundantly clear at the beginning of the book.
Still, Shawn’s raw honesty really comes through throughout this book, and it is refreshing to hear a celebrity admit that they’ve not always been the perfect person portrayed on screen. I loved the story that covered his reconciliation with Bret Hart, and how this was particular “cathartic” for both men.
There are wrestling stories sprinkled in amongst the story of Shawn being ‘born-again’ although I do believe that the religious aspect of this book would be a bit much for most. Somehow, every story or tale eventually relates back to God. I think anyone not too impressed by religion would find this book a tough read. Sometimes, it comes off a little preach-y and whilst I respect Shawn’s devotion to his beliefs, it feels weird to read that God is definitely MY (the reader’s) creator and there is definitely an afterlife etc.
Glad I read, but wouldn’t particularly recommend.
Still, Shawn’s raw honesty really comes through throughout this book, and it is refreshing to hear a celebrity admit that they’ve not always been the perfect person portrayed on screen. I loved the story that covered his reconciliation with Bret Hart, and how this was particular “cathartic” for both men.
There are wrestling stories sprinkled in amongst the story of Shawn being ‘born-again’ although I do believe that the religious aspect of this book would be a bit much for most. Somehow, every story or tale eventually relates back to God. I think anyone not too impressed by religion would find this book a tough read. Sometimes, it comes off a little preach-y and whilst I respect Shawn’s devotion to his beliefs, it feels weird to read that God is definitely MY (the reader’s) creator and there is definitely an afterlife etc.
Glad I read, but wouldn’t particularly recommend.
January 26, 2022
I will admit I have been a wrestling fan since junior high. I tuned in many a Monday night to watch wrestling matches. However, until recently I have come to appreciate the stars that have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. One of those is Shawn Michaels. I listened to the audio version and enjoy every bit of it. He use wrestling analogies coupled with the biblical counterparts to tell the story God has given Him. Great book!!!
August 2, 2025
This is a great testimony of the changes Shawn experienced after Christ saved him. Extensive applications of Scripture are used, which others have used to give poor reviews of this book unfairly. The purpose of this book was not to be a memoir of Shawn's wrestling career, he already wrote that book, but, instead to chronicle his journey of faith. It's beautiful to see his transformed life, all glory be to God!
April 30, 2020
I like reading the stories that wrestlers tell about behind the scenes, and Michaels has some good ones throughout this book. I personally don't identify with the faith, so the parts that focus on religion didn't catch me so much, but I do acknowledge the effects that it can have on someone's life for the better. I'm glad to see how Shawn's life turned around.
June 5, 2020
3.5 Stars
Shawn Michaels was one of my favorite wrestlers when I was younger. I watched during the "attitude era" and enjoyed hearing about some of the back stories of the wrestlers relationships. Michaels road to faith and learning to keep it was interesting. We all struggle with it. It was nice to see this perspective. There were some slow parts to the start of the book so I'm glad I listened to it!
Shawn Michaels was one of my favorite wrestlers when I was younger. I watched during the "attitude era" and enjoyed hearing about some of the back stories of the wrestlers relationships. Michaels road to faith and learning to keep it was interesting. We all struggle with it. It was nice to see this perspective. There were some slow parts to the start of the book so I'm glad I listened to it!
December 24, 2022
Very quick read (161 pages) that showed Shawn’s spiritual maturity and insight. A delightful read that I, admittedly, wished included more wrestling stories (I guess I will have to read Shawn’s first book for those). I thought the chapters were well-divided and the thematic connections between wrestling and the Christian’s walk were masterfully done. Even for a short book there were spots of excessive repetition, and also the writing seems to lose Shawn’s “voice” about 2/3 of the way through. Minor quibbles, but I would have liked a longer final chapter. Overall, an encouraging read.
September 6, 2023
4.5 stars!
Shawn Michaels is my favourite wrestler and I loved hearing his story. I especially loved hearing his side about the infamous Montreal screw job. The only thing I wish about this book was that it was narrated by Shawn himself. There’s something about the person reading their own biography that gives it that extra little something that I felt was missing from this audiobook. Something small and picky I know but other than that I really enjoyed it.
Shawn Michaels is my favourite wrestler and I loved hearing his story. I especially loved hearing his side about the infamous Montreal screw job. The only thing I wish about this book was that it was narrated by Shawn himself. There’s something about the person reading their own biography that gives it that extra little something that I felt was missing from this audiobook. Something small and picky I know but other than that I really enjoyed it.
August 26, 2020
This is not a book about wrestling, this is a former wrestler telling his story about the path to salvation. A deep look into the second part of Shawn’s career, and a dedication to faith. Well done.
May 2, 2024
Lots of God talk, but Shawn Michaels is a very interesting person.
November 6, 2024
I guess by the title i should have realized this was about his journey with christianity… i was really just looking for a WWE book, and this isn’t it
Read
October 16, 2025audiobook through Hoopla. while not considering myself a religious or spiritual person, I appreciated his perspective and journey while not being preachy.
February 5, 2019
This book was not what I expected it to be when I picked up a Shawn Michaels book. It was interesting but not out of this word good.
December 27, 2014
This book is so much more than just a wrestler’s biography. Shawn Michaels lets the reader know this at the beginning of the book when he states the goal of his book was not to tell the story of just a professional wrestler, but to tell the story of a professional wrestler who is a devout Christian and desires to use this platform to spread the word of his faith.
I have read many professional wrestlers’ biographies, but have never read a book written as a Christian biography. I was impressed how this book found a balance between satisfying the reader who is looking for behind the wrestling scene insight and readers who are looking to understand how someone who is in the wrestling entertainment industry can hold onto their Christian beliefs while still being a part of an industry that is know to push the envelope in terms of violent and sometimes sexual content.
Shawn Michaels has written a book that allows you access to his mental thought process as his life spiraled out of control and how his belief in a higher power, and his willingness to turn his life over to God, allowed him to realize and live a life that proves you can have it all if you allow God’s plans for you to unfold in the way he so desires them to. Shawn has found peace in his life, but he shares the struggles and obstacles that he endured, and still endures, in his quest to be the man God wants him to be, while still battling the daily struggles that life presents.
The book gave me a lot to think about in my own life and I think that was part of Shawn’s objective in writing this book. He strips away the façade if him being “The Showstopper”, “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Mr. Wrestlemania” and allows himself to be seen as an equal and peer to the reader. He shows that while we all travel a different path through life, in the end we are all simply God’s children and in the end we all stand before him and are judged by the life we chose to live. This was an aspect that really made the book entertaining and fulfilling.
This was a great addition to both the wresting biography genre and the Christian biography genre. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. I will never look at Shawn Michaels the same way and have the utmost respect for the journey he has taken. He is someone to be emulated and is a strong role model in a profession that seems to be filled with people who have a lot of personal character behind the character we see on the screen.
I have read many professional wrestlers’ biographies, but have never read a book written as a Christian biography. I was impressed how this book found a balance between satisfying the reader who is looking for behind the wrestling scene insight and readers who are looking to understand how someone who is in the wrestling entertainment industry can hold onto their Christian beliefs while still being a part of an industry that is know to push the envelope in terms of violent and sometimes sexual content.
Shawn Michaels has written a book that allows you access to his mental thought process as his life spiraled out of control and how his belief in a higher power, and his willingness to turn his life over to God, allowed him to realize and live a life that proves you can have it all if you allow God’s plans for you to unfold in the way he so desires them to. Shawn has found peace in his life, but he shares the struggles and obstacles that he endured, and still endures, in his quest to be the man God wants him to be, while still battling the daily struggles that life presents.
The book gave me a lot to think about in my own life and I think that was part of Shawn’s objective in writing this book. He strips away the façade if him being “The Showstopper”, “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Mr. Wrestlemania” and allows himself to be seen as an equal and peer to the reader. He shows that while we all travel a different path through life, in the end we are all simply God’s children and in the end we all stand before him and are judged by the life we chose to live. This was an aspect that really made the book entertaining and fulfilling.
This was a great addition to both the wresting biography genre and the Christian biography genre. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. I will never look at Shawn Michaels the same way and have the utmost respect for the journey he has taken. He is someone to be emulated and is a strong role model in a profession that seems to be filled with people who have a lot of personal character behind the character we see on the screen.
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