Start, Stay, Leave book cover

Start, Stay, Leave Summary

Trey Gowdy
4.32(853 Reviews)

Start, Stay, Leave Summary Overview

Former prosecutor Trey Gowdy's NYT bestseller simplifies life's toughest choices into three options. Endorsed by Dana Perino, who calls it "the best guide I've read," this book's backward-planning approach has readers asking: why waste years on decisions you could make today?

Key Themes in the Start, Stay, Leave Summary

  • decision making framework
  • backward design living
  • external validation traps
  • defining personal success
  • navigating life crossroads

Best Quotes from the Start, Stay, Leave Summary

  • I have found that people generally Start, Stay, or Leave for one of three reasons: people, purpose, or paycheck.

  • Some risks are just plain stupid.

  • Accomplishment requires intent, purpose, and foresight.

  • Your reasons to start something new shouldn't depend on anyone you can't see clearly in your mirror.

Characters in the Start, Stay, Leave Summary

  • Trey GowdyAuthor, former federal prosecutor and congressman
  • Ricky SamuelFederal witness whose murder impacted the author
  • Bob Harry FowlerMan who posed as a preacher to commit a murder
  • Terri GowdyThe author's wife who influenced his values
  • Tommy PabellonDrug dealer targeted in a federal sting operation

About the Author

About the Author of Start, Stay, Leave

Trey Gowdy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Start, Stay, or Leave: The Art of Decision Making, is a former federal prosecutor, four-term U.S. Congressman, and Fox News host known for his sharp legal analysis and principled leadership.

A Spartanburg, South Carolina native, Gowdy’s career spans high-stakes courtroom battles as a prosecutor (including landmark cases on public corruption and violent crime) and congressional oversight roles investigating national security matters. His decision-making expertise stems from 25+ years navigating complex legal, political, and personal crossroads – experience he channels into this practical guide for life-altering choices.

Gowdy’s earlier works include Doesn’t Hurt to Ask (a communication playbook blending courtroom tactics) and Unified (co-authored with Senator Tim Scott). As host of Fox News’ Sunday Night in America and The Trey Gowdy Podcast, he dissects policy and culture through a legal lens. His books have collectively sold millions of copies, with Start, Stay, or Leave debuting at #1 on multiple nonfiction charts.

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