Joseph Benjamin-Owen Pridgen 

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE!

ZE: As an author and a publisher, what is your greatest challenge while creating a new book?

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JP: Finding people who are serious about completing the journey. Writing a book is a glorious but arduous journey. It is one of the greatest ways to leave a legacy, but it is not easy. That’s why I provide a step-by-step process to help people finish their manuscripts.

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ZE: Describe the impact you hope your books leave on your readers.

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JP: I genuinely hope that my readers are Empowered, Inspired, and Encouraged by everything I write. Most people are simply looking for more love, joy, passion, and peace in their lives. I want my books to be a source of all of those things.

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ZE: If self-help wasn't your genre of choice, what other types of books would you write? Would this be with your name or a pseudonym?

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JP: I would write adventure books. I have always been drawn to stories of epic quests to defeat monsters, save maidens, and Conquer Kingdoms. But in a way, I think I do that now. Every “self-help” book is an invitation to embark upon your own quest. To defeat your own inner monsters, fall in love with your life, and conquer your dreams.

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ZE: What's your favorite word from the dictionary? Why?

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JP: Power. Because in some form or fashion, it’s what we are all in search of. Whether it’s money, love, accomplishments, healing, or just inner peace, we are all in search of the POWER to overcome our challenges and achieve our goals. And we are desperately trying to avoid being victimized by our circumstances. To be a victim is to feel powerless in your situation.

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ZE: Tell me about a time a review from one of your readers touched your heart and/or left you inspired.

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JP: Wow! There are so many! I have so many testimonies of Marriages that have been saved by my relationship book. So many people have exponentially increased their revenue from the principles in my prosperity book. And most importantly, so many people have changed their mindsets based on the principles I teach in my empowerment book. Every time I help create a “lightbulb moment” in someone’s life, my life is ineffably enriched. 

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ZE: Share with me your light bulb story about parting ways with the traditional 9-5 and creating your own path.

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JP: I have always been somewhat of a “non-conformist”. Working for someone else was never comfortable for me because I could always see a different way to accomplish the task.

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Three things inspired me to become an entrepreneur:

1. Income- “Your boss will never pay you enough to be his neighbor”. The concept of CEOs at the top, middle management making less than them, and “regular employees” making poverty wages, always seemed like the real “pyramid scheme to me. As an entrepreneur my earning potential is limitless. I am in complete control of how much and how often I get paid. I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.

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2. Creative Autonomy- we have all had that experience where we see some process or procedure at the job that could be done better. But for some of us when we make our suggestions to upper-level management, we’re basically told that that decision was made above our pay grade. My supervisor basically told me to shut up and do my job.

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My 9-5 days were numbered.

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3. Purpose. The last reason is kind of strange, but I remember a time that my boss basically told me that I was being paid over the summer to waste time and do nothing. Most people would probably love an opportunity like that, but I was disgusted. I want to be challenged. Money is not the goal. Meaningful engagement with my purpose is the goal. And I couldn’t get that with my 9-5.

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ZE: Explain your perfect writing zone and your number one distraction from the zone?

JP: The irony is that my perfect writing “zone” is really defined more by internal stimuli than external settings. When a movie or a song or a conversation stirs up something inside me, I am compelled to write; wherever I am and whatever is around me becomes background to the inspiration flowing through me.

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ZE: After working with so many authors and from your own experience, leave our readers with your greatest piece of advice for those in the industry or wanting to become a part of it.

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JP: Get a Coach. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. People have already solved the problems you have yet to experience. The value of a good coach is immeasurable.

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ZE: Where can our readers find you?

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JP: www.JosephPridgen.com and Joseph Pridgen on Facebook, IG

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Zyriphia Edmond resides in Murfreesboro, NC where she is a Hertford County Employee. Her passion for helping others is the driving force behind who she is and whom she's becoming. Zyriphia is an author, photographer, mentor and artist. You can learn more about her work by visiting the website: http://vizualsbylilliansdaughter.weebly.com/