The Business of Redemption: The Price of Leadership in Both Life and Business Paperback – February 11, 2020

If I had to list one person who has had the most profound positive impact on my mindset it would be James Arthur Ray.In 2009, I found myself alone in the world with no support or real skills. I dropped out of high school and I was working at a grocery store just barely making ends meet, living in an unfurnished apartment and walking to work because I didn’t own a car. I watched the film The Secret and read Harmonic Wealth shortly thereafter. I became obsessed with self development, reading Harmonic Wealth over and over and implementing its lessons. I developed sales skills and after a year of intense struggle I landed a solid sales job and became a top performer, earning more than I had thought possible. I enrolled and graduated from adult high school with a diploma and bought a brand new car. I had done it, and I had done it all myself. I became extremely prideful and stopped doing the things that had brought me success. This happened to coincide with James’ own fall.While I was on top the sweat lodge incident occurred and people in my life who were skeptical of the law of attraction and positive thinking in general were ruthless. I bought in and I stopped visualizing, I stopped practicing gratitude, I became fearful and more concerned with losing what I had than continuing to grow and develop. I was laid off and went through years of struggle. While James was in prison I gained 30-40 pounds and went through a very destructive phase. I found another solid job and was making good money again but my zeal for life was gone and I spiraled into depression and used alcohol to cope. At some point I picked Harmonic Wealth back up and fought through my own cynicism, started controlling my thoughts, feelings, and actions and slowly things in my life started getting better. I decided to go back to school so that I can practice my life’s work, not just have a job. I wanted meaning, not just money. I wanted to thrive, not just survive.When James got out of prison he started posting an hour long video every week with his teachings which are now on his YouTube channel. I watched his videos over and over while I was at the gym. If I was feeling low I would play one of his videos and it would help me get back on track. Now I am in the best shape of my life, I have had the opportunity to travel the world, I have almost graduated from college and I am on track to living a life that I have created for myself. A lot of that is thanks to James teachings.One of my favorite teachings of James is“True wealth is not what you have. True wealth is what you have when all you are left with is gone.”I think James is a living embodiment of this teaching.What happened to the people in his sweat lodge is tragic and terrible, which he is the first to acknowledge. The way he has handled adversity and continues to move forward is epitome of courage. I don’t know many people who would be able to carry on like he has. He really has lived a sort of modern Job story and his attitude is inspiring. Though I have never met him, I am grateful to have him as a teacher and mentor and I look forward to years of his teachings to come.

The fact that the reviews for this book are either 1-star or 5-stars probably tells you everything you need to know about what a polarizing figure James Arthur Ray is - and he's why I chose to read this book. I'd been a big fan of his back in 2009 before the events outlined in this book took place, and when I started hearing his content again, I found it so much more authentic, engaging, and REAL.The 'Redemption' in the title is deliberately misleading, because it's not what we think of as redemption (i.e. forgiveness) that James is seeking - nor do I think he'll ever receive it. We live in 'cancel culture' and when you can lose your entire career for saying something politically incorrect, I think the chances of James ever being embraced after the events that he (rightly or wrongly, depending on your perspective) got held responsible for are slim to none.But that doesn't matter, because we this book isn't a plea for forgiveness. In fact, the opening lines are "I am responsible" and that never really falters throughout. I think James clearly feels like he wasn't given a fair crack of the whip (and in the same year Casey Anthony got acquitted, I don't think that's an unreasonable thing to wonder) but this book isn't really about that.It's more about having everything stripped away from you - your wealth, your fame, your reputation, and your freedom - and finding a reason and a purpose to keep on going afterward.What happened to James means he doesn't try to tell you the typical law of attraction, Tony Robbins style "all your dreams will come true" stuff. There's a line in the book quoting the SEALS - "Embrace the suck." He basically tells you that life has its ups and its downs, but resilience, and grit, and purpose will help you through it.Because of James' infamy and circumstances, I doubt this book will ever be a New York Times bestseller, and I don't think the world will embrace James or his teaching, but in many ways that's more the pity - because this is undeniably the best thing he's written, and a deeply meaningful message to those who choose to read it.

I have “skeptically” followed James now for a few years. We talked once on the phone after my wife purchased an hour of his time for my birthday. I have watched him grow up from the ashes of a life burnt to the ground. I have followed his Facebook, watched some of his videos and have seen what the fire has done to his message. I purchased his book and read the entire thing in less than 24 hours.What did they expect him to do? Seriously? It was not enough to crucify him. It wasn’t enough to destroy his reputation. It wasn’t enough that everyone took every penny he had. It wasn’t enough for James to lose it all, they wanted more. They wanted blood. They want nothing more than total destruction of him, forever. There was no redemption allowed for him.What James has been forced to do is live and apply every single “motivational quote or idea” he sold back in the day. He had to dig deep into himself and ask, “can I do the things I have told people they need to do”? That was the question I know myself and many others wanted to know. Was talk cheap (or in his case very expensive) or was everything he was saying real?James takes us through the heartache and tragedy of past mistakes thru a painful lens of personal responsibility and 20/20 hindsight. He explains his thoughts and actions and how he was forced to question the core of his life’s work and the fight that was to come. Could he take his own advice? Could he do what he coached other people to do? Could he overcome the stigma and shadow that others had cast on his life? Could he walk in the posture of his own message? The answer to this is a resounding yes.James, clearly shows what it takes to overcome trauma of the worst kind and to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and ask yourself if you have what it takes to face your own demons and to rise above them.

From the height of fame to facing his own demons in a tragic situation, this man takes you on a journey of humility, perseverance and humility, forgiveness and acceptance

I just completed reading this remarkable book. James Ray was one of the leading life coaches in the world, a true thought leader, having an international impact, when a terrible accident in Arizona in 2009 brought his career to a halt. It is a book that contains an essential challenge.. to be willing to set aside any hate, anger or bias about this tragic event in Arizona, and confront the answers that are finally laid bare here. Also laid bare are James Ray's own mind, heart and soul, as he describes a life of sacrifice, triumph, tragedy, suffering, a life path that has taken him through some incredibly dark moments and back into the light. But, I ask, what of the world's perspective? Will the truth be seen for what it is, or will blind judgement, obfuscation and hate have the final say? And it must be said, he makes no effort to exonerate himself from any blame.This is probably the deepest book of its kind I have ever read, certainly the most powerful self-development book. It is a sincere effort to grapple with actions and consequences, tragedy and truth, and the pain of living through life's sometimes unbelievably dark twists of fate, always with the sincere intention to do good for others, to learn from life's lessons, and to always seek to be better and do better than before. It is a book that anyone aspiring to be a true leader, or anyone aspiring to better themselves to the innermost levels of their being, should read. The authenticity and wisdom of it will resonate with me to the end of my days.

Das Buch handelt von James persönlicher Reise durch die Hölle.Auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Coaching Karriere sterben drei Personen bei einem seiner Events.Darauf folgt eine unvergleichliche Hexenjagd bei der James alles verliert und ins Gefängnis kommt. Mit diesem Buch schildert James diese Vorgänge und seine Lehren die er daraus gezogen hat.James bleibt für mich aufgrund seiner (Leidens-) Geschichte aber auch aufgrund seines Charakters eine absolute absolute Ausnahmeerscheinung in der ansonsten Aalglatten Coaching Szene in der die meisten Coaches lediglich auf theoretischem Wissen und angelesenen Erfahrungen hochtrabend philosophieren. James hingegen ist 100% authentisch, ob man ihn nun mag oder nicht.Das Buch ist auf jeden Fall sehr zu empfehlen!

Really loved this book. It was very inspirational. I loved how the book was in story format with teachings applied on top of it. I couldn’t put the book down. It was nice to finally be able to see what actually happened compared to what TV had showed. I’m glad James took the courage to tell his story. Most people would just try to move on. I think he did a really great job of taking ownership of the situation as best as he could. I would highly recommend the book. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

Read this book in one nightKept me captivatedHighly recommendedGreat job by the author describing experience in jail