Who Am I
Who Am I and How Did I Get Here
I grew up in a three generation household in New York City. My grandparents loved me as I was. My parents, particularly my father, had requirements for me: Be number one. Anything less was failure.
In my culture, if you were smart, you had to be a lawyer or a physician. I had no interest in the latter, a lawyer it had to be.
My father was encouraged by his parents to become a lawyer. His two brothers, who were given the same instructions became lawyers. His sister was exempt, and became a secretary.
As I found out years later, from my personality profile, dealing with details was something very challenging for me. So, having to be exceptional in an academic setting that required the mastery of many details wore me out. I didn’t quit and made it to valedictorian in high school. The resentment in having to achieve academically kept building and made college and law school more difficult than necessary.
I married when I completed law school and have just celebrated 64 years of marriage. My wife and I have two daughters, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
After 25 years of practicing law, I began my search for a career that was inspiring. The competitive-adversarial requirements of the law were against my natural instincts. I avoided them by setting up real estate investments. Having no capital to invest, I exchanged my legal training for some equity.
“One of the most important books I have ever read.”
The real estate market was in a major growth phase, so choosing carefully led to great equity expansion. I made a lot of money and used it to support my family while I searched for what would inspire me.
The inspiration, that came in the form of a revelation, were simple statements that I called Universal Principles. I knew they would be universally beneficial for everyone who chose to follow them.
I shared them with friends who loved hearing them. As interest grew, I was given the opportunity to reach hundreds of attendees at some summer events. Before I knew it, I became a seminar leader. A journey that lasted for 18 years.
These events were not a result of my own planning. I always went to an event by invitation from someone who acted as the organizer. They were successful for all; the organizers, the participants, and myself. In some cities the attendance reached 300 consistently.
Many of the early seminar attendees were women who were searching for “soul mates.” They didn’t want to declare this openly during the “Question and Answer” period of each weekend. Instead, they would seek advice from my wife, Selma, who watched from the back of the room. Soon she was encouraged to join me on stage and continued there for the remaining 16 years of the events.
At one of the early events, a feature writer for a national magazine, asked her publisher for permission to do a feature on me. It was granted. I ended up as the cover story, with my picture filling the entire cover.
I wrote and self published my first book, ‘You Can Have it All in 1984. Someone gave Oprah Winfrey a copy. She liked it so much she invited me to be the sole guest on her show. I was invited back the next year.
As a way to encourage participants to practice the “Principles,” I set up small support groups during the weekend workshops with specific guidelines that became the model for participants to create groups in their home areas throughout the US and England. Many of the groups lasted decades. One I know is still in operation.
Early on, a suggestion was made to have an event each summer that became known as the “Five Day.” I would speak in the morning and the afternoons were devoted to arts and crafts, led by those in attendance who were either professionals or exceedingly talented.
The “Five Day” started in the second year and continued for the following 17 years when it reached a natural completion. I spent the following years exploring new ways to improve the quality of people’s lives. I tested many ideas, until an inner (channelled) guidance led me to what is now known as the “Family Story.”
The journey through the Family Story reveals core beliefs that interfere with full creative expression and diminish fulfillment in life. Those who choose to participate in this journey will be provided the tools necessary to release the limitations inherent in the Family Story.