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Read This or Die!: Persuading Yourself to a Better Life
Diagnosed with a terminal illness, a leading marketing consultant discovers that what he has learned about persuading others might help him save his own life.
Ray Edwards was one of the top marketers and copywriters in the business with A-list clients like Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, and Michael Hyatt when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The diagnosis brought his life to a screeching halt and propelled Edwards to question everything he thought he knew about his Christian faith, his relationships, what kind of person he was, and how the world worked.
Out of options and deeply depressed, Edwards decided he needed to turn his life around or die a failure. He had to let go of false beliefs and find better ones. To his surprise, he found that the principles of persuasion he’d honed for over four decades to move others could work for him. In the vein of The Last Lecture and Tuesdays with Morrie, Read This or Die! Is the tale of one man’s transformation and how he achieved it.
Edwards outlines the powerful, time-tested PASTOR process he created that helped him identify and untangle the beliefs that were holding him back and provided a game plan for how to change his
start with what hurts
determine how it will get worse before it gets better
find the story of a better future
choose the evidence worth believing
discern where change can happen
set up a system that makes transformation stick
For anyone who wants to turn their life around but does not know how, the PASTOR method teaches how to harness marketing wisdom to get honest about what we really want from life and craft better beliefs and plans to help us start living life on our own terms.
Ray Edwards was one of the top marketers and copywriters in the business with A-list clients like Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, and Michael Hyatt when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The diagnosis brought his life to a screeching halt and propelled Edwards to question everything he thought he knew about his Christian faith, his relationships, what kind of person he was, and how the world worked.
Out of options and deeply depressed, Edwards decided he needed to turn his life around or die a failure. He had to let go of false beliefs and find better ones. To his surprise, he found that the principles of persuasion he’d honed for over four decades to move others could work for him. In the vein of The Last Lecture and Tuesdays with Morrie, Read This or Die! Is the tale of one man’s transformation and how he achieved it.
Edwards outlines the powerful, time-tested PASTOR process he created that helped him identify and untangle the beliefs that were holding him back and provided a game plan for how to change his
start with what hurts
determine how it will get worse before it gets better
find the story of a better future
choose the evidence worth believing
discern where change can happen
set up a system that makes transformation stick
For anyone who wants to turn their life around but does not know how, the PASTOR method teaches how to harness marketing wisdom to get honest about what we really want from life and craft better beliefs and plans to help us start living life on our own terms.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2023
20 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 25, 2023
One of the most repetitive books I’ve ever read. This book needed a good editor! I’ll admit my skepticism kicked into overdrive when he started sharing faith healing stories.
November 13, 2023
From the back cover: "You have the power to make the changes you need."
This book does a good job of not only telling the story of how the author made vital changes to the trajectory of his life, but also gives you a roadmap for doing the same.
In this book Ray Edwards demonstrates how his skills in copywriting and persuading others were useful in persuading himself to question his own beliefs and tell a better story about his hardships, effectively moving him from a victim to a hero in his own life.
This book does a good job of not only telling the story of how the author made vital changes to the trajectory of his life, but also gives you a roadmap for doing the same.
In this book Ray Edwards demonstrates how his skills in copywriting and persuading others were useful in persuading himself to question his own beliefs and tell a better story about his hardships, effectively moving him from a victim to a hero in his own life.
November 13, 2023
I received this book as part of Jeff Brown's book club. I first heard about Ray 3 years ago after joining Dan Miller's 48 Days Eagles community, and really liked his P.A.S.T.O.R. method of persuasion. He seemed like a really nice guy who truly wanted to help people succeed in business and life. Reading his book and learning of his Parkinson's diagnosis confirmed my initial thoughts.
Throughout the book, he tells of his diagnosis and all that goes along with it: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I really appreciated his vulnerability as he shared the dark times he faced and the raw emotions he felt at the beginning of his diagnosis and throughout his journey. He gives wisdom in each chapter by sharing how his beliefs have changed over the years, and using his P.A.S.T.O.R. method to help us craft our own new beliefs for the challenges we're facing.
His story reminds me of my own story of battling severe panic attacks from 2016 to 2020, and how dark and isolating those times were. It was hard to function. People didn't understand. I felt so alone and helpless. Ray offers hope for these challenging times, and helps us see we aren't alone in our battles, whether health related or not.
He includes a "Do This" section at the end of each chapter, which encourages us to actually get out our journals and write. I love this part, not only because I'm a writer, but because by taking pen to paper, we become one step closer to where we want to be.
I encourage anyone facing a difficulty in life, to read Ray's book. Not only will you be encouraged on your journey, but you will gain a deeper understanding of how to move forward with a more positive perspective on life.
Throughout the book, he tells of his diagnosis and all that goes along with it: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I really appreciated his vulnerability as he shared the dark times he faced and the raw emotions he felt at the beginning of his diagnosis and throughout his journey. He gives wisdom in each chapter by sharing how his beliefs have changed over the years, and using his P.A.S.T.O.R. method to help us craft our own new beliefs for the challenges we're facing.
His story reminds me of my own story of battling severe panic attacks from 2016 to 2020, and how dark and isolating those times were. It was hard to function. People didn't understand. I felt so alone and helpless. Ray offers hope for these challenging times, and helps us see we aren't alone in our battles, whether health related or not.
He includes a "Do This" section at the end of each chapter, which encourages us to actually get out our journals and write. I love this part, not only because I'm a writer, but because by taking pen to paper, we become one step closer to where we want to be.
I encourage anyone facing a difficulty in life, to read Ray's book. Not only will you be encouraged on your journey, but you will gain a deeper understanding of how to move forward with a more positive perspective on life.
November 15, 2023
Is it possible to persuade yourself to live a better life? Leading copywriting expert Ray Edwards with Jeff Goins outline the the possibilities in their book, “Read This or Die: Persuading yourself to a better life”. The authors take the reader through an examination of belief with the guiding question, “Is your current belief system serving you?” If not, Edwards suggests a copywriting technique he developed: PASTOR - address the Pain, Amplify it, search for a Solution, see the Transformation, make an Offer, and Respond. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 45 and at the lowest point in his life, Edwards was challenged to change the direction of his life or lose everything. He chose to put in the time and effort to sell himself a new story. Can you convince yourself that a new story is possible? If so, when?
November 4, 2023
This book came to me by way of Jeff Brown and Read to Lead as part of the book club he initiated on his platform. The thought of using sales techniques on yourself is a novel approach to making personal changes to habits and beliefs. The open sharing of the battle Ray Edwards fights with Parkinson’s and the effect on his personal belief systems add credibility. Well written step by step guide through the process Ray has used in both copywriting and life choices will help guide you through change (which most of us hate). I like his approach and the short “Do This” , at the end of each chapter,method of putting the words the into practice.
July 3, 2024
fabulous
stunningly great, real & raw… I loved this book, I hate the struggle but am so thankful for Rays candor & humor … his honesty is so refreshing… if only… if only we could all experience people in our lives that would be so transparent… if only we could all be so generous and maintain a desire to help & to be truly helpful while we are fighting our own fight… if only we’d all start speaking into to others lives with such heart felt & pure inspiration… praying for Ray, while trying to apply all of his very practical steps towards change…
stunningly great, real & raw… I loved this book, I hate the struggle but am so thankful for Rays candor & humor … his honesty is so refreshing… if only… if only we could all experience people in our lives that would be so transparent… if only we could all be so generous and maintain a desire to help & to be truly helpful while we are fighting our own fight… if only we’d all start speaking into to others lives with such heart felt & pure inspiration… praying for Ray, while trying to apply all of his very practical steps towards change…
November 14, 2023
A book that should have been a pamphlet
I admit, I am not the target audience for this book. It came as a recommendation and I decided to read it, but the premise is indeed not for everyone. There are people who have no desire or need to travel this path, but that is okay. This will help those who it needs to target.
If you like a lot of marketing in your life saving efforts, this is your book.
I admit, I am not the target audience for this book. It came as a recommendation and I decided to read it, but the premise is indeed not for everyone. There are people who have no desire or need to travel this path, but that is okay. This will help those who it needs to target.
If you like a lot of marketing in your life saving efforts, this is your book.
November 21, 2023
I've been a fan of Ray Edwards and Jeff Goins for many years, and greatly appreciated the vulnerability and transparency that Ray shares of his struggle with Parkinson's Disease. His ability to thrive despite this condition comes from a unique spin on his copywriting formula, PASTOR. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I do recommend this book for both its inspirational story and the practical application from the PASTOR framework.
November 25, 2023
I recently finished ‘Read This or Die, persuading yourself to a better life’ by Ray Edwards with Jeff Goins. I was lucky enough to be part of a book club with Read to Lead author and podcast host Jeff Brown.
What a great book about change, beliefs, and how you can see things as they are and make changes that will be long lasting. This book provides an actionable process to analyze what you believe now and how to change your beliefs.
What a great book about change, beliefs, and how you can see things as they are and make changes that will be long lasting. This book provides an actionable process to analyze what you believe now and how to change your beliefs.
November 9, 2023
I read this as part of a book club. It was the right book at the right time in my life. Ray details his situation and how he has worked through it. It can work for you too! The "letter" he wrote to himself that got him started down this road really hit home for me. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews