The Origins of The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob

This is the unusual story of how I, an attorney and investment banker in Manhattan, became the writer of a children’s picture book series, The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob.  The series is inspired by the success philosophies of Bob Proctor, Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale and others.  Although I discovered Napoleon Hill’s Law of Success in high school, my interest in the subject was reignited about three years ago when I began to study the work of Bob Proctor and the authors he recommended.

At the time, I had never considered writing a children’s book, let alone a rhyming picture book series.  But sometimes the paths our lives take are not linear or planned and two of my passions – my son and my interest in personal growth – collided.

As Bob Proctor, Napoleon Hill and Earl Nightingale all advise, repetition is the key to absorbing information.  So I began listening to their programs during my daily commute through the streets of Midtown Manhattan or on my runs in Central Park.  I soon found myself studying this information during my leisure hours.  On many nights, my wife and I returned home from our corporate jobs to read endless picture books to our young son about furry creatures, misbehaving monkeys or dinosaurs at school.  While reading story after story as he drifted off to sleep, I often wished that we could be conveying ideas that would benefit him for life.  And since it was our objective to assist him in relaxing after an active day, I noticed that rhyming books seemed unusually effective (thank you, Dr. Seuss).

So, an idea occurred to me: why not translate these timeless principles of achievement into a fun, character-driven, rhyming picture book series that would also communicate a positive message for protecting our oceans and sea life?  Why not create a series where a young island boy, Blue Ocean Bob, learns these valuable lessons from the sea creatures and an old, wise turtle named ‘Doc’ in particular?  I imagined that if I could only speak to Bob Proctor about this idea, perhaps he would know someone who could carry it out.

In October of 2009, I had the good fortune to meet Bob Proctor at a Napoleon Hill Foundation event in Anaheim, California.  I offered my idea, and he said, “You have all the information, and you have a 5-year old son to inspire you.  Why don’t you do it?”

He handed me a card in a plastic case and asked me to write a date on it at which time I would be ready with a copy of the first book for him to review.  I set a date on this “Goal Card” and kept it in my pocket from that day forward.  In the interim, I wrote several stories, each one incorporating a different principle.  And, through an old college friend, I was introduced to a talented artist to illustrate the first story.  The endeavor had become too important to me to simply mail Bob a copy and hope for the best.  So I made a decision to present the first book and an additional five stories to Bob in person at his Matrixx event in Toronto in May 2010.  That turned out to be a life-changing decision.

At the Matrixx, Bob graciously read my stories and encouraged me to continue.  In addition, I established valuable connections with like-minded attendees and a cross-section of experts who have supported my writing, publishing and marketing adventure.  My first book in the series, Blue Ocean Bob Discovers His Purpose, is available now.

As Napoleon Hill observed, if a nascent idea is to survive, it must be acted upon, fed and supported from the moment of its birth.  Ideas, like seeds, need to be carefully planted, watered and nurtured to grow into material form.  Yet often we require a catalyst to help us overcome our own limiting beliefs related to a new or unconventional idea.  Frequently, this catalyst is the positive encouragement of a friend, colleague, coach or mentor.

Andrew Carnegie was Napoleon Hill’s catalyst.  In 1908, Carnegie challenged Hill to develop a comprehensive philosophy of achievement and offered to introduce Hill to more than 500 of the most successful men and women of their time.  Hill, in turn, made a personal commitment to Carnegie to follow through.  Following twenty years of research, Hill published the ground-breaking Law of Success (1928) and later, Think and Grow Rich (1937), the best-selling personal development book of all-time.

Bob Proctor has been my catalyst for taking the Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob from an idea to reality.  When I first completed my Goal Card, I did not know that I would be presenting my children’s book series to Bob in person six months later.  But in retrospect, it is clear to me that by allowing myself to follow my passions and take a few risks, my life began to unfold in exciting and fulfilling new ways.

Bob Proctor’s programs and teachings, especially those drawn from the work of Napoleon Hill, have positively impacted all areas of my life – physical, emotional, financial, professional, and spiritual.  Although my first book reads “Inspired by the Teachings of Bob Proctor,” that is actually not the whole truth.  In fact, it would not exist without him.  I wonder if Napoleon Hill would have said the same thing about Andrew Carnegie and the origins of his first book, Law of Success.

Available Download: The Origins of the Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob