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Tough

My Journey to True Power

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Tough

Written by: Terry Crews
Narrated by: Terry Crews
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About this listen

From Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Terry Crews, the deeply personal story of his lifelong obsession with strength—and how, after looking for it in all the wrong places, he finally found it

Terry Crews spent decades cultivating his bodybuilder physique and bravado. On the outside, he seemed invincible: he escaped his abusive father, went pro in the NFL, and broke into the glamorous world of Hollywood. But his fixation with appearing outwardly tough eventually turned into an exhausting performance in which repressing his emotions let them get the better of him—leading him into addiction and threatening the most important relationships in his life.

Now Crews is sharing the raw, never-before-told story of his quest to find the true meaning of toughness. In Tough, he examines arenas of life where he desperately sought control—masculinity, shame, sex, experiences with racism, and relationships—and recounts the setbacks and victories he faced while uprooting deeply ingrained toxic masculinity and finally confronting his insecurities, painful memories, and limiting beliefs. The result is not only the gripping story of a man's struggle against himself and how he finally got his mind right, but a bold indictment of the cultural norms and taboos that ask men to be outwardly tough while leaving them inwardly weak.

With Tough, Crews's journey of transformation offers a model for anyone who considers themselves a “tough guy” but feels unfulfilled; anyone struggling with procrastination or self-sabotage; and anyone ready to achieve true, lasting self-mastery.

©2022 Terry Crews (P)2022 Penguin Audio
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What the critics say

“There isn’t a man more qualified to prove that vulnerability is strength than Terry Crews. In this raw, revealing memoir, he chronicles his journey through abuse, anger, insecurity, and misogyny—and shows how he found a better path. If his words don’t move you to tears, you might be a robot.”
—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

“From the fields of Flint, Michigan, to the packed arenas of the NFL and Hollywood, Terry Crews’s life is a testament to the power of physical and mental toughness. But there’s a deeper journey at work here that goes beyond one man’s story of overcoming painful challenges and long odds. The roots of Terry’s resiliency run deep and connect him to a history he carries inside.”
—Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research, Harvard University

“Terry is an extraordinary storyteller. This memoir is powerful, profoundly human, and a behind-the-scenes look at an incredible life.”
—Amanda Nguyen, civil rights activist and Time Woman of the Year 2022

What listeners say about Tough

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Terry loves yoghurt

listened purely as a fan of Terry in Brooklyn 99 and was blown away by the raw truth and emotion shared by such an Adonis of a man. Excellent delivery and full of harsh but teal tales of a life spent desperate for feeling included.
will listen again.

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Much love and respect for this man!

Great story, well edited and put together.
Similarities with Goggins' book.
Should be read by fathers.

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Loved this so much!

Thank you Terry for changing my life! You articulated what most can’t unless they have gone through that struggle of toxic masculinity.

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Great Book!

Terry brings you on a journey of his life lessons using great storytelling. I loved listening to his voice and could hear all the emotions.

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Great book on so many levels

Appreciated his sincerity. Was looking for chores to do around the house to justify continuing listening :)

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Tough - Life Lessons To Make You A Better Person

Terry Crews wrote an incredibly personal, poignant and introspective memoir. I really enjoyed this book and it helped me to better appreciate his insights on a life that was tough and inspiring.

Join Terry as he brilliantly narrates his life story, while teaching everyone great lessons from a life well lived. I think of Terry as one of his paintings. Yes, he is an artist. Learn and be shocked as I was. He is constantly striving to improve himself, his sphere of influence and humanity. Just as his artwork was constantly evolving, so has Terry.

The moment he talks about just being judged for being good enough as a person, was just a gut punch of truth in our world. Reality Check when you hear this.

I really want you to give this book a chance, then learn from it, by incorporating the lessons offered from Terry.

Terry, I want to see your paintings as it sounds like that is where your true passion resided. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for such an honest, heartfelt story that you were able to share with us, the reader. I truly wish you and your family great success and hope more people can read this brilliant story and learn how being Tough, may not always be what they expect in life.

~ Awesome read, Inspired and Motivated To Improve. ~

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A Journey Worth Hearing

I have learned so much about Terry and have a new found respect for him. It was interesting to hear everything he was feeling and going through during a time we were watching him on film and TV. I’m so glad he was brave enough to open up about all this. He is an inspiration and I hope this book gets a lot more attention.

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Great insight into a tough life

It was good. Inspirational. It's not a biography but very much a tale of his journey through adversity. My only criticism is at times it felt more like a biography of his parents big Terry and Trish then a story about his journey.

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So raw and real

Well done Terry and thanks so much for sharing. God bless! I really appreciate your story and feel strength from it.

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So honest and inspiring

Love his honesty and vulnerability, such a talented individual. His story is inspiring, he is so relatable.

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