What inspired you to write “The Secret to Life Transformation?”

This belief system changed my life! Why do so few among us thrive while so many barely survive? I had an intense curiosity about this subject matter from the time I was a poor kid on a small farm in Croatia in the 1960s and had zero prospects for a brighter future. I also had that same curiosity when I found myself to be among the most privileged and wealthy human beings on earth now at age 45. Having made full-circle and experienced life from one extreme to the other, I was determined to find and understand the ‘it‘ factor in effort to learn, evolve, and share with others the vital link that was clearly missing in the lives of those who are equally worthy and yet lacking the success they desire and deserve.

Of all the stories of transformation that you ran across in life and your research for this book, which moved you the most?

This is like asking who among your children is your favorite one. So many have moved me, inspired me, motivated me, gave me courage, and gave me hope… but of course, there are those who affect you profoundly at the spirit level and makes you believe in yourself and in others in a way you never thought possible.

John Paul DeJoria (founder/owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems) is among them. A dirt poor kid, a homeless man who launched John Paul Mitchell Systems out of his car! He believes that “successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.” He knew that determination would triumph over rejection and that if ten doors were slammed in his face, he grew determined that the eleventh would not. Failure is just not an option.

David Foster takes independent thinking to a whole other level. He rejects limits-period! He utilized his vision and unwavering focus to overcome adversity by placing himself in an environment to create possibilities for opportunity. He learned that swimming upstream and taking action would propel him from where he was to where he wanted to be. As a result, David Foster became “Hit Maker” within the music industry by discovering new talent and crossing boundaries within various musical genres that elevated him to become one of the most extraordinarily talented music producers and composers of our era.

José Eber is the only hairdresser who became a household name and an empire. He grew his long trademark hair in defiance of his abusive father and armed with nothing but a dream and his love of making woman beautiful came from France and rocked the world. And then it all went terribly wrong when he placed his trust in unscrupulous businessmen – he borrowed money to sue to buy his very name back. He is trusting, trustworthy, and loyal to a fault. He‘s around for good times and bad; he‘s a light in anyone‘s darkest hour – His commitment to making every woman who crosses his path her most beautiful self simply moves mountains.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas hit me where I live. He did it for someone else. He rose to the pinnacle of his profession as a credit and debt of gratitude to the only person who believed in him and sacrificed everything for him – his grandfather. Even his parents had abandoned him. He was as underprivileged as it gets in our society and an outsider at every turn and on every journey. But he believed in something bigger than himself and never took his eyes off what he could become in defiance of the constant chorus determined to prevent him from getting there and even staying there. I have a feeling his journey will get even more interesting….

Jacqueline Jakes‘ story will never leave me. When faced with challenges small or large, I think of her. She is an author, proud sister and a humble wind beneath the wings of the brilliant and masterful Bishop T. D. Jakes. It was a sleepless night at the St. Regis in New York when I was aimlessly working the remote control in an effort to find something on television that would put me to sleep. Instead, a regal woman of unmistakable knowledge and purposeful poise spoke so eloquently and profoundly of her ordeal with a complicated brain surgery. As a result, it was how she chose to live her life, that kept me up all night. The following day, I began the process of learning everything about her and her brother‘s ministry. These are some of the most exceptional people I have ever encountered. Given their vast and global success, I believe they have just begun to scratch the surface. They get it.

How did you choose the diverse group of people to be featured in the book?

I interviewed more than two hundred people from all walks of life who refused to accept what life had offered them. They redesigned their lives and as a result, they mastered their destiny‘s. It was brutal to cut it down to twelve. But I went for extreme diversity, not just the celebrity factor, to prove a point. If you have a vision for your life, it doesn‘t matter who you are, what your background is, what you do or don‘t have, what you do or don‘t know….you can make that vision a reality whether you want to be a hair dresser or a brilliant lawyer or an enviable entrepreneur. If you stay focused on your vision, you can go from poor, busted and disgusted to becoming prosperous and successful beyond your wildest dreams. If you have an unshakable vision it is powerful; it seems the whole world will conspire to make it happen for you – just ask President Obama.