Ray Edwards Show

There is one online business teacher whose students have created over half a BILLION dollars in sales, using his methods. He also happens to be one of the most graceful people I know. Now, he has written a book that distills down the core elements of his training, and it's just been released. In this week's episode, I spend some time talking with my friend Jeff Walker about his new book, Launch (as of this writing, if you click here you can get the book for free… no joke.) Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. A big thanks to Barak Strickland, Jself93, WaterForShepherds, Nathan Hale, Darin Sargent, Sponz, and lahokie,  for giving us a review on iTunes this week. We're holding a contest this month. FIRST… everyone who gives us a review in iTunes will get a FREE copy of two of my books – MoneyWords and Just Get Started! Then, out of all the entries, we will draw one winner at random of our $797 training we just completed called, “How to Profit From What You Already Know”. To enter, you need to (1) subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and (2) give us an honest rating. Be sure you either put your website URL in your review, so we can contact you… or email us AFTER you have published your rating. That way if we draw your name we can contact you and let you know you won. You can also enter by leaving us a voicemail (at the bottom of this post, or click here.) We will have the drawing on June 15th. Tip Of The Week  I just got a new strap for my Nikon D5200 camera. It's actually a sling, called the It attaches to the bottom of the camera, by screwing into the tripod mount. This makes for an easier way to carry the camera. I really like this strap so far, for the following reasons: Fits over the shoulder, instead of looped around the back of your neck. This makes it more secure. It's easier on my back and shoulders. It helps me protect the lens from being accidentally banged into something. The camera is ready to shoot in a split second. Spiritual Foundations Last year I was at a healing conference in Redding, California. Ironically I was in extraordinary levels of back pain. At one point in the conference, people began praying for one another, and I admitted to those around me I was in a great deal of pain. As they spoke God's word over my back, specifically “by His strips we are healed”, my back pain miraculously dranied away. I was healed! A couple of years before that a friend of mine called to tell me goodbye. He had cancer and his doctor told him to say his goodbyes! I spoke God's grace and healing word over that situation, as did many others. My friend's cancer was healed! When you speak God's word over your life and your situation, the entire universe bends to bring it about. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;     it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,     and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 If the words you confess are God's words – and you confess them in faith – God will move to bring His word to pass! Sometimes we even forget words we confesses in faith long ago. But God does not forget! Feature Segment:  Jeff Walker, Product Launch Formula, And A Life Of Grace This week's show is an interview with Jeff Walker, author of the new book, Launch. Resources mentioned in the interview with Jeff: RelaxMelodies.com The Alchemist, by Paolo Coehlo Launch, by Jeff Walker What To Do Now Here are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you: Click here to request your copy of Jeff Walker's new book, Launch, for free.. Rate and review the show on iTunes to have a chance at winning our $797 training for free. Get The Transcript Click here to get the transcript of this show. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed. Question: What do you most want to know about launching a business online? Click here to leave your comments.  

When I was 14 years old, I was inspired to get into radio because I loved listening to “American Top 40”. It was a countdown show of the 40 most popular songs on the radio each week, hosted by Casey Casum. This week, I'm sharing the top 40 podcasts I listen to, with a little explanation of why you might want to check them out. I will also identify the podcasts I absolutely do not miss, ever. And I'll share the 3 very popular podcasts I instantly did NOT like. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… How to get Jeff Walker's new book, Launch, for free! An interview with Strategic Living Podcast host Brian Holmes. Contest where you can win our recent $797 training for FREE… Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. A big thanks to Christopher Reid and Jeff Payne for giving us a review on iTunes this week. We're holding a contest this month. Out of all the entries, we will draw one winner at random of our $797 training we just completed called, “How to Profit From What You Already Know”. To enter, you need to (1) subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and (2) give us an honest rating. Be sure you either put your website URL in your review, so we can contact you… or email us AFTER you have published your rating. That way if we draw your name we can contact you and let you know you won. You can also enter by leaving us a voicemail (at the bottom of this post, or click here.) We will have the drawing on June 15th. Tip Of The Week  You can get Jeff Walker's new book, Launch, for free right now. This is a limited time offer, as he is… er… LAUNCHING his book! You get some very valuable bonus materials just for requesting a free copy. You do have to pay the shipping fee (it's less than $7.) Click here to get Jeff Walker's book for free. Spiritual Foundations This week's Spiritual Foundations segment is an interview with Brian Holmes, the host of the Strategic Living Podcast. Feature Segment:  Ray Edwards' Top 40 Podcast Countdown These are my Top 20 Podcasts. This list is entirely subjective, and it will undoubtedly change. Every week I am trying out new podcasts, so every week a few may drop off this list and a few new ones may rise up. But the top 5-7 have remained remarkably stable, with one notable exception. This Is Your Life by Michael Hyatt. Podcast Answerman by Cliff Ravenscraft. 48 Days by Dan Miller. Smart Passive Income by Pat Flynn. The Portfolio Life with Jeff Goins. Online Marketing Made Easy by Amy Porterfield. Converge by Dane Sanders. Christ Is All by Frank Viola. The Charged Life by Brendon Burchard. Beyond The To Do List by Erik Fisher. The Tim Ferriss Show by Tim Ferriss. The Joseph Prince Podcast Bethel Sermon of the Week Social Media Marketing Podcast by Michael Stelzner Social Triggers Insider with Derek Halpern The Lede by Copyblogger Media Internet Business Mastery with Jeremy Frandsen and Jason Van Orden Rise to the Top with David Siteman Garland Mixergy with Andrew Warner Lighten Up! with Ken Davis The Fizzle Show with Corbett Barr, Chase Reeves, and Caleb Wojcik Ask Pat with Pat Flynn Read to Lead Podcast by Jeff Brown The Robert Plank Show by Robert Plank. Radiolab from WNYC. This Week In Tech by Leo Laporte. The Tech Guy by Leo Laporte. The Strategic Living Podcast with Brian Holmes. Eventual Millionaire by Jaime Tardy. The God Journey by Wayne Jacobsen Entrepreneur On Fire by John Lee Dumas The Joel Comm Show by Joel Comm Starve the Doubts by Jared Easley. The Audacity to Podcast byDaniel J Lewis The Dave Ramsey Show. 99% Invisible by Roman Mars. TED Radio Hour. The 5AM Miracle Podcast by Jeff Sanders. Conversion Cast by LeadPages.net New Rainmaker by Brian Clark   The 10 Podcasts I Never Miss This Is Your Life by Michael Hyatt. Podcast Answerman by Cliff Ravenscraft. 48 Days by Dan Miller. Smart Passive Income by Pat Flynn. The Portfolio Life with Jeff Goins. Online Marketing Made Easy by Amy Porterfield. The Tim Ferriss Show by Tim Ferriss. Converge by Dane Sanders. Christ Is All by Frank Viola Radiolab from WNYC. The 3 Podcasts I Instantly Disliked… And Later Changed My Mind The Tim Ferriss Show by Tim Ferriss. The Charged Life by Brendon Burchard. Entrepreneur On Fire by John Lee Dumas   Listener Questions Jon D Harrison asks about how to start fresh with a new direction. Bill Thomas had some comments about Podcast Episode 113. Jevonnah Ellison had nice things to say about the show.   What To Do Now Here are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you: Click here to request your copy of Jeff Walker's new book, Launch, for free. Check out some fresh new podcasts to renew your thinking. Rate and review the show on iTunes to have a chance at winning our $797 training for free. Question: What are podcasts do you never miss? Click here to leave your comments.  

What if you could automate success? What if you would set a few things in motion that, if not guaranteeing your success, would automatically increase the likelihood of success … in all areas of your life? In today's episode I share how controlling 5 “environments” greatly increases the odds of your success. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… A proven way to turn your blog into a business, and a powerful strategy for writing posts that go viral. What do we do when God seems silent? Contest where you can win our recent $797 training for FREE… Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. A big thanks to Andrew Gommesen of the Speaking4Him Podcast, Stephen Shell from StephensWeightLoss.com, ArbMan85, Jonathan Harrison, Vincente Cotto, Jamison from Creative Church Leadership, TodMon26, and Bryan from Engaging Missions for giving us a review on iTunes this week. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. We're holding a contest this month. Out of all the entries, we will draw one winner at random of our $797 training we just completed called, “How to Profit From What You Already Know”. To enter, you need to (1) subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and (2) give us an honest rating. Be sure you either put your website URL in your review, so we can contact you… or email us AFTER you have published your rating. That way if we draw your name we can contact you and let you know you won. You can also enter by leaving us a voicemail (at the bottom of this post, or click here.) We will have the drawing on June 15th. Tip Of The Week  If you would like some very practical help building up your blog as a business, you should consider attending the Buzz Seminar, which is hosted by my friends Frank Viola and Mike Morrel. In this show, I interview these two, and Frank gives away a very powerful tip on writing blog posts that go viral (and he certainly knows how to do that!) Spiritual Foundations What do we do when it seems God has gone silent, and we're not hearing his voice? Many have suggested you should look for some hidden sin in your life, that explains why you have been “cut off” from God. I have a different idea about what is going on, and how you can re-establish communication with your Father in Heaven. Have you fallen victim to the lies of the Accuser, and are you wallowing in self-condemnation? What was the last thing God did say to you? Have you actually been taking time to listen? Feature Segment:  The 5 Environments That Automate Success What if you could automate your own success? While that is not totally possible, you can indeed set up your life os that your odds of success are greatly improved. You do this by intentionally controlling 5 major “environments”. The importance of the environments you operate in cannot be over-emphasized. In the show audio, I explain why this is true. The 5 Environments are: Physical Environment Mental Environment Emotional Environment Financial Environment Transportation Environment When you consciously engineer your 5 Environments to support patterns and states that lead to success, you will enjoy more success than before… automatically. Listener Questions 1. Roger Whitney asks about how I choose my topics for the podcast, and how far in advance I know what the topic will be. 2. David wants to know how a successful real estate appraiser could transfer their knowledge into an online, passive income business. What To Do Now Here are some steps you can take to put this week's episode content to work for you: Enter our contest by subscribing and rating the show in iTunes… or by asking a question using our voicemail system (look below). Consider attending Frank and Mike's live training seminar in Florida over the July 4th holiday. Make a written plan for one step you can take to shape each of your 5 Environments. Question: What elements in your current Environments are not supporting you, and how will you change those elements? Click here to leave your comments.  

We entrepreneurial types tend to be graded starting things and leaving other people to clean up the details. Our staff, virtual assistants, and colleagues may find it difficult to deal with us. There's nothing wrong with you, you just need to realize what you're good at, what other people are good at, and how to negotiate the handling of tasks so that both of you are operating in your “zone”. So today, I'll explain to you how to work with other people without driving them crazy. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… One of the best books on selling I've ever read. How to stop “spiritual sweat disorder”. What to do with the information in this episode… Tip Of The Week I'm a little behind the party on this one, but I just got a fantastic new book called To Sell Is Human by Daniel H. Pink. Pink gives a brand-new look at the art and science of selling. His insights go against what most of us have been taught about selling, but he has a lot of social science to back them up. This is a practical book, not just pie-in-the-sky theory. Pink has no less than six alternatives to the classic “elevator pitch”, and gives specific tips on how to perform other functions of the sales process in a more persuasive, more humane, and more profitable way. Spiritual Foundations Don't be fooled by the “work ethic” that demands you pour out the sweat before you get the reward. Earning your living by the “sweat of your brow” was actually part of the curse! Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:26 Feature Segment:  How To Work With Other People Without Making Them Crazy Entrepreneurs possess certain personality traits that make us hard for other people to understand, and sometimes make it even harder for other people to work with us. In their perception, we create a lot of chaos, take a lot of risks, and behave capriciously. Our codebook for how to communicate and succeed is different from the codebook they are using. If you've taken any of the personality type assessments, you may have discovered that you, as an entrepreneur, tend to be a Starter, and not so much a Finisher. I've known this about myself for quite some time, and the remedy is to surround yourself with people who are good Finishers, people who are good at doing the details and follow-up… and then letting them do that without micromanaging or driving them nuts. That last part has been hard for me. I have found my interaction with other workers in my business, especially outsourcers, to be frustrating at best (with a few notable exceptions, among them being my stellar Assistant Kathy!). When things were not working so well, their work came in late, or not done correctly, or they disappeared on me when I needed them again. I read about a method of communication that, as far as I know, was developed by Rob Berkeley. It's called the Circle of Commitment, and has made a huge difference in the way I work with people. Request: you make a request of someone else, asking them to do a particular task or job. Negotiation: you mutually arrive at an agreement on what the completed work will look like, and when it will be done. Performance: the employee, or outsourcer, does what they agreed to do and delivers it to you. Acceptance: you communicate whether the job they did was satisfactory, and if it is you congratulate them, and if it is not you explain what needs to be done in order to complete the task. Rinse and repeat until the job is finished. This may not seem like a big deal, but it has really revolutionized my life and eliminated a lot of stress for me. Probably for the people who do work for me as well. Because after reading about this in Perry Marshall's Renaissance Club Newsletter, I realized I was pretty horrible at every step except the first one. I was good at asking what I wanted done, not very clear when I was negotiating exactly what would be delivered, mostly oblivious to the performance of the task, and once the deliverables showed up I did an abysmal job of communicating that I had received the work and what my evaluation of it might've been. Not pretty. Since becoming conscious of these four steps and using them as I work with others, I've become laser-accurate in my communications. I even received feedback from one of my writers, who expressed, with a great deal of relief, how exciting it was that I was finally letting them know that I had received the pieces he had written for me. I always assumed that he knew my silence meant everything was fine. Woops. Just being clear in these four steps will make a huge difference in how you work with other people What To Do Now So here's your assignment that will help you turn this week show into profits, put the tips and action, and make your life better in the process. If you've never taken an assessment of your personality, such as the Kolbe A,  do so. And then get every member of your team to take the same assessment. Make sure you've got the right people doing the right jobs, and that you're not out of balance somewhere or missing a key personality type. Post the Circle of Commitment somewhere prominent so that you will remember to practice it diligently. Whenever you negotiate and agree upon work to be done by someone else, make a note in your calendar or planning system so that you can follow through on the Acceptance step. Question:  How do you ensure better communication with your team members? Click here to leave your comments.  

Many a professional, and many a freelancer, find themselves asking, “How can I get more clients?” May I suggest this is the wrong question?  in fact, it is precisely the wrong question. A better question to ask would be, “how can I build a business where clients come looking for me?” We will explore the construction of such a scenario in today's episode. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… The greatest headset I've ever used for doing tele-seminars. The very first thing you should do every day. And how to turn this episode into money… Announcements: If you’re tired of not making any money with your online business and you’d like to finally just get things jumpstarted… I’m getting together with a small group of serious entrepreneurs here in Spokane in July. Were going to spend three days and just build your business from the ground up. Or rebuilt it if what you’re doing is not working. It’s not cheap, and the only way to get in is to pass through and ” interview”  with me personally. We have 12 seats, two of them are already spoken for, and I promise you every single one will be filled. I do not promise to ever do this again. If you think you would like to be part of this group, to finally stop “talking” a big game and asked a start PLAYING the big game, click here and fill out this application in full. If your application seems to merit further consideration, my assistant will set up a call between you and me. Tip Of The Week  I just got a new wireless headset for use with my telephone, and I absolutely love it. It has crystal clear sound, a noise canceling microphone, 10 hours of battery life, and incredible range. It's the Plantronics Savi 740. Spiritual Foundations Living a life of joy and peace is not difficult. Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33   Feature Segment:  Stop Trying To Find Clients Constructing a business so that clients seek you instead of vice versa is a lot like farming. First you have till the soil, then you have to sow the seeds, and then you cultivate the rows. Only then can you begin to see the harvest. At every year you must repeat the cycle, because the year you don't, there will surely be no harvest. Think in terms of three different crops. The crops each take a different amount of time to bear fruit. The short-term crop: you can plant and harvest in the next 30 to 60 days. Of course the still takes time, and you may be hungry today in which case you have to resort to hunting instead of agriculture. I get that. But if you spend all your time hunting and no time planting, you will never harvested crop. So hunt today if you must, and also each day be busy about working on that short-term harvest. The medium-term crop: this is where your thinking and 1 to 3 year harvest times. It's the result of consistently doing a podcast like this one, writing guest posts on high-profile blogs, publishing books and speaking at seminars and workshops. It may be hard to see, but you definitely can do work today that will pay you until three years from now. Long-term crop: this is 3 to 5 years or more in the future. Work you did, people you worked with, project she worked on, relationships you've built, have a progressive momentum. Those were all dominoes that were tipped in the past, and each domino is a little bigger, and one day five years later what started as a tiny handheld domino is you knocking over a massive victory the size of a small skyscraper. It's the famous client, the multimillion dollar product launch, the New York Times bestseller, etc. that never would've happened without you plugging away for five years or more. Won't feed you today, but may feed you for the rest of your life. What To Do Now Grab three calendars, or three different-colored markers for one calendar, or whatever floats your boat. You're going to make three timelines. For each of the three different crops, put an activity every week on the calendar for that specific crop: short-term, medium-term, and long-term. Make these action items that you can do, measure, and point to and say, “that is done.” Do two activities every week in the short-term and medium-term timelines. That will put more income in the pipeline for you over the next six months, and give you capital to finance the long-term campaign. And finally, a rule of thumb: on the farm, there is no such thing as “a day off”. While I do believe we need free days, where we can rest and recuperate every week, make it a point each day of the week to either (a) do something or (b) make sure something is being done that cultivates future business. Every day. Without fail. If you do as I recommended, you will very quickly find yourself no longer hunting for clients. Clients will be hunting for you.   Question:   What activities will you commit to in each of the three different time frames? Click here to leave your comments.

Recently I was working with a client on an advertising campaign. We had been running a particular ad in a variety of online media  (mainly solo mailings to email newsletters), and the ad was barely breaking even. We decided to test different subject lines.  Basically, we changed seven words. Immediately upon our next mailing, our “Return on Ad Spend” or ROAS  Went from around 80% to a startling 150%. Seven words. There's a saying in the direct response marketing business: “tiny hinges swing big doors”. In this episode, I will introduce you to five such “tiny hinges” that can “swing big doors” in your business. Small changes you can make that might mean the difference between meteoric success or humiliating bankruptcy. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… A nearly miraculous way to get rid of all the physical junk mail that clogs your mailbox. Why you should give up on working hard enough to earn God's favor. And a new feature, how to turn this episode into action and profits… Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. A big thanks to todmon26 and bdentzy for giving us a review on iTunes this week. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. I know many of you are waiting for details about the affordable mastermind, and we are still ironing out how and if we're going to do that. Thanks for your patience. Finally, and this is definitely not for everyone, but if you're tired of not making any money with your online business and you'd like to finally just get things jumpstarted… I'm getting together with a small group of serious entrepreneurs here in Spokane in July. Were going to spend three days and just build your business from the ground up. Or rebuilt it if what you're doing is not working. It's not cheap, and the only way to get in is to pass through and ” interview”  with me personally. We have 12 seats, two of them are already spoken for, and I promise you every single one will be filled. I do not promise to ever do this again. If you think you would like to be part of this group, to finally stop “talking” a big game and asked a start PLAYING the big game, click here and fill out this application in full. If your application seems to merit further consideration, my assistant will set up a call between you and me. Tip Of The Week  Every day I go to my mailbox-my real world, physical mailbox, looking forward to getting something fun. A good sales piece, for me, is a treasure. Issues of my favorite newsletters, also a treasure. Books, cards from readers and listeners, the occasional gift. All great stuff in good fun. Then there is the “junk”. Now what many people consider junk I actually look forward to-a good sales letter, a magalog or bookalog,  or the weekly direct-mail piece from James Malinchack.   Everyone's got their own definition of junk, but those things to me are treasures. Junk, to me is all the poorly executed direct mail that I get. The stuff that so bad that it's a total waste of ink and paper. Stuff that's completely irrelevant to me, my business, my family. How do you get those folks to stop sending you mail? Why, there is an app for that of course. It's called Paperkarma. It's free. Using this app, you simply take a picture of the offending junk mail, click a button, and the folks at Paperkarma make your junk mail go away. I'll be darned if I know how they make any money doing this, but I'll keep using them as long as they manage to stay in business.  They are not 100% successful, by the way, and getting everybody to stop sending your junk mail. And if the mail happens to be addressed to “occupant” or to someone who used to live in your address, or if it's just a ZIP-Code-carpet-bomb mailing, this app is not going to help. But it's a great little tool, and can dramatically reduce the amount of stuff you have to recycle every week. Spiritual Foundations Do you find yourself working hard to get God to fulfill your prayers? I know people who have an illness and who run from healing evangelist superstar to healing evangelist superstar, practice the Daniel fast, anoint themselves with oil, repeat special prayers, and do their best to be 100% sinless and perfect and holy in their behavior. In other words, they are always looking for the right “magic ritual”  or “good behavior” that will get God to heal them. But God has already supplied all our needs, and promised us that we don't need to worry or work so hard. There's a beautiful story in the gospel of John that shows us why this does not work, and why in fact we should stop working so hard to get God to give us what he is already promised. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.” John 5:6-9 This man encountered the one who was greater than the Angels, and who did not need a special supernatural event to deliver his promise This man encountered Jesus. Notice a couple of things: Jesus didn't ask the man to do anything until after he was healed… And the healing took place on the Sabbath. The day of rest. Rest easy in God's promises, and believe that he always keeps them. Our job is to simply rest on his assurances, and trust that he knows when, where, and how to give us his very best. Whether the answer you're seeking has to do with your family finances, a relationship, and illness, or some mental torment that you currently are enduring, just rest. Jesus will take care of you. God's delays are not God's denials. Feature Segment:  Tiny Hinges That Swing Big Doors Here are five “tiny hinges that swing big doors”. Five small leverage points that can turn your business around, multiply your productivity, and skyrocket your profitability. As my friend Michael Hyatt likes to say, get all your numbers going “up and to the right.” Headlines. This includes the headline for your sales letter, for your space ad, the subject line for your emails, the title of your blog post, or the first sentence of your radio spot.  The job of the headline is to get the reader interested so that they will pay attention to the rest of the ad, post, or spot. Many times you can change the headline and no other copy, yet see a dramatic increase in sales. Media. Last year, a client I work with experienced a dramatic downturn in the response they were getting from their online media buys. We took the same messaging and started buying radio commercials. Radical increase in profits, and a whole lot less work. If you've been making a lot of money and newspaper in that goes south on you, just try moving your media budget or redistributing it to include different media. Simple. Audience. Dan Kennedy famously said, “it's easier to get a new audience than to write a new speech.” If your response rates are flagging, maybe it's because this audience has heard you give the speech 100 times already. Just go find a new audience. In other words, by your ads in different magazines, or on different websites, or send email ads to different lists. Preframing. what people see or know about you before they see your ad can make an astounding difference in the response you get to that at. So think carefully through this: what do people see immediately before they see your copy? Is it an email? A banner ad? Do they hear a mention on a tele-seminar? Carefully craft and control the frame in which you are presented, and you can dramatically affect the outcome. Format. I'm continually amazed that this escapes so many. Not everyone likes to read sales letters. Some people will never sit down and watch a video. Others will only listen to your message if they can literally do so-as in sticking earbuds in their ears while they're on the treadmill. And other people are not interested in any of those things, they want to look you in the eye and see how you conduct yourself with other people, So the best way to reach them is either in person sales presentation or at a seminar or workshop. I just described the basic modalities in which people experience life: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. If you are not presenting your message in all the available formats, you could be missing out on the one format that could dramatically increase your results. What To Do Now As always, I want you to leave the podcast by taking some action. So here's how to turn this episode into real-world value: Get a copy of the free Paperkarma app, and banish the junk mail from your life. Give yourself a break, and stop thinking you can work hard enough to earn God's favor. Just receive it. And take the list of those five “tiny hinges”, and put them to work in your business today. Make a small change in your headlines, try different media, look for a new audience, reengineer the way you are framed before people see your ad copy, and present your case in as many different formats as possible… Audio, video, text on paper, in live seminars and workshops. Finally, if you experience any success as a result of something you've learned or heard on this show, I want to feature your success story and congratulate you. Leave me a voicemail at the link below, or post your story in the comments. Question:   Have you ever had an experience where a tiny hinge swung a big door for you? Click here to leave your comments.

Recently, my life fell apart. At least that's how it felt emotionally. From the outside, everything looked great.  I was an in demand speaker, making lots of money, with a lot of projects in the works, and the field of possibility ahead of me. The truth was another matter. My calendar was overscheduled, my time was overcommitted, I had agreed to too many meetings and too many projects, and my health deteriorated dramatically.  Somehow, I had managed to get off track. Way off track. Then I had an epiphany. It didn't instantly solve all my problems, but it did show me the solution to all my problems, and the path I needed to walk to get back on track. Interestingly, I believe this same solution can work for you when you get off track, and I'll share a simple set of steps you can file away from when you need them. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… One iPhone case to rule them all. Why happiness really is the truth. An update on the “affordable online mastermind”… Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. A big thanks to AmGram, Kevin Anthony Williams,  and Mark Henson for giving us a review on iTunes this week. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. We are definitely moving forward with the affordable mastermind I've been talking about starting. We are still mapping out the plan for what will be most helpful, but it will probably look something like this: provide some basic training materials on building an online business, and having a monthly Q&A call where you could talk with me. Would love your ideas, thoughts, and suggestions. Put them in the comments at the end of this post. Tip Of The Week  A friend of mine showed me his Speck iPhone Wallet Case, and I was immediately smitten. For a long time I've been using the Duluth Trading Company's Smallet, which is a near-razor-thin wallet that holds only a few cards. But in my search for evermore minimalistic living, it bothered me that I had to carry both a wallet and my iPhone in my pocket. Now, with the new Speck  case, I carry only one item. The challenges it only holds three cards-so right now I'm carrying is my phone, my drivers license, a business debit card, and my personal debit card (because at the Edwards household, we don't do credit cards). There are a few other cards that I normally carry with me-health insurance card, Costco card, Barnes & Noble membership card, library card, etc. So I came up with the very clever idea of simply taking pictures of those cards with my iPhone and keeping them in a special photo album on the phone itself. I'll keep you posted on how this works out. Spiritual Foundations There's a very popular song  with the refrain “clap your hands if you know happiness is the truth.” It just so happens I do know that. As followers of Jesus, we are supposed to be happy. How do I know this? 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 Feature Segment:  How to Get Back On Track From the outside, everything looked great.  I was an in demand speaker, making lots of money, with a lot of projects in the works, and the field of possibility ahead of me. The truth was another matter. My calendar was overscheduled, my time was overcommitted, I had agreed to too many meetings and too many projects, and my health deteriorated dramatically.  Somehow, I had managed to get off track. Way off track. Then I had an epiphany. It didn't instantly solve all my problems, but it did show me the solution to all my problems, and the path I needed to walk to get back on track. Interestingly, I believe this same solution can work for you when you get off track, and I'll share a simple set of steps you can file away from when you need them. Here's the epiphany: 99% of all the results I'm experiencing in my life are 100% appropriate. Let me elaborate… I weigh exactly what I'm supposed away… based on what I eat and how much I exercise. I get exactly the amount of sleep I should be getting… based on how much caffeine and sugar I consume, what time I eat my evening meal, and how I choose to stimulate or not stimulate my brain in the few hours before going to bed. My income, expenses, and profits for my business are precisely what they should be… based on what work I do, who I choose to work with, how I invest my time in building the business, and the choices I make about expenditures The point I'm trying to make is this: our lives are closed systems. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end. What happens between the beginning and the end is largely up to us. I say that 99% of all of our results are 100% appropriate, in that 1% are things that are actually outside of our control: an unexpected genetic defect causes the disease or deformity, market forces we had no chance of influencing diminish the value of our investments, a tornado demolishes the house we live in, etc. but despite the impression that may be given by the disaster-fascinated media, these events are definitely the minority. We don't get fat because the “big food industry” is out to get us. We get fat because we chose to have a big Mac and a chocolate shake for dinner last night, instead of a salad and a lean steak. This epiphany came to me as a result of reading three books, in succession: Living Buddha Living Christ, by Thich Nhat Hanh,  The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, and Work the System by Sam Carpenter. Sidebar for my Christian brothers and sisters… …there were many things in Hanh's book I could simply not agree with, and he clearly does not understand fully what it means to be a follower of Christ. I am very clear that Jesus is the only way to heaven and life with the Father. That being said, I found some valuable and powerful truths contained in Han's  the book; but I don't want anyone to be confused about what I believe or what I perceive as the truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I will be publishing a full review of Sam Carpenter's book next week. But the primary distinction I got from that book was that all of life is a system; and each part of our lives is a subsystem, consisting of many other subsystems. Take for example your health: is a system contained within your body. Subsystems include the system of what you eat, the system of how you use and maintain the physical framework of your body, the system of what thoughts you permit to enter and remain in your mind, the system of how much rest and sleep you get, the system of the environment in which you keep your body most of the time, etc The point of all this is simply that getting back on track is not about considering a broad sweeping wholesale change in your life. It is about adjusting the component subsystems where you got off track. For instance, when it comes to my speaking schedule, the processes of the system that make up my speaking business are roughly something like this: I write and publish blog posts, podcasts, guest articles, etc. Potential meeting planners, here the podcasts, get a word-of-mouth recommendation about having me speak at your event. Meeting planners contact my office and we negotiate a fee and agreement. I accept the speaking engagement, and get paid my retainer. I show up on the appointed date, give a speech, get the balance of my payment. I go home. What had gone awry in the system of my speaking business over the past few months was that I performed step number 4 too many times and without enough discretion. I said “yes” to far too many people. This resulted in my calendar being overscheduled, and also bled over into the other subsystems of my life, affecting my sleep, and ultimately my physical health. But it gets even more interesting. Because of the squeeze on my schedule, I had to work overtime during the hours I was home to complete client projects, work on my own products and trainings, get my podcast completed, etc. this disrupted the system that I call “family time”. It also disrupted the system that I call “exercise”, and the system that I call “sleep”. In those three cases, I simply didn't get enough family time, exercise, or sleep. So, in its wisdom, my body did what it sometimes does to force me to pay attention to it: it got sick. The implication at the beginning of this podcast was that I did in fact get back on track, that I can show you how to do the same. In the spirit of transparency, I am just now emerging from the rubble of this massive system disruption, but things are much much better, and I realize I have been here before. So I feel relatively confident in helping you in your own quest to get back on track. Here are the steps. 7 Steps For Getting Back on Track First, you must acknowledge that you have gotten off track, and have that same moment of realization that I did that the blueprint you have for what life is supposed to be like does not match the snapshot of what  life actually is like currently. Forget the big picture, look for the simple mechanical problems in the small subsystems of your life that have gone wrong. Isolate and identify those malfunctioning systems and subsystems. Discover the procedures that could've prevented or at least lessened the problem you are currently experiencing in this particular system or subsystem. Write down the new system of procedures you will use to prevent this one small isolated problem Make it easy for yourself to follow your new procedure: remember the metaphor of the elephant, the rider, and the path. Go through this same process with each system or subsystem that is malfunctioning to any degree. When you correct the small variances in the tiniest of subsystems, the next level of systems above becomes smoother and less chaotic, allowing you to move your corrections up one level. Eventually the “big picture” takes care of itself. What I Personally Have Done I identified a few primary systems that needed better working procedures to solve some of the problems that were cropping up. So I developed step-by-step procedures for: Evaluating speaking opportunities. Evaluating possible new projects. Working with junior copywriters. Evaluating possible new clients. Marketing my company's products and services. Selling my company's products and services (yes, this is different than the above). My physical health, diet, and exercise. Simplifying and beautifying my physical environment. I began making adjustments and every one of these systems, and began to instantly see a decrease in chaos and disorder… And more evidence of righteousness peace and joy. I'm definitely back on track. And you can be too. One final note. Sam Carpenter said something deeply profound in his book that is worth repeating. I don't have to like the steps needed to correct my malfunctioning systems-but I do have to take them if I want to see change. The result is the reward.   Question:   Have you ever had the experience of getting off track, and if so how did you get back on the path? Click here to leave your comments.

I was recently on the phone with someone, and they were talking. Something they said sparked a reaction in me, and I began thinking about how is going to respond. As they continue to talk, I constructed an elegant argument in my head to counter what they had just told me. Then they spoke words that struck fear into my heart: “Do you think I should've done that?” I had no idea what they were talking about. You might think the skills and I'm urging you to master is listening. That is an effect of mastering this skill, but not the skill itself. Mastering this mysterious skill will make you a better listener, more focused, less distracted, and a better thinker. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… The best way to master your email challenge. If you feel overwhelmed by email, this one is for you. A fun and exciting way to sharpen your mind. What your life would look like if God wrote the script. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. A big thanks to Mark Noldy and Deanna Gillingham for giving us a review on iTunes this week. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. I've received a lot of questions about the affordable mastermind I've been thinking about starting. In the show, I explain more of what I was considering, now that is changed based on some responses I received. In a nutshell, it seems like what would be useful to folks is to provide some basic training materials and building an online business, and having a monthly Q&A call where you could talk with me. Interested? Would love your thoughts. Put them in the comments at the end of this post. Tip Of The Week  Tip #1: Crash Course is an educational YouTube channel started by Hank Green and John Green, also known as the VlogBrothers. Crash Course was one of the 100 initial channels of YouTube's $100 million original channel initiative. Having finished earlier courses on Biology, World History, Ecology, English Literature, Chemistry, and United States History, Hank and John Green now teach, respectively, Psychology and Literature. Crash Course launched a preview on December 2, 2011. As of April 6, 2014, the CrashCourse YouTube channel has earned over 1.5 million subscribers and over 90 million video views. Tip #2: How and why you might declare email bankruptcy… Spiritual Foundations The Fifth Gospel, and God's will for your life. What would your life look like if God wrote your biography in advance? Well, He has already done so. Here's what that means: You were alive before you were born. You have the DNA of Christ. You have a new kind of life, fueled by the nature of God. You have received new superpowers. You have a new mission in life. Feature Segment:  Master This Skill To Change Your Life The skill that will change your life is mindfulness. Awareness. Being right here, right now. This is not as easy as it may sound at first. Our mind loves to play a hilarious trick on us, and causes us to live either in the past or in the future, impishly avoiding the present. Being mindful makes you aware of God's presence, of what is happening right in front of you. This will make you a better listener, a better communicator, more skilled in your work, or successful, happier, at peace, and bring your greater depth of fulfillment. So how do you become more mindful? How do you master this skill that I guarantee will change your life? As silly as this may sound, the easiest way to begin is to mentally, or even out loud, speak what you are noticing right now. It might sound like this: “I am standing on my deck, drinking this cup of coffee. I am breathing in. There is a bird sitting on the wire that stretches across my backyard. It is a Robin. I breathe out. A soft wind is blowing across my skin.” This takes practice. It is more difficult than you think, and it is also easier than you think. There is no trick to it, other than being aware of what is happening in this moment. When you're having a conversation with someone, being mindful of what they are saying will bring you a shocking new awareness in your relationships. Nobody will say to you, “hey, you seem more mindful now.” But they will sense that you are actually listening to them, paying attention to them, valuing what they have to say. They will feel heard by you, and this is one of the most basic human needs. “Right now, he is telling me about his work, and I sense by the expression on his face in the tone of his voice that he is anxious and worried about something there. Now he is explaining a conflict with his boss. This situation makes him both fearful and angry.” You speak out loud: “That must make you anxious and angry at the same time.” It's important that you understand this is not a technique meant to help you manipulate other people, or “push their buttons”. The most valuable possession you have is the present. All I'm suggesting is that you in fact value it, notice it, experience it. The temptation you will have at this point is to write this off as either too flighty, or impractical, or blindingly obvious. If that's how you're feeling, I simply challenge you to occasionally be aware of the present moment as you go about your life. Notice what you've been missing. What To Do Now   Question:  what have you noticed about the importance of being present and mindful? Click here to leave your comments.

It occurred to me recently I often run my business from a backpack. In my backpack I carry my Nikon, some lenses, my iPad, and my MacBook air. If I can find an Internet connection, that's about all I need to run my business from virtually anywhere.  In this episode, you get five essential keys to running a backpack business. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… I will share a seldom used function on your iPhone that can change your life. Stu McLaren with the Lifestyle Business Report. Now let's get on with it… Announcements:  I'm considering the formation of an affordable, entry-level Mastermind Group. This would be a true mastermind group, led by me, with personal interaction available. Would you be interested? Let me know in the comments on this post. Tip Of The Week  The  mysterious function on your iPhone that hardly anyone ever uses, but can dramatically improve your life. It's called the “off” switch. Lifestyle Business Segment  With Stu McLaren Spiritual Foundations Usually, the reason we cannot hear God's voice is we are too busy listening to other voices. Feature Segment:  How to Have a Backpack Business Get a backpack (seriously.) Avoid limiting structures (like offices.) Become a hard-core simplitist.  Get a little help (but not too much.) Get out there and do something. Take your backpack.   What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:  Do you have a backpack business, and if so, how do you do it? Click here to leave your comments.

Ever reach the end of a workday, and wonder where the hours went? Sometimes it seems there's just too much to do, and not enough time to do it all. In this episode, I'll share 5 “tricks” that will help you get more done in less time. Plus, here are some additional reasons to keep listening… I will share an app that helps you make great-looking  portraits on your iPhone. Stu McLaren with the Lifestyle Business Report. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: Thanks to all who have left a review of the Ray Edwards Show in iTunes. Including  Johnny Lee Phillips, Cynthia Charleen, and Kevin Anthony Williams.  I'm considering the formation of an affordable, entry-level Mastermind Group. This would be a true mastermind group, led by me, with personal interaction available. Would you be interested? Let me know in the comments on this post. Tip Of The Week  The Facetune app helps you create pictures showing people in their best light. Lifestyle Business Segment  With Stu McLaren Spiritual Foundations Why do followers of Jesus experience tough times? Keep these 3 things in mind: We don't see what God sees. We don't know what God knows. Nothing surprises God! “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23 “Either God is doing a work in you, or He is using you to do a work in someone else.” Joel Osteen Feature Segment:  5 Tricks To Get More Done In Less Time Refuse any input (email, Facebook, voicemail, phone calls, chat, etc.) until you complete your “One Thing” for the day. Do your most important work next, still refusing inputs. Work in focus blocks, punctuated by short bursts of physical activity. Shorten your workweek and your workday with “hard stops.” Do things faster.   What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:     How do you  Get more done in less time? Click here to leave your comments.