Ray Edwards Show

This week I have my good friend Cliff Ravenscraft on the show – yes, the Podcast Answer Man himself will join us and we'll discuss the future of podcasting and what it means for those building a platform. I know you were expecting Five Destructive Habits That Will Wreck Your Life, but this is a good programming change. Trust me. We have a BIG announcement, and I'll get you those Five Destructive Habits That Will Wreck Your Life in a couple of weeks! Feature Presentation: Cliff Ravenscraft, The Podcast Answer Man An interview with the leader of Podcasting. Click here to find the details about the live workshop Cliff and I are conducting in November. Next Week: If You Don't Have Your Health… 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. Question: What are you doing to build your platform? Click here to leave your comments.

We are busy. Too busy, it seems; if I ask ten friends what their biggest challenge is, five will answer with some variation of, "I'm just too busy."   In this episode I will share 10 specific tactics to help un-busy yourself. Tip of the Week: My favorite new meeting tool is Zoom.us. I like it better than Skype or GoToMeeting for the following reasons: Smoother video streaming. Ease of use. Simple screen sharing. Easy recordings. Less expensive than other alternatives. Spiritual Foundations: Should we be working harder to be better Christians? No. All our "working" and striving will only make us feel guiltier and dirtier than before we started. …you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Cor 1:30 Your righteousness is not measured by what you do or don't do; it is measured by what Jesus already did. Feature Presentation: Ten Ways To Un-Busy Yourself This Week We are too busy. We need to slow down, so we can get more meaningful work done. Here are 10 specific tactics to help un-busy yourself. Start work an hour later. Quit work an hour earlier. Don't take any lunch meetings. Work four days instead of five this week. Don't take any incoming phone calls. Eliminate all shopping (online and offline). Stop watching TV, listening to the radio, and reading the newspaper. Meditate twice a day. Cancel all recurring meetings. Cancel all social and volunteer activities. Even picking a few of these ten will free up space in your mind, help you get more centered, and perhaps bring you a renewed sense of peace, power, and purpose. Next Week: Five Destructive Habits That Will Wreck Your Life 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. Question: Which un-busying practices will you adopt this week? Click here to leave your comments.

For the longest time, when asked how quickly I can turnaround a writing project, my answer has been: "I can write better than anybody who can write faster, and I can write faster than anybody who can write better." I recently discovered the person who originally penned that phrase: American journalist A.J. Liebling, who wrote primarily for The New Yorker. The reason I think this  quote rings true for many writers is actually a secret of the trade. Writing faster makes you a better writer. Tip of the Week: You know by now I'm a big fan of Scrivener. today I'd like to introduce you to the best training I've found on how to use Scrivener effectively: Learn Scrivener Fast. Spiritual Foundations: Is God judging us? Is his judgment the source of the scary things we hear in the news? God is love. (1 John 4:8) There is no fear in love. (1 John 4:18) How we can "test the spirits". (1 John 4) Don't be deceived by ministries of fear. Feature Presentation: Write Faster, Write Better Here are 5 reasons why writing faster can make you a better writer. You'll write more. Your skill level will improve. Writing fast turns off the self-editor and inner critic. The 10,000 hour rule works in your favor. Imperfect practice is better than perfect intentions. What level of output are you truly capable of as a writer? Next Week: Ten Ways To Un-Busy Yourself! 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. Question: How fast do you write? Click here to leave your comments.

The power of momentum is hard to overestimate. A productive person is likely to remain productive, and the opposite is also true. We can intervene in our own lives. What if there was a way to turn yourself into self-propelled productivity machine? Tip of the Week: This week I;m going to encourage you to "Slack". It just might make you more productive. Try the Slack app now. Spiritual Foundations: Here's a question I get from readers and listeners every now and then: "If God's will is always healing, why am I still sick?" The short answer is I don't know. There are many explanations that sound good, and yet for every one there is a scripture that seems to disprove it. Think you don't have enough faith? Then what do you do with the man who didn't even believe Jesus could help his son… and then Jesus just healed the boy, despite the father's lack of faith? Think you have sin in your life that you have to get cleaned up first? Then what about the woman who was caught in the very act of adultery, whom Jesus forgave and spared from physical death? Then there are interesting passages like the one where Jesus prays for a blind man, and the man is not instantly healed. He reports to the Lord that he can "see men like trees," implying that he could see a little, but imperfectly. So what did the Lord do? He prayed again! If that formula is good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me. And I am not so arrogant as to assume I might not need to pray more than twice. In short, this is an area of mystery. I believe we must be comfortable living with mystery. I know that God's promise is that he will heal every one of us. I also know that it seems that some of us (myself included) have not yet been healed. The danger lies in becoming bitter or angry with God, distorting or maligning his personality because he won't do what we want, or even presuming that we know what he should do and when. The danger on the other side lies in just deciding that God is not going to heal, and that contrary to his word, it must not be his will. Here's the shocking truth: not everything that happens in this world is God's will. That may freak you out a little, but it's true, and I can prove it. The Bible says that God is not willing that any one should perish. But people perish every day. Therefore, it is clear that not everything that happens is God's will. Since I am not able to answer this question with any authority, I return to my "short" answer: I don't have an opinion on this, and I can't be forced to express an opinion I don't possess. Feature Presentation: Self-Propelled Productivity You can set up your productivity routine to work just like a self-propelled mower – a lot of grass gets cut without a lot of pushing required. Here are a few suggestions to give your productivity its own momentum. Wake up earlier than most people and accomplish your most difficult  or dreaded tasks before others are even awake. Block out the first 3-4 hours of your day as your un-interruptible "productivity zone". Refuse all inputs until after Noon. Learn your own weaknesses and "trick" yourself into succeeding (gym clothes ready for next morning, working out first thing, setting my clock intentionally fast.) Find someone to kick your rear end for you. (Rick Raddatz story) 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. Question: Do you use any tricks to automatically make yourself more productive? Click here to leave your comments.

If you're always plugged in to the Internet, you might just be unplugging from some of the most important relationships in your life.   Today I'll discuss 5 reasons why you might not want to take your laptop to bed. Tip of the Week:   Simplify your writing with the new downloadable Hemingway app. Spiritual Foundations: "Hey Ray, are you a 'greasy grace' guy?" The question comes to my email inbox every now and then. Here's my answer. There is no such thing as "greasy grace" – there is only the Gospel, and the Gospel is grace. Grace is a gift, so all your working at it won't help you. You can't ever deserve it – the word actually means "unmerited favor". The #1 accusation hurled at Paul was that he proposed too much grace, and too much freedom. If we're not accused of the same things Paul was accused of, are we preaching the same thing he preached? Feature Presentation: Don't Take Your Laptop To Bed Having a laptop, iPad or iPhone sure makes it easy to stay plugged in – even where we should be unplugged. Here are 5 reasons why taking your gadgets to bed with you might not be such a great idea. If you're married, taking your laptop to bed with you robs your spouse of your presence and sends the signal that your gadget is more important them. That softly glowing light actually interferes with your ability to sleep well, even after you turn it off. The mental stimuli are also damaging  the quality of your sleep. Communicating with the world and your co-workers during all hours sends the message that you have no boundaries, and they will respond accordingly. You're teaching your subconscious mind that even your bedroom is not a place of rest. 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. Question: Do you take your laptop, or other connected device, to bed with you? Do you think that has a positive or negative effect on your life? Click here to leave your comments.

If you give away free content as part of a "Content Marketing" strategy, it's important to know wthat you should not give away everything. If you give away the wrong stuff, you'll never make any money.   In today's episode I you get the "5 Fatal Flaws Of Free Content" – and how to avoid them. Tip of the Week: The best way to manage all your passwords: Dashlane. Spiritual Foundations: "Does the Holy Spirit convict us of sin?" My answer may surprise you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." John 16:8-11 Feature Presentation: 5 Fatal Flaws Of Free Content Content marketing is a great tactic – as long as you don't give away the wrong stuff. Doing that will kill your hope of making any sales. Here are the 5 biggest "fatal flaws" I see people make with free content as a marketing strategy… Fails to move the reader progressively toward a decision Assumes too much about what the new reader already knows. Gives away the thing readers are most likely to pay for. Gives away all the "how to". (Only give away the "what to") Closes all the "open loops" in the readers mind. 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. Question: What experience (good or bad) have you had with giving away free content as a marketing strategy? Click here to leave your comments.

Have you ever known anyone who just never seems to get what they want in life? They make lots of plans but things never seen to pan out well? I believe there are 5 requirements for getting successful outcomes in any area.   In today's episode I will share the 5 Requirements, and explain how you can put them to work starting today. Announcements: Thanks for the 5-star reviews on iTunes from Brian Knight of SuccessForNurses.com, and Cheri Fields at CreationScience4kids.com,  If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. I'm speaking at the Platform Conference in November. Register using this link, and as you check out enter the promo code RAY to save $100 on your ticket. Tip of the Week: Ever wish you had a better way to stand your iPad or iPhone upright? Try the Stump at StumpStore.com. Spiritual Foundations: What is the Kingdom, and how do we know we're in it? For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."Romans 14:17 We are instructed to seek first the Kingdom of God every day (Matthew 6:33). But what is the Kingdom of God? Is it good works? Being sinless? Bible reading? In Romans 14:17 Paul writes that the Kingdom of God isn't something outside you flowing in — "the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking". It's something inside you flowing out — "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit". So how do we experience this practically? How do we "seek first God's kingdom"? We must be flowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness is not something you can work for, because it's not based on what you do. This righteousness is actually His righteousness, and it is a gift. (Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30) We need to be grounded in the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The debt for your sin has been paid, so God says He has cleansed our conscience. We have peace with God and we also have the peace of God. So where does the joy come from? The same place it came from for the disciples. They were filled with joy when they saw Jesus, His hands and His side. (John 20:20) So here's what to do:  every day, practice seeing yourself righteous in Christ. This means don't be conscious of your sins – but rather be conscious of your righteousness. You may be listening to worship music, or to preaching or teaching, but whatever you are feeding yourself on should help you see Jesus, with His pierced hands and side, the same evidence of his finished work that gave the disciples joy. See all your sins forgiven, and you will experience peace and joy. This is exactly how to seek the kingdom of God! Feature Presentation: The 5 Requirements For Success In Anything Clarity Confidence Character Consistency Commitment 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. Question: How have these 5 Requirements helped you to succeed – or how has their absence caused less than ideal results? Click here to leave your comments.

So what books have you read that changed you? This show is about my list of some of the life-changing books I have read. Some of them may surprise you. Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. I'm speaking at the Platform Conference in November. Register using this link, and as you check out enter the promo code RAY to save $100 on your ticket. Tip of the Week: I discovered a neat little device that easily lets you clip you iPhone to the AC vent in your car. Surprisingly simple. It's the Kenu Airframe – Portable Smartphone Car Mount. Spiritual Foundations: How many times have you tried to lose weight, or quit smoking, or change some bad habit? Did you use willpower? How did that work out? Most will end up going overboard and binging on food cigarettes, sex, or whatever their "bad habit" was. Often you end up worse off that you were to start with. The reason is: you tried to do it on your own. God's promise is that he works in you both to do and will for his good pleasure. Repeat after me: "God, I can't do this, but you can!"Feature Segment: How to Write Emails That Get Response Feature Presentation: The Secret Book List That Changed My Life "You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." Charlie "Tremendous" Jones Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola Destined to Reign by Joseph Prince Unmerited Favor by Joseph Prince Business For The Glory Of God by Wayne Grudem 80/20 Sales and Marketing by Perry Marshall The Alchemist Paulo Coelho The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren Do the Work by Steven Pressfield The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield Platform by Michael Hyatt Accidental Genius: Using Wiring to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content by Mark Levy Secrets of Dynamic Communications: Prepare With Focus, Deliver with Clarity, Speak with Power by Ken Davis The Stormlight Chronicles by Brandon Sanderson (Way of Kings, Words of Radiance) The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man's Fear) 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. Question: So how about you? What books are on your list? Click here to leave your comments.

I hear this complaint a lot: "People don't respond to emails anymore. It's like they don't read them, or don't have enough courtesy to write back." Usually the person doing the complaining will then expand on how Western society is crumbling around our ears. Rather than spend our time complaining about how inconsiderate people have become, I suggest learning how to write emails that demand a response. Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. I'm speaking at the Platform Conference in November. Register using this link, and as you check out enter the promo code RAY to save $100 on your ticket. Tip of the Week: Use the Parcel App to track your packages. This is a handy little app that lets you track all your packages on your iPad or iPhone, without having to log into a website. Spiritual Foundations: Don't let "Christian Stress" trip you up. Feature Segment: How to Write Emails That Get Response There are really two challenges here: first, to make sure people read your emails. Second, to make sure they answer your email while the message is still fresh. Here are five keys to doing both: Make your subject line attention-getting. The subject line of your email should be riveting, like a newspaper headline. The subject line's job is to get the recipient to read the actual email. One way to do this is simply make your request in the subject line itself: "Can you come to dinner with me Thursday night at 7 PM?" Or, for example, "Do you have a copy of Michael's PowerPoint slides?" Clearly ask for what you want. Don't write a vague, rambling narrative, and then expect the recipient to figure out what you want. Get right to the point, and make your request clear: ask them to "deliver the report before 5 PM"… or to "bring the extra projector to the meeting room"… whatever it is you need, clearly make the request in the email itself. Let them know if you even require a response. If you need a response to your email, say so, and make it clear what the response should be. If you don't need a response, you can simply in the email with, "no response required." Keep your email short. Nobody is excited to see a novella show up in their inbox. Keep your email shorter than a page. Most email communications can be conveyed in five sentences or less. In fact, you might want to give this service a try. Only one subject per email. You'll get a quicker response to your email messages if you only address one subject in each email. This makes it much easier for the recipient to get you the information or answers  you need. Your response won't be held up by the recipient, as she tries to find an answer to just one of the seven questions you asked. What To Do Now Grab the Parcel App to track your packages. Use the above tips to write an email that gets a response! Forgo the "Christian Stress" in your life. 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. Question: How did you get better response to your emails? Click here to leave your comments.

Last week we focused on writing powerful, persuasive copy. This week I'm bringing you an interview with a leader in the direct response marketing world – and the guy who has hired almost all the great living direct response copywriters. This is a rare interview with Brian Kurtz of Boardroom, Inc. Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. I'm speaking at the Platform Conference in November. Register using this link, and as you check out enter the promo code RAY to save $100 on your ticket. Feature Segment: Interview With Brian Kurtz What To Do Now Claim your $2,500 bonus (1 hour of consultation with yours truly) by doing the following: Register for the Titans of Direct Response Marketing using this link. After you have registered, send a copy of your receipt to my support team here. We'll get on the phone and arrange your consultation. 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. Question: Have you ever hired a great copywriter, or used the power of copy to sell your products or services? Click here to leave your comments.