Ray Edwards Show

Today's episode is Part 1 of a two-part interview with best-selling author Frank Viola. Frank has long been one my favorite authors, and in this episode I get to "grill" him about questions writers always want to know about other writers… Why do you write? How do  you write? Are you a "word count guy" or are you a "time at keyboard" guy? How do you get published? And so much more… Resources Mentioned In This Episode Frank Viola's website. The "Christ Is All" podcast. The definitive guide to Frank Viola's books. Frank Viola's list of the Best 100 Christian Books. The Buzz Seminar Course. (I get paid a commission if you buy this – just sayin'.) Can I Ask A Big Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

It often feels as though we're faced with the choice to either win or lose. What if you could always win?   Regardless of the outcome, whether you are winning or losing is mostly a matter of your own choice. In this show, I'll give you "The 828 Tool" for always winning. Other reasons to listen: How to have more peace. How to use your computer power supply to become more productive. Spiritual Foundations Don't Let Your Heart Be Troubled Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27   Tip Of the Week How to use your computer power supply to become more productive. Feature Presentation: How to Always Win The challenge: more and more we feel as if we're losing. Higher standards Instant comparison More scores to keep More information Always on Never enough Impossible false standards It isn't about living the perfect life – it's about understanding the perfection of life. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28 If that's too "churchy" for you, this wisdom is recognized by great  thinkers in different ways. "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." – Napoleon Hill "One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity." – Albert Schweitzer "If you are pained by external things, it is not they that disturb you, but your own judgement of them. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now." – Marcus Aurelius So how can you see the good in adversity? How can you transform the obstacle from being in the way to being the way? Use The 828 Tool.  Click here to download the tool now, for free. Use The 828 Tool and share your results. Can I Ask A Big Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

Writers love apps. We can waste countless hours testing and researching them. Before apps, it was pens, paper, and especially notebooks. The truth is, the tools we use are not nearly as important as the act of writing. The only indispensable pen, notebook, or app is the one that you will use to do actual writing. In this show, I'll share my personal 7 indispensable writing apps. Other reasons to listen: How to know God's not angry with you. An app that changes your negative thinking into positive thinking. Spiritual Foundations God's Not Angry With You One of my ancestors, Jonathan Edwards, is famous for a sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." This is a mischaracterization of God that pervades the church. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If you don't understand the Bible through the lens of covenant and context, you can't understand it at all. God's unchanging attitude toward you is love and mercy. Remember you are a saint in the arms of a happy God! Tip Of the Week WinStreak is an app that is the brainchild of Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach. According to Dan & the app's website: We live in a world where there's a lot of negative information. WinStreak is a simple tool for making sure that, at the end of every day, you feel positive about your accomplishments and excited for the next day. At the end of each day, regardless of what happened, record what your biggest "wins" were. Then, plan what your biggest wins will be for tomorrow. This will keep you focused on your goals while recognizing and celebrating your achievements—or wins—along the way. It's that easy. Even if you experience setbacks, disappointments, or obstacles during the day, you know you'll always have wins from today and have a plan to accomplish more wins tomorrow. Tracking your progress in terms of wins will undoubtedly maximize your productivity and kick-start your motivation. The way you interpret your days is entirely up to you. Would you rather see your days as wins or as losses? It's a phenomenal breakthrough to realize that you're in control of the story of your life. The premise it's based on is simple: Life is a game, and we can set it up every day so we're always winning. Our experience is that making this kind of thinking a habit actually leads to people being more effective, fun to be around, and enjoyable to work with. The app is free, and you can get the full impact in less than five minutes per day. Grab the app and get on a Winstreak! Feature Presentation: 7 Indispensable Apps For Writers Scrivener. Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for writers that allows you to concentrate on composing and structuring long and difficult documents. TextExpander. Type more with less effort! TextExpander saves your fingers and your keyboard, expanding custom keyboard shortcuts into frequently-used text and pictures. Drafts. Drafts is a different kind of note taking app. In Drafts, text comes first – open the app and get a new, blank draft. Get your text down quickly, then act on it with powerful actions. Evernote. For everything you do, Evernote is the workspace to get it done. Byword. Simple and efficient text editing for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Microsoft Word. Bloated, buggy, and necessary. Pages. Pages for Mac is a powerful word processor that gives you everything you need to create documents that look beautiful. What writing apps do you find indispensable? Can I Ask A Big Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

"So, what do you do every day? What's typical  day like in your life?" I am asked this question, or something similar, often enough that I thought it might be worth answering in a podcast episode. This show is entitled, "A Day in the Life of Ray". Other reasons to listen: How to see more good days than bad, from now on. A service that allows you to easily build beautiful process documentation for your business and your team. An encore presentation of the Masterclass, "How To Write A Sales Page That Rakes In $10 Million". How to get promoted on this show to my audience.     Spiritual Foundations No More Bad Days Recently I've seen two friends go through a battle with cancer, and I saw first hand how we are in control of our response to what happens to us. Regardless of your circumstances, whether you have a good day or a bad day is really up to you Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet that, "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is." (NASB) There are 3 keys to stepping into a life with no more bad days. Key #1: Set Up a Rule You Can Always Meet In Order to Have a Good Day. Tony Robbins tells the story of two different gentlemen who attended one of his exclusive seminars in Fiji. One gentleman was a billionaire, a high achiever. The other was successful in many ways, but not someone with extraordinary income. Tony noticed that the billionaire seemed to be miserable, while the more average gentleman seemed to be extraordinarily happy. So Tony asked each man what was required in order for him to have a good day. The billionaire gave a long list of requirements that had to be met, including the amount of time he exercised, his target heart rate, his perfect diet, achieving certain financial milestones in his business, certain processes that had to happen correctly without fail, and a long list of things that must happen in order for him to have a good day. When Tony asked the gentleman who was a more moderate financial success about his rule for having a good day, the man replied with a big smile: "It's simple. Every day above ground is a good day." You get to set up the rule for what makes a good day. Why not make it one you can meet? Key #2: Change the Way You Interpret What Happens to You. The lens we used to look at the world tends to control what we see. There is the story that is told about to traveling salesmen, each of whom had a conversation with the same farmer at the corner of his field near the road. The first asked him, "Hey! What kind of people live around here?" The farmer replied, "Well, what kind of people did you find in the last place you visited?" The salesman grimaced and said, "A bunch of dishonest, ornery, inhospitable scoundrels." The farmer nodded, and said, "I expect you'll find the same sort of people around here." The next day, a different traveling salesman encountered that same farmer at the corner of his field. This new salesman had a big smile on his face and said, "Hello! What a beautiful day, and what a beautiful farm you have! I wonder if I might ask you, what sort of people will I find around here?" Farmer grinned, and asked, "what sort of people did you find in the last place you visited?" "A lot of generous, happy, open hearted and welcoming people. That place was a real joy to visit!" The farmer smiled, and said, "I expect you'll find the same sort of people around here." What we expect informs our interpretation of what we experience. The environment inside our heads controls the environment outside our heads. What we think about tends to be what we experience. Key #3: Have Biblical Hope. The word "hope" means something different in the Bible than what we typically mean by the word hope in our culture. In modern culture, "hope" is a wishy-washy, half in, half out milquetoast way of thinking. If we say we "hope" something will happen in a certain way, what we are really saying is, in effect, "I wish it would happen this way, but I know it probably won't." On the other hand, typical hope can be defined as "the positive expectation of good things." That's why our life of faith is referred to as "hope that does not disappoint". And there are plenty of reasons to believe this hope of the Bible is for real. In the book of Romans, we are told that God makes "all things work for the good of those who love Him." Jesus exhorted us not to worry about things we need in everyday life, but to trust that our Father in heaven is a good father, and he knows how to take care of his children, and that he will always give us what is best for us. Sometimes we may not be able to see how that is true, because we don't have his perspective. Just as a child might be upset when a parent roughly grabs them by the arms, yanks them off the ground, and throws them to the ground. The child may believe this was mean and cruel behavior, not realizing that their father just yanked them out of the way of an oncoming car, and saved their life. What's more, according to the Bible we know that the things that we speak and think have spiritual power to change what actually happens to us. I would encourage you to think about things that are good and positive. You may not be able to control your feelings, but you can certainly take control of your thoughts. The Apostle Paul put it this way: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8 (ESV) I don't have "zero bad days" just yet… But I have many more good days than bad ones, and that ratio is always improving. I believe it is because I use the 3 keys to unlock the door to more good days: Set up an easy-to-meet rule for what makes a good day. Change the way you interpret what happens to you. Have biblical hope. A "positive expectation of good things." Tip Of the Week SweetProcess is a service that allows you to easily build beautiful process documentation for your business and your team. 7 reasons I am back with them after a brief hiatus. Frees up my time, I can stop spending time on repetitive tasks. Get them documented and out of my head, so someone else can do them. Now I'm free to focus on growing my business. I can endure employee turnover without the setbacks. When an employee leaves, training their replacement is a breeze since all of their tasks have been documented and refined over time. Easy for team refinement. The system makes it easy for my team to make processes more efficient over time as we hone each step in any given process. Reduces errors and re-do's. Procedures are easy to follow, illustrated with screenshots, videos and checkboxes to ensure no steps are missed. Adds value to my business. A business built on a foundation of well-documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) has a higher value, which grows over time. Forces me to evaluate processes. As I think through the steps, I am forced to ask, "Is this the best way to do this?" I have discovered and eliminated many inefficiencies as a result. Better than Word, Google Docs, or other apps. SweetProcess is more elegant, custom-built for the task, easy to use and keep up to date, and "siloed" from other systems. And it's just more fun to use! Feature Presentation: A Day in the Life of Ray Rise at 4 AM Make bed Pray Meditate Brush teeth, shave Take care of dogs Drink 12 ounces of water Take communion Worship Make declarations Protein shake Bulletproof coffee Bible Classical music Read spiritual book Read nonfiction book Take morning meds at 6AM Journal Listen to a grace centered message Lumosity Check mint Create content starting at 7AM – Noon Lunch NOON – 1PM Do admin work Exercise for 60 minutes 3PM Spend time with family 4:30 PM In bed by 9pm What's a day in your life like? What are some parts of your daily routine your consider non-negotiable? Announcements Some useful announcements… Great feedback on the format. We're definitely going to keep things tight, but we are moving to a 48 minute length, and here's why: we are making the show available for distribution on radio. It's free to you a a radio station, and we leave you space for your commercial breaks. If you want to run the show on your station, simply reach out to us  at support@rayedwards.com An encore presentation of the Masterclass, "How To Write A Sales Page That Rakes In $10 Million". Next Monday at 4pm Pacific. Click here to register. How to get promoted on this show to my audience. We're having a testimonial contest: video, results based, with examples you can show. Make a video, and tell the following story: Make a video, and tell the following story: What problem you faced before you "met" me… What would have happened if you hadn't solved that problem… What you did that you learned from me… And the specific results that happened… Then post the video to YouTube, and send us a link to the video along with your conact information. Send it to support@rayedwards.com. Can I Ask A Big Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

Social media marketing is here, it's here to stay, and it's bigger than ever. But who can keep up with the trends, the new networks, and the shifting sands of strategy and tactics? How do you know what to spend your time on, and what's a waste? Who could possibly sort through this mass of possible opportunities or pitfalls? You- that's who! All you really need is the 2015 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. In today's episode, I'll tell you where to get it, why it's important, what to look for, and how you can use this valuable piece of marketing intelligence to catapult your social media marketing forward in the remaining half of the year! Other reasons to keep listening include: How to write a $10 Million sales page… Why you can have hope no matter how big your challenges… And your last chance to get a free training video on how to start, run, and grow a business that changes the world. Spiritual Foundations You Lose Nothing Because God Restores Everything No matter what situation you find yourself in, you can be assured that God sees you, cares for you, and will provide for you… and beyond that, he will restore what the enemy has stolen, and set you up better than you were before! In the Old Testament, God protected Hagar and her son Ishmael when she was cast out from Abraham's house. Hagar called Him "the God who sees me". While Job was severely tested, God did restore everything he lost and more. When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, unknown to them he rose to rule over all of Egypt. He was not bitter, but said, "What you intended for evil, God intended for good, so that I could save your lives and many others." And in Romans 8:28 the Apostle Paul tells us "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…" So remember, no matter what may come your way, God is for you and not against you, he will restore you to better than you were before. His grace is bigger than any setback, problem, or circumstance, even the ones that seem impossible. He sees you. He restores and heals. What the enemy intends for your evil, God will repurpose for your good. And He makes ALL THINGS work together for your good! Tip Of the Week Would you like to know how to write a $10 Million sales page? I'm going to show you just that next Tuesday, June 2, 2015 in a special free Masterclass. This is a live training, so I'm sorry – if you're listening to this after June 2, 2015, this opportunity has already passed you by. That's why it's a good idea to listen to the podcast every week, and subscribe to my email newsletter! We only have 1,000 seats available for this Masterclass, so register now at https://rayedwards.com/masterclass. Feature Presentation: The State of Social Media Marketing The 2015 Social Media Marketing Industry Report is out. The purpose of the report is to show how marketers are using social media to grow their businesses. The report is authored by Michael Stelzner, the founder of Social Media Examiner. It's their 7th annual report, 52 pages, and over 80 charts. It's all easy to understand and digest, and Mike takes the time to point out the "not-so-obvious" findings. Over 3,700 marketers responded to the survey that produced this report, and I don't know of any other source from which you can get this kind of data. Why This Report Is Of Value To You I highly recommend you get the report for yourself and start digesting it. Most of your peers will probably ignore it… and of those who download it, most will not read it… and of those who do read it, only a small, single-digit percentage of them will actually take the time to understand it and reason through the implications. Place yourself in that small minority, and you give yourself an enormous success advantage you can start capitalizing on immediately. I'll give you a top line taste of what can be gained from this report in moment, but let me echo some advice form the report itself. This information is for you regardless of your experience level with social media marketing. If you're experienced with social media, compare yourself against other marketers, see which platforms they're looking at next and determine whether you're achieving the same benefits as your more experienced peers. If you're a beginner (or really any level), take a look at the time commitment, benefits and platforms that your peers are using. • The time commitment: The report examines the weekly hours marketers invest in their social media efforts. This analysis will be helpful for marketers just getting started or those seeking support staff. • The benefits of social media marketing: This section of the study reveals all of the major advantages marketers are achieving with their social media efforts. It also looks at how weekly time invested and years of experience affect the results. • Most-used social media platforms: Discover which platforms marketers are using and how their usage will change this year. The report also examines which platforms experienced marketers are using. Other interesting, and more advanced topics in the report include… • Social media networks people want to learn more about: In this section, you'll discover the social platforms that marketers are most interested in learning about. • The report also examines the role of content in social media marketing, paid social media and how marketers respond when new networks emerge. • Plus questions such as how business-to-business (B2B) companies differ from business-to-consumer (B2C) companies and whether the size of a business has any bearing on results. • Perhaps most interesting of all, the report also highlights significant changes since last year's study. I Know What You REALLY Want… Here Are The Top Nuggets From The Report Okay, I know how it is. You're busy and you want me to read the report FOR you and give you a summary. And that's what I'm going to do. But it would be a huge mistake for you to leave it there. You see, there is a very deep and valuable advantage and opportunity for you in the report, but to make it work you're going to have to get the report and mine this particular pot of gold for yourself. I'll explain all that shortly, but for now, let me satisfy your curiosity with some of the primary findings… • Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn hold the top spots for future plans: A significant 66% of marketers plan on increasing their use of these social networks. • Marketers want to learn most about Facebook: While 93% of marketers are using Facebook, 68% want to learn more about it and 62% plan on increasing Facebook activities. • Video becoming important: A significant 57% of marketers use video in their marketing; however, 72% want to learn more about video marketing and plan on increasing their use of video. • Podcasting on growth trajectory: Only 10% of marketers are involved with podcasting, yet 26% plan on increasing their podcasting activities and 43% of marketers want to learn more about podcasting. • Facebook and LinkedIn are the two most important social networks for marketers. When allowed to only select one platform, 52% of marketers selected Facebook, followed by LinkedIn at 21%. • Most marketers aren't sure their Facebook marketing is effective: Only 45% of marketers think that their Facebook efforts are effective. • Tactics and engagement are top areas marketers want to master: At least 91% of marketers want to know the most effective social tactics and the best ways to engage their audience with social media. The Hidden Opportunity I Spoke Of Earlier Perhaps the most opportunity-rich information in the report are the top 5 social media questions marketers want answered. The top social media questions marketers want answered can be summarized in the following keywords: tactics, engagement, measurement, audience and tools—in that order. But do not stop here. If you are a social media marketing provider or agency, if you are a consultant or coach, or i you train people in social media marketing, this is the vein of pure gold you're looking for. Here, in this section of the report, you will find the topics for your next consulting sessions, online courses, blog posts, and podcasts! My advice: go beyond the obvious top line conclusions, spend some time reading an digesting, and think. Think about the following: How can you take advantage of the trends for promoting your own business? How can you model the best behavior for you clients and students? What connections can you draw that take data from different areas of this report and tie them together into new strategic and tactical approaches to marketing incorporating social media. And then dig deeper: how can marry your specific knowledge of your target market with the trends and current needs of marketers revealed in this report, and use that mixture to create new rocket fuel for marketing programs? Thinking of this nature will give you an advantage your competitors will not even understand, let alone duplicate. For those of you intrepid enough to actually heed my advice, you'll find more than 80 charts that visually convey some fascinating findings. For example, the report looks at which social networks are used by those who invest the most time in social media marketing, the benefits achieved by those who've been at this for years and how marketers respond to new social networks. There's much more to be mined from this report. I've only scratched the surface. What most will fail to realize is what a generous gift Mike Stelzner gives us with this report. In fact, I am honestly going to try and convince him to charge for this. An independent study, commissioned to retrieve the same level of response, exactness of data, and rigorous construction of the questions to yield unbiased, statistically reliable results would surely be a minimum six-figure investment. You get all this for free. At least until I can talk Mike out of the crazy tree, and get him start charging something for this treasure chest… which is filled with treasure maps to other treasure chests! Someday. But in the words of Aragorn, son of Arathorn, not this day. For now, it's still free, so go download your report now at: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/report2015/ What is the most interesting and useful insight you got from the new report? May I Ask A Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." I'll be taking this video down soon, so if you want to get access to it, do it now! Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

Have you heard the phrase, "Information is power?" Well, it's not true. It's not even close to being true. The idea that "information is power" is misleading, and causes many people to create roadblocks to their own success. And it's about more than just the distinction that "information applied is power" – even that variation has problems. I'll explain how to transform the lead of "information" into the gold of "transformation" in this episode. Spiritual Foundations You Have Everything You Need Steve was a coaching client who had everything going for him. He was a web designer with extraordinary talent, a great reputation, and a constant stream of people who wanted to do business with him. But Steve didn't feel successful. One day he told me, "Ray, everybody thinks I'm a success, but I feel like a total failure. I haven't hit any of my goals this year, I'm feeling discouraged, and I'm not even sure my heart is in my work any more." I asked him, "Steve, how can you say that? You're extremely talented and succesful." "That's just it, Ray. I don't even know if that's true. My work seems mediocre to me, when I compare it to (and here he named another well-know designer.)" Suddenly, a light came on in my head. "Steve, it sure seems like you're aware of a lot things you don't have… your goal weight, your goal income, your dream house, the talent that so-and-so has…" "Exactly!" "What about what you do have?" I said. He snorted. "Yeah, I know, Ray. I should count my blessings." I smiled. "That's a good idea," I said, "But not what I was going to say." He seemed curious, so I pressed on. I quoted this to him: "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.'" ~ Psalm 23:1 (NIV) He skepticism returned. "Yeah, but I don't have…" and he proceeded to make list of all the things he wanted, but didn't have. I interrupted him gently,"So is the Scripture right, or are you right?" He stopped talking. I had thrown him a curve ball. I knew what he was thinking: he believed Scripture, but his experience wasn't matching up to it. I said, "God is saying that from His perspective, you don't lack a thing." Steve said nothing. "So if you lack nothing, what do you have, Steve? The Scripture also contains the answer for that. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." ~ 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) Steve said, "I know that's true. So why am I so miserable?" "Because you keep declaring what you DON'T have! That's what your focus is on. And what we focus on tends to grow. As you focus on lack, you begin finding more and more of it in your life." "So what do I do to to change that?" he asked. I told Steve this… "Steve, God has given you everything you need to live the destiny you were created for. And He did create you to fulfill a great destiny! And the power to access that destiny is in God's Word." "A good place to start is by watching your self-talk. What are you saying to yourself all day long? If what you're saying is, 'Look at all the things I don't have. Time, money, peace, love, security…' Then you will find that to be what you experience." "But Psalm 23:1 says you 'lack nothing.'" "What if you replaced all your victim thinking, and victim-oriented self-talk ,with the Word of God over your life? Paul wrote to Timothy that Scripture is provided so 'that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.' So say to your self: 'The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing! I am complete! I am equipped for every good work!'" "In Romans 8:28 it says, '…we know that all things work together for good of those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' So if it's not good yet, it's not done yet!" I told Steve that every time one of these negative thoughts came to his mind, he should not speak it out loud, but should declare the truth of what God says about him. And that he should do so out loud, in a strong voice, as if he meant it. We worked on his coaching plan for the next month, he promised to do as I suggested, and said he would report back on our next call (in 30 days.) In less than 10 days, I got a call from Steve. "Ray I'm so excited I couldn't wait to tell you what's happened! I began doing just was we agreed, and in just a few days things started changing. I started to have more confidence. I started waking up in the morning in a good mood. Two new clients signed on at the highest rates I have ever been paid. And I am much more happy now that I'm not constantly thinking about what I don't have!" What worked for Steve can work for you, too. Stop telling yourself stories about what you don't have. Remember that your words have power to change reality. So speak the truth of the Scripture out loud. Put it into your words, but base it on God's Word. He has promised us we lack nothing, we are equipped for every good work, we have everything we need, and He is working things out for our good. So say to yourself… "I am called to God's purpose for my life! He is making everything work out for my good. I am equipped with everything I need to overcome any obstacle! I am more than a conquerer. God is giving me the desires of my heart!" I give you the same challenge I gave Steve: do this for 30 days, and report back to me here, and let me know what God has done in your life, as you focus on the truth that you lack nothing! Tip Of the Week Well, I have my voice back, and so the release of my brand new Copywriting Course,  rolls on this week. You can get access to all the free stuff we're giving away, just by going to RayEdwards.com/formula. Feature Presentation: Information Is Not Power Power is the "potential ability to do work". Information is not power. Action is not power. Right Action is power. You can become more powerful (accomplish more with less effort) by remembering these three points: The transmission of information does not equal the creation of understanding. If you need to get people to understand you, more is required than a mere "information dump". This will only overwhelm, and actually diminishes understanding. More time does not usually create better decisions. Waiting longer, to get more information, usually results in poorer decisions, not better ones. Get the required information – then make a rapid decision based on your first reaction. The message you are preaching is not nearly as persuasive as the message you are living. You will replicate in others who you are, not what you say. What do we do with this? How does this apply in life, and specifically in our "information marketing" businesses? Give instructions, not explanations. Teach "how to", not "what do". Gather the MRI (Minimum Require Information) to make a good decision. Guess at the MRI if you must. Sometimes you will be wrong. To make better decisions, make more decisions. Faster. Demonstrate  and embody what you want to see in others. Don't HAVE a message – BE a message. Put these to work, and share your results below in the comment section, May I Ask A Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript.Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

The single most important thing you can do to boost your social media engagement is right better headlines. If you don't get the click, you certainly don't get engagement. Old-fashioned headline templates are no longer enough. You need a smarter, stickier strategy. In today's episode I give you a sample from our brand-new copywriting course-I'll share five amazing tricks for perfect social media headlines. Tip Of the Week COPYWRITING COURSE NOTE: You may be wondering, "Hey Ray, where's that link to your copywriting course?" Well, this episode was recorded a few weeks ago… and this week I got a nasty case of laryngitis that really threw us off schedule. As soon as I get my voice back, we will open up the course. Sorry 'bout the delay! Spiritual Foundations No Other Gospel But This In the New Testament, the apostle Paul continuously refers to the gospel as "the gospel of grace" or "the gospel of peace". In fact, he had to defend himself against those who accused him of preaching "too much grace". These people wanted to put God's church back under the law, just to "keep things in balance". Paul was so persecuted about this that he had to offer a defense for his grace teaching in the book of Romans. Many accused him of promoting a gospel that would cause licentiousness… Or license to sin. To which Paul responded: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?" Romans 6:1-2 Interestingly, the very Gospel that Paul preached, the "Gospel of Grace", is the one seen by many in the church today as the aberration. Paul warned against this, both in his day and for our day: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8 NKJV) These days, many persecute those who preach the gospel of grace using the same verse. Ironically it was against the very same kind of "anti-grace" people that Paul originally wrote this verse. My point: there is only one gospel, and that is the gospel of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The radical, scandalous, wipes the slate clean, your sins are forgiven once and for all, past present and future, liberating gospel of grace. If you're not being persecuted for the same things which Paul is persecuted and criticized about, perhaps you're not preaching the same gospel Paul was preaching. Feature Presentation: 5 Tricks For Perfect Social Media Headlines Use Numbers Keep It Short Use the "Rubberneck Effect" Shocking Juxtapositions Promises, Promises Will you put these headline tricks to work, and post a link to your most shared Social Media content? May I Ask A Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript.Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

Want to know the secret to writing well? Write a lot. Want to know the secret to writing a lot? Write fast. Not only does writing fast help you write better, it also allows you to make more money (if your income is dependent upon your writing). In this episode… The O.D.E.S.S.A. Secret To Writing 10X Faster (And Better) Tip Of the Week Today we are releasing the first in a free video series called, "Magic Words That Make You Rich" (hat tip to  Ted Nicholas). You can watch the first video by clicking here, or in the image below. In it, I will share the secrets of writing captivating headlines… plus the master framework I use to write copy for my world-famous clients. You can start using it yourself, today. Spiritual Foundations No Ifs Ands Or Buts Do you believe that God is all-powerful? Do you believe that Jesus Christ has saved you and made you his own? Do you believe his promises to heal you, to prosper you, to bless you? Do you? I find that many believers seem to have a lot of "ifs, ands, or buts" when it comes to what they believe God can and will do for them. "Yes, I believe God can heal me, if he wants to." "Yes, I believe God will restore my family, and it will take a lot of work on our part to make it happen." "Yes, I believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today, but only for a few people and only in extraordinary circumstances." These beliefs sound reasonable. But they carry an inherent flaw, and that is they are not biblical. Let's explore.. God can, "if" he wants to. In the book of Exodus, God gave us one of his names: "I Am the Lord Who Heals You." When asked if he was willing to heal, Jesus said, "I am willing." When asked if he was able, the Lord said, "all things are possible for the one who believes." When it comes to God "and" something else to intervene in our lives, God's grace  (his unmerited favor) "is sufficient". We don't need to add anything to it. Our part is simply to receive. When it comes to God and "butts", there are no "gotcha" clauses. Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow". He said "come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden"… He said we will "lay our hands on the sick, and they will recover"… He said we "are the righteousness of God"… And that our faith "has been counted to us as righteousness". We all have the same Holy Spirit, the same father God, the same elder brother, Jesus Christ. God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him, and who are called according to his purposes. That's you, and that's me. No ifs, ands, or buts. Feature Presentation: The O.D.E.S.S.A. Secret To Writing 10X Faster (And Better) Want to write 10 times faster, and write better in the process? Use the following steps of the  O.D.E.S.S.A. method to speed up your writing, and improve its quality at the same time. Outline Dictate Edit Share Speak Apply Will you try the O.D.E.S.S.A. method, and report back here with your results? Include a link to what you wrote! May I Ask A Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript.Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

Have you ever written a blog post, one you thought was going to be brilliant, only to read it afterward and realize it falls flat? Have you ever gone back through your library of past posts, and occasionally wondered, "How did I write something this boring? If so, don't despair. I think all of us who write experience this phenomenon. The good news is you can resurrect "dead" blog posts. In this episode, I will describe 5 quick ways you can jumpstart  a dead blog post. Tip Of the Week The Grommet. Grommets are products with purpose invented by people with stories. Find something thoughtful, inspiring, innovative, or useful. NOTE: Next week, we start releasing free material as we get ready to open up our copywriting course! To get on the VIP Early Bird Notification list, so you don't miss anything, click here. Spiritual Foundations The Reckless, Dangerous, and Rebellious Prosperity Gospel I'm always a little amused when I hear a criticism leveled and those of us who believe God intended man to prosper and be in good health, especially when it sounds like this: "Oh, so you believe in the prosperity gospel?" The term itself is used with derision. Another form of this question is, "Don't tell me you're one of those 'health and wealth gospel' believers?" I always want to reply, "Would you prefer a sickness and poverty gospel? Do you think Jesus came not to give us life, and life more abundantly, but rather sickness, and death more quickly?" Of course, I don't reply this way because I do understand that most people who say these things are speaking out of true conviction. They believe their criticism of the so-called "prosperity gospel" is valid, that the "prosperity gospel" distorts the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I do agree that the gospel of prosperity and health is reckless, dangerous, and even rebellious. It represents the reckless love of God for us as humans and his children. It is dangerous to the spirit of religion, the same spirit that led the Jewish leaders of Christ's day to nail him to a cross. It is rebellious, in the same way the Romans felt this rabble-rouser Jesus was rebellious. The gospel of prosperity, of health, of wealth, and peace for all mankind is dangerous and rebellious … against the system of the world. And that is exactly why we must embrace it. That is why the Apostle John wrote, "I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. " (3 John 1:1) One of the most damning criticisms of the prosperity gospel is: what are we to make of people who live in Third World countries, who have no real chance of prosperity? If God really wants everyone to prosper, how could he allow such conditions to exist? I suspect that His response would be, "How can you? I left you in charge." Ultimately, when the full Kingdom is consummated on the earth, every injustice will be set right, every person who is lost anything will be repaid seven times what they lost, and all of us will be made whole, well, and will lack nothing. That Kingdom reality is already here, but not in its fullness, and our current assignment is to bring more of that Kingdom reality to all those around us, and to every place we go. It doesn't matter that it makes us uncomfortable, it is still our assignment. Jesus modeled for us the behavior of a person in full relationship with the Father, and with the Holy Spirit. He healed every person who came to him for healing. He paid his bills-for the first part of his life by working at a trade and having a business, in the years of his ministry he paid his taxes by finding money in the mouth of a fish. If I suggested that you pay your taxes in a similar way, because you have faith in God, I would be branded as some sort of heretical "prosperity preacher". So be it. Here's what I know: Scripture says that we are to be in good health, and to prosper in all things, even as our soul prospers. I believe it all starts with "soul prosperity"; with our mind, will, and emotions being in perfect alignment with those of the Lord. This is only possible through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit. The more we can experience that reality, the more the reality of material wealth, and physical health, will be ours. So don't be discouraged by criticisms about the "prosperity gospel". And don't be discouraged by the fact that you don't see everything you want to see in this regard-yet. Know that God's promises are true, he never lies, he is never late, he never fails to deliver. You are blessed immeasurably by the Creator of the universe. You are promised there will come a day when you will live in your perfected body the way it was intended to be originally, that you will suffer no illness, that you will not weep any longer, and there will be no lack of money, food, love, safety, or anything else you need. If that isn't true health and wealth, and I don't know what is. Feature Presentation: 5 Ways To Jumpstart Your Dead Blog Posts You've written a blog post, and it feels to you is though it has fallen flat. Or perhaps you're looking through your back catalog and found some old posts that really did fall flat. They got no engagement, very few if any comments, and you just feel overall it could've been better. Is there an easy and simple way to jumpstart these "dead" blog posts-shock them with the paddles, so to speak, and get their heart beating again? Absolutely! Here are 5 ways you can jumpstart a dead blog post… Headlines. Exchange that old, plain-Jane, boring headline for one that invokes emotion, uses power words, is controversial, cutting, inflammatory, or creates great hope. Go crazy and brainstorm many different headlines for your old, dead blog post. Sometimes all a post needs to bring it back to life is for someone to actually read it. The Lead.  Just like a good novel or movie, a blog post needs to start in the middle of the action. It needs to capture the imagination of the reader right away. If you've written a piece that just doesn't seem to have life in it, after you've readjusted the headline, consider rewriting the "lead" (the first few sentences or paragraphs) that set up the rest of the post. Instead of relating dry facts or a boring thesis statement, perhaps you could tell story, share a personal experience,  or ask some penetrating and thought-provoking questions. Simply ask yourself, "How can I make the beginning of this post more outrageous, more imaginative, more inspiring, or even into something that would evoke more skepticism?" Subheads.  Often, long blog posts die a quick death because people simply cannot wade through the wall of text that confronts them. This is why we break up our writing online into shorter paragraphs; it makes it easier for people to scan, and it looks as though it will be easier to read. One of my favorite devices for keeping people reading a post is to use mini-headlines or "Subheads" to string the main part of the story together throughout the text. Images.  I'm talking about pictures here. Actual pictures. If you can find a photo that perfectly illustrates the point you're trying to make, or one that is representative of the idea you're trying to convey, then by all means use it. Make sure you use a photo that you have the rights to use (either by the photo through a stock photo service, one you have otherwise obtained a clear license for, or a photo you took yourself). Do be careful not to use cliché photos: if you're writing about how to negotiate, for heaven's sake please don't show photo of two men in business suits shaking hands! You can be more creative than that. One great source of unusual but creative photos for this purpose is a stock photo website called Unsplash. Many thanks to my friend Mike Kim for pointing this resource out to me. Enhanced Content.  Offer an enhanced version of the content in your blog post. This might mean creating an audio file to accompany it, making a short tutorial video to go along with the blog post, or creating a checklist, infographic, or cheat sheet that can be downloaded. This enhanced content should add to the value of the post by making it readily implementable. Amy Porterfield does a great job of this on her blog. Not only is this something that is fairly easy for you to do, it can definitely increase the size of your email list if you use the approach that Amy uses, asking for an email exchange for the download. Using any one of these five jumpstart tactics should infuse your blog post with new life; using all of them is almost guaranteed to "resurrect the dead". Your assignment: put one or more of these tactics to work and apply them on your blog. This is something you could do today and begin to see the results immediately. Will you? Which of these 5 "jumpstart tactics" will you  put to work on your blog today? Post a link! May I Ask A Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript.Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.  

On March 27, my friend Michael Hyatt started a firestorm with a blog post entitled, How Much Business Is Your Profanity Costing You?  One of the most heated debates I've witnessed online ensued. Many people offered the rationale that their profanity was either a way of bonding with their audience, or of using an NLP technique known as a "pattern interrupt" (allegedly getting immediate attention and thus making communication more effective). I think most of the discussion missed Michael's most important point. I'm amazed that almost all of the hundreds of people who vented their opinion completely failed to see the most powerful business-based argument Michael put on the table. In today's show, I'll be Captain Obvious and show what you may have missed – plus I'll give you 5 reasons why your cussing isn't making you cool, it's costing you cash. Tip Of the Week Grammarly. Grammarly makes you a better writer by finding and correcting up to 10× more mistakes than your word processor. Get VIP Early-Bird Access To The Copywriting Formula! Our long-awaited Copywriting Course, The Copywriting Formula, will be released in a very short time – in fact, you'll have access to some great freebies from the course itself in just a couple of weeks. To get on the Early Bird Notification list, click here now. Spiritual Foundations Think (and Speak) On These Things What does the Scripture say about cussing? Well, first let's dispel a myth: the commandment that says we should not "take the Lord's name in vain" is not about cussing! However, that doesn't mean the Bible has nothing to say on this subject. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthyâ€"meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8) Then there is this instruction from the Apostle Paul: "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5:4) And this verse is particularly instructive: "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29)   Feature Presentation: 5 Reasons Cussing Is Costing You Cash On March 27, my friend Michael Hyatt started a firestorm with a blog post entitled, How Much Business Is Your Profanity Costing You? One of the most heated debates I've witnessed online ensued. Many people offered the rationale that their profanity was either a way of bonding with their audience, or of using an NLP technique known as a "pattern interrupt" (allegedly getting immediate attention and thus making communication more effective). I think most of the discussion missed Michael's most important point. In his post, Michael gave these 3 reasons to cut the cussing: Profanity alienates people. Profanity hurts your brand. Profanity doesn't work. But the most obvious potential loss, which most people who read the article missed, was this sentence: "I don’t always feel comfortable directing my audience to do the same. It’s just not worth offending them." In other words, your profanity might prevent Michael from recommending you to his 525,057 readers. Another friend, Joel Comm, wrote a splendid article on this subject some time ago, about professional speakers cursing from the stage. Joel said, "If you are disrespectful of your audience, the impact of your message is going to be diminished." I was so pleased that Michael started this public discourse on what I feel is an important subject. I was inspired to add my own thoughts. Here are my "5 Reasons Cussing Is Costing You Cash". None of them are "moralizing" – I covered that already in Spiritual Foundations – all are pragmatic. Cussing costs you promotional opportunities from major influencers. Cussing costs you personal recommendations from many more individuals. They may not be major influencers like Michael Hyatt, John Maxwell, Dave Ramsey, or Joel Comm… but if each person influences a circle of 250 people, and you have thousands in your audience… what is that costing you? Constant, dramatic cussing erodes trust with most people. It's a simple logical equation for most: if you're willing to say such vile things in your professional life, what are you like on a personal basis? When the spotlight is not on you? When you're not being watched? Cussing distracts people from the value of what you bring to the world. Instead of considering the purchase of your book, seminar, or training materials. the discussion becomes one about why you use the F-word so much. Is that really the kind of "pattern interrupt" you want to perform? Cussing will cause some people to actively oppose the purchase or use of your books, live events, and materials. You may never know how deep this particular iceberg goes under the surface of the water. If you are still determined that your use of profanity is "strategic" or "therapeutic" or "effective" for your audience, I urge you to consider this question: if you stopped using profanity, would anyone complain? Do you think profanity adds anything positive to your message? May I Ask A Favor? Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Go ahead and subscribe now, and give us your star rating and review on iTunes. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also BACK on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there. If you don't already get the email newsletter, sign up for that and get the new free video: "3 Keys to Change the World and Make Your Business Grow." Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.