Start, Stay, or Leave Audiobook By Trey Gowdy cover art

Start, Stay, or Leave

The Art of Decision Making

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Start, Stay, or Leave

By: Trey Gowdy
Narrated by: Trey Gowdy
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About this listen

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The Fox News host and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Doesn’t Hurt to Ask shares his trusted framework for decision making, telling the story of his life through the choices he’s made using this revolutionary method.

“The best guide I’ve read to help people analyze, make, and own their decisions . . . Make a great decision and read this book.”—Dana Perino, Fox News anchor and host, former White House press secretary

In life, moments arise when you have to decide your next move. When choosing whether to accept a new job, purchase a house, attend a school, or start a relationship, how do you settle on which direction to take? Trey Gowdy has found that most consequential decisions boil down to three simple options: start, stay, or leave.

Gowdy first developed this decision-making tool in the courtroom during a federal murder trial, and it has guided his life ever since. The practical framework has helped him decide where to raise his family, when to leave his dream job, whether to run for Congress, and when to step away from political life.

Over the years, Gowdy has made some great decisions and some lousy ones (and he admits to both). In Start, Stay, or Leave, he shares his hard-earned wisdom. Filled with surprising insights and questions, this personal playbook teaches you how to:

  • Craft your unique vision of success
  • Consult your dreams with wisdom (and know when to revise them)
  • Assess the price worth paying to achieve your goals
  • Balance logic, emotion, and fear when facing a new challenge
  • Take the right advice, from the right people (and block out everyone else)
  • Chart the course of your life with the end goal in mind

Listening to Start, Stay, or Leave is like sitting on the back porch of a farmhouse chatting with a wise friend. Filled with humor, heartbreak, practical advice, and a lifetime’s worth of storytelling, this book will teach you how to approach trajectory-changing decisions with confidence and the knowledge that, whatever happens, you’ve made the best choice you could.

©2023 Trey Gowdy (P)2023 Random House Audio
Decision-Making & Problem Solving Personal Success Politicians Career Inspiring Witty Funny
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Critic reviews

“Life is a decision-making experience, and in Start, Stay, or Leave, Trey Gowdy provides the best guide I’ve read to help people analyze, make, and own their decisions. Gowdy encourages his readers to embrace the experience of deciding what’s best for them, on their terms, and not according to anyone else’s expectations. This is a book many of us wish we would have had when we were younger; however, we are grateful to have it now. Make a great decision and read this book.”—Dana Perino, Fox News anchor and host, former White House press secretary

“This book stands out for one reason: Trey Gowdy’s advice is easy to remember. Nobody needs more help than I do, and as a self-appointed expert in self-help, I know that advice must stick. Want proof? I made a huge life decision while reading Start, Stay, or Leave. My timing was perfect and money followed. While Gowdy doesn’t deserve a cut of the money, he deserves credit. Weaving in colorful personal stories that make you laugh (mostly at Trey), this book will help you learn a simple plan: Aim toward meaning, find your mantra, prepare for the worst, listen to others’ opinions, and then decide for yourself.”—Jesse Watters, co-host of Fox’s The Five, host of Jesse Watters Primetime

“A good life is often and rightly defined by the choices we make. In Start, Stay, or Leave, Trey Gowdy has written a powerfully and elegantly worded letter about why it’s important to pursue the choices we make in life with love, vigor, and an open mind—and to do so without judgment, a hard heart, or resentment. Read this book.”—Harold Ford, Jr., former U.S. representative (D-TN) and co-host of The Five

What listeners say about Start, Stay, or Leave

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Best Self-Help Book I've Ever Consumed

Even though I have always respected Trey Gowdy's intelligence, this book exceeded my expectations. He provides a simple roadmap for you to use when faced with decisions that could have major short-term and/or long-term impacts on your future. He suggests strategies such as using your mind, your heart and your gut when faced with making a decision. He teaches you to worry more about what you think about yourself than what others think about you. He demonstrates how your life's goals and dreams can change over time and how you can adapt. He suggests a strategy for determining how your life's final chapter will be written. He provides examples from his own life to show you how to master the art of decision making when navigating through relationships, school choices, employment options, where to live and when to make changes. I would especially recommend this book for young people starting families and careers. Read it once and then read it again when facing a major life's decision. Great book, Trey, and am happy to predict this book will bring you acclaim and, thankfully, absolutely no notoriety (a friendly slap at your editor).

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The closing argument!

I enjoyed listening to Mr. Gowdy's experiences and learning about his decision-making process. I found the concept of the closing argument for your life quite interesting; especially how you can use it as a tool to guide you through your life when a situation that entails significant change arises. Mr. Gowdy has accomplished a lot and could have accomplished more from the perspective of others, but he learned to prioritize what matters to him the most, and I respect and value anyone with the integrity to know when to start, stay, or leave.

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A great, humorous, thoughtful, serious look at major decisions of life.

Trey Goudy is a master at looking at life decisions we all make at every age.

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Excellent

This book is filled with excellent tips, regardless of whether you have to make a decision right now. He always has such good insight and quotes and stories, and this book was no different. I love hearing Trey reading it himself, as it adds meaning and emphasis where he meant it to be. Excellent. Highly recommend.

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Excellent

Loved it. Makes one
really think about ones life decisions. An honest, down to earth book.

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Vintage Trey

Trey Gowdy at his best using concrete examples from his own life and others to make his points. Well done Trey.

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Fair and funny

I have always liked Trey Gowdy, and after hearing this book, I respect him even more.

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Highly recommended!

Very much enjoyed listening to this book. Intelligent, articulate, well-respected Trey Gowdy. I look forward to the next one!

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Awesome book

I loved this book. Trey doing the audible made it seem more personable as if he were talking to me. Content was one of the best books I have enjoyed.

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The path to self worth and a meaningful life

Trey’s guidance for a person’s decision making at life’s crossroads to achieve end-game (final breath) goals is incredibly convicting. I will be spreading the word, beginning with family and friends.

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