Dr. Wayne Dyer, motivational guru, dies at 75
Dr. Wayne Dyer, the renowned motivational guru and author of dozens of self-help books, has died at age 75, his family announced over social media Sunday.
"Wayne has left his body, passing away through the night. He always said he couldn't wait for this next adventure to begin and had no fear of dying. Our hearts are broken, but we smile to think of how much our scurvy elephant will enjoy the other side. ... We Love You Forever Dad/Wayne," his family posted in a message on Dyer's Facebook page.
Dyer rose to prominence after the publication of his first book, 1976's "Your Erroneous Zone," became an international bestseller. That launched Dyer's career as an author and speaker and garnered him a legion of ardent fans, who dubbed him the "father of motivation."
His basic message was simple: Think good thoughts, and good things will surely follow.
"Take the last five minutes of your day," Dyer told CBS Sunday Morning's Tracy Smith in 2014, "and put your attention on everything that you would like to attract into your life: 'I am well. I am healed. I am in perfect health. I am abundant. I am happy.' Say those things to yourself. Then you'll marinate for eight hours, and you'll awaken and you'll begin to attract the things that are in your subconscious mind."
Dyer's own story is motivating in its own right: Born Michigan, he spent part of his childhood in orphanages and foster homes. He went on to earn a doctorate in educational counseling from Wayne State University and was teaching at St. John's University in New York when the success of "Your Erroneous Zone" altered his professional course.
His family didn't disclose the cause of death, but the news quickly generated reaction across social media.