We all experience difficulties and emotional traumas throughout our lives, whether they are concerns about health, finances, family and friends, or other more global issues. In today’s times people of all ages are challenged and unsure of their futures.
My personal inspiration has been Abraham Maslow, considered by many to be the father of modern psychology. I met him in the 1960s while at Brandeis University, and he became a mentor to me. Maslow’s simple, yet revolutionary, approach to psychology makes him as relevant today, 40 years after his death. By studying the people we most admire, he identified characteristics that made them successful: among them, appreciating the moment, focusing beyond oneself, and cultivating a sense of humor.
For the past fifty years, I have thought about Abraham Maslow’s ideas every day. Initially they helped this frightened college freshman through difficult times, and they continue to do so today. They have enhanced my moments of greatest joy and transformed my life.
In March 2010 I published a book titled Seeing More Colors: A Guide to a Richer Life, a treasury of stories, quotations, and photographs woven around Maslow’s teachings. The stories told are those which have had a profound impact upon me—including my tenure as an orthopedic consultant to the world champion Chicago Bulls basketball team and the Chicago White Sox baseball team. Photographs I’ve taken during travels to seven continents illustrate Maslow’s ideas throughout the book.
Using Maslow’s ideas as a framework, Seeing More Colors demonstrates how each of us can lead a more rewarding life. I plan to outline some of these concepts in my blog in the hope that Maslow will change the way you see yourself and your world and provide a beacon of hope in these uncertain times.
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