Epiphany struck in his 30s/40s, when he realized that life was all about purpose. With the help of many well-known gurus (e.g., Dr. Wayne Dyer) and training in meditation, he developed his seven principles, a sort of formula for achievement.
Most of his book, in fact, details the seven, each supported by four elements and lots of anecdotes. With a total of 28, it becomes a bit too complicated in the telling. Readers could get confused, for instance, between the sequence of principles: Isn’t strategy, for instance, integral to guideposts rather than a separate principle? Don’t clarity, balance, focus, and confidence belong to a foundation, rather than to a separate principle?
Splitting hairs? Perhaps. But when a self-help book becomes too convoluted, it ceases, in part, to realize its goal: To help others. Nonetheless, many of his individual themes deserve a shout-out. Such as: The universe provides; trust it. The easiest way to change your life and perspective is to say thank you, a lot. Practice a reverse quid pro quo: Ask not what others can do for you, but what you can do for them.
Many of his beliefs are directly attributable to others, which he acknowledges. A fan of Ben Franklin and Sun Tzu (The Art of War), Meltzer embeds quotes liberally and, even better, places them in context of his own experience. At the end, he takes a quick breath, summarizing his philosophy in a way that might be more accessible than the previous 200+ pages. We just need to remember his mantra when tackling self-transformation: “If you don’t invest in yourself, what are you ever going to invest in?”
Changing minds and lives has never been easy; David Meltzer offers some New Age advice to do both.
Reviewed by Barbara Jacobs for IndieReader