From Rock Bottom to Peak Performance

What if everything you thought about depression, trauma, and personal development was wrong—or at least, incomplete?

Roy Redd’s journey will make you rethink what’s truly possible. Once broke, homeless, and barely surviving, Roy now stands as a six-time #1 best-selling author, mental performance coach, and speaker who has shared stages with giants like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Donna Karan. But it’s not just his resume that’s impressive—it’s how he got there, and the mindset shift that made it all possible.

This article dives deep into Roy’s story, the pivotal moments that reshaped his life, and the powerful philosophies that challenge conventional wisdom about mental health, personal growth, and taking control of your destiny.

The Moment Everything Changed

In 2011, Roy Redd was stuck. Working a dead-end job, driving a beat-up 1987 Honda Civic that had to be pushed to start, and overwhelmed by a gnawing sense of hopelessness. One fateful morning, everything snapped.

His car broke down in the carpool lane on the LA freeway. As he pushed it alone for two miles, sweat pouring, heart pounding, he watched a woman in a luxury Mercedes cruise past him without offering help. That moment, filled with frustration and fire, became the catalyst.

“I said to myself, I will never be in this position again.”

That vow led to a better job, a mentor, and a chance encounter at a personal development event where he faked having a business—only to end up building a real one: a six-figure CPR training company.

Turning Pain Into Power: The Mindset Shift

Roy’s rise didn’t come from luck. It came from radical responsibility. Instead of blaming his circumstances, he asked hard questions: What can I control? What can I change?

This mindset was seeded early. During a childhood basketball game, after missing a shot and blaming the foul, his dad asked, “Why would you leave your outcome up to the ref?”

That lesson became Roy’s life mantra. Stop outsourcing your power. Own your results. Control your controllables.

Why Roy Rejects the Word “Depressed”

Roy doesn’t shy away from hard truths. One of his boldest claims? “Depression isn’t real.” He doesn’t mean emotions aren’t real—he means the label itself can trap people in a mental prison.

“When you say, ‘I’m depressed,’ you’re giving yourself a fixed identity. But really, your feelings are a feedback loop—your soul telling you this isn’t the life you’re meant to live.”

Rather than numb those feelings with distractions, Roy urges people to listen to them. Your sadness is a compass. Your lack of energy is data. Something needs to shift.

Rewriting the Story of Trauma

Roy also challenges how we talk about trauma. He replaces the word with “Number One Experiences”—moments of pain or unconsciousness that shape behavior.

He breaks experiences into three categories:

1. Number One: Physical pain or unconscious events.

2. Number Two: Emotional loss or heartbreak.

3. Number Three: Mental recreations—where the mind replays past events and triggers unnecessary suffering.

For example, one of Roy’s clients suffered panic attacks every night. Through guided work, they traced it to a suppressed childhood memory—abuse from an uncle and a sensory trigger: the smell of toothpaste. Once the unconscious became conscious, healing began.

The takeaway? You are not your mind. You are not your past. You are the awareness behind it all.

The Only Book You Might Ever Need

When asked for one life-changing book, Roy doesn’t hesitate: The Book of EST.

This cult classic from the 1970s digs into how our minds really work—and how to reclaim control. It explains the origins of limiting beliefs and offers tools to dissolve them.

“If you truly understand this book,” Roy says, “you won’t need to read another self-help book again.”

Final Thoughts: Mastering the Inner Game

Roy Redd’s story is proof that transformation doesn’t start with circumstances—it starts with you. By taking ownership, questioning limiting language, and learning how the mind works, you can rewrite your life’s narrative.

From a stalled car on the freeway to coaching elite athletes, Roy reminds us that pain is not the end—it’s the beginning of awareness.

So the next time you feel stuck, sad, or scared, ask yourself:

What is this feeling trying to tell me?

What’s one bold action I can take right now?

Because like Roy says, your emotions aren’t obstacles. They’re instructions.

For more information on Roy, visit his website and follow him on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Watch Roy's podcast episode on YouTube.