PERVIS TAYLOR, III

“Surthrival Mode”

Pervis Taylor, III is an award-winning celebrity life/ identity coach, inspirational speaker, contributor and author who has channeled his childhood trauma into a means of making the world better for others.

Tell us what was the inspiration for your new book, “Surthrival Mode”?

The inspiration for Surthrival Mode really came from me seeing the crisis a lot of men were in with their emotions and mental health. It was starting to become a national issue. I wanted to contribute to the solution. Also, I wanted to give a voice to those brave men who went through the Surthrival Mode process and are now doing better.

Who is Pervis Taylor?

Pervis Taylor is a simple country boy from Lancaster, Texas. I’m a man of faith (Jesus lover). I’m a really wild and fun guy who is passionate about people thriving and being whole.

What would you say is the most important lesson that readers should take from your book?

The most important lesson one should take from the book is that wholeness is possible for you. Moreover, if you do the work, you’ll learn to master the things that once mastered you.

What made you decide to write this book?

What made me write the book was again to give a voice to the experiences of men and myself. I wanted to normalize men speaking about their pain.

What motivates you in the industry that you are in that has so many people pretending to be something that they are not. How do you stay grounded?

That’s a very difficult thing to navigate. I sit somewhat in a place of authority in the eyes of some. I do my very best to be transparent and raw about who I am and where I am. Accountability is key.

In what ways do you feel that the culture oppresses people from realizing that?

I think as a culture we’re afraid to say ‘I don’t have it together.’ Our egos are slowly killing us. We view vulnerability as a weakness and really it’s a strength. I think for many of us we’ve had to be tough and survive a ton of things. However, it’s damaged a lot of us.

You discovered an untapped market, Share with us the steps that you believe the people who influence the culture should take, because a lot of the toxic behaviors you mentioned are reinforced through entertainment.

You have to be intentional and fearless. You have to not be influenced by the culture. It’s the rebels who change the world. You have to know your voice and your message. And be able to couch it in such a way that it’s unique to you.

It saddens me to think of your experiences as a child, those are truly terrible things to go through at any age. I can appreciate how you channeled your traumatic experiences into a mission to help others. Describe the most difficult part of that.

The most difficult part of childhood trauma is that it transforms over time and can show up in the most subtle ways. I remember having to do a workshop in front of a group of very successful men and this overwhelming sense of inferiority came over me. I know that was directly connected to my childhood of being bullied and emasculated.

Outside of your accomplishments as an author and life coach, you have had highly successful careers as a model and music executive. In what genre of music was your specialty?

I worked and interned at Def Jam Recordings. I don’t know if I have a specialty, but I love R&B music.

Did entering the entertainment industry help you through your trauma or add on to it?

I’d say it added to it. I was so green and insecure and seeing others who appeared secure and had success made me feel less than often. In response, I created a character. One who had it together and wasn’t intimidated by anyone. It was exhausting.

Where can our readers get the book from and do you have a website as well?

Yes, they can get my book, “Surthrival Mode” from Amazon and/or SurthrivalMode.com