Bob Proctor (author)

Robert Corlett Proctor (July 5, 1934 – February 3, 2022) was a Canadian, new thought self-help author and business owner. He was best known for his New York Times best-selling book You Were Born Rich (1984) and being a contributor to the film The Secret (2006). Proctor's business model maintained the idea that a positive self-image was critical for obtaining success, frequently referencing the pseudoscientific law of attraction. Proctor's teachings, business and publications were claimed by some to be a contributor to the rise of interest in the law of attraction. Medical experts however expressed concerns that individuals may opt for Proctor's model of positive thinking, rather than opt for physical therapies or medical intervention. The law of attraction originates from quantum mysticism which claims that positive thinking can shape reality. Critics say that quantum mysticism cannot be connected to quantum mechanics without drawing upon "coincidental similarities of language rather than genuine connections". Proctor contended his teachings were "the basic laws of the universe".