Robert Conklin

I couldn’t locate a well-documented, broadly recognized “Robert Conklin” fitting exactly the profile “American educator” with substantial biographical material under that name. However, there is a motivational educator / author named Robert “Bob” Conklin, known for creating the Adventures in Attitudes® (AiA) personal development program, and often described in sources as an “educator.”

Below is a biography based on available information for Robert “Bob” Conklin; if you meant a different Robert Conklin, I can adjust accordingly.

Robert “Bob” Conklin – Life, Career, and Memorable Sayings

Explore the life and legacy of Robert “Bob” Conklin, American educator, motivational speaker, and author behind Adventures in Attitudes®. Learn about his philosophy, educational work, and memorable quotations.

Introduction

Robert “Bob” Conklin was an American educator, lecturer, and author best known for his Adventures in Attitudes® (AiA) personal development curriculum. Over his lifetime, his work reached thousands through training programs, speeches, and written works.

His approach centered on attitude, thought transformation, and human potential—topics that continue to resonate in motivational and leadership education circles.

Early Life & Background

• Bob Conklin was born in 1921 (exact date not widely published) and passed away in 1998.

• His roots seem to include working in sales and real estate prior to his educational/motivational work.

• In his early career, he struggled in real estate sales, which motivated him to study personal attitudes, human behavior, and training methods.

Career & Contributions

Adventures in Attitudes® (AiA)

• In 1957, Conklin began teaching what became Adventures in Attitudes® (sometimes also called AiA Classic), initially in the Minneapolis public school adult education system.

• AiA is a multi-session, immersive curriculum focused on attitude, self-awareness, and personal growth. It was expanded into corporate, institutional, and community settings over time.

• He co-founded with Leo Hauser the Personal Dynamics Institute to manage and disseminate AiA.

• AiA programs were delivered in diverse settings—schools, businesses, hospitals, prisons, international venues—and translated into other languages, including into Braille.

Writings & Educational Tools

• Conklin authored several books and training materials, such as The Dynamics of Successful Attitudes (1963), The Power of a Magnetic Personality (1965), Ego-Bionics (1969), How to Get People to Do Things (1979), and Be Whole (1997).

• He also developed motivational audio programs, workshops, and interactive curricula built around his philosophy of personal attitude and empowerment.

• His materials have been used across English-speaking countries and beyond in personal development, corporate training, and education.

Philosophy, Personality & Style

• Conklin’s central thesis: attitude is a choice, and changing one’s thought processes leads to transformed feelings and behavior.

• He viewed individuals not as problems but as potentials; he focused on strengths rather than weaknesses.

• His tone in his works and programs is positive, motivational, and action-oriented: he encouraged commitment, responsibility, and self-mastery.

• He also emphasized the social dimension of growth, acknowledging that much of what one wants in life comes through relationships with others.

Notable Quotations

Below are some of his more widely circulated quotations:

“It’s not the situation… It’s your reaction to the situation.”
“I have found that most of the things I want from living I must get from people.”
“People want riches; they need fulfillment.”
“Dreams get you into the future and add excitement to the present.”
“If you make the unconditional commitment to reach your most important goals, if the strength of your decision is sufficient, you will find the way and the power to achieve your goals.”
“Resistance is thought transformed into feeling. Change the thought that creates the resistance, and there is no more resistance.”

These quotes reflect his emphasis on mindset, agency, and the interior process of growth.

Legacy & Influence

• Bob Conklin’s AiA program has touched lives worldwide, particularly in personal development, education, and corporate training spheres.

• His books and audio programs continue to be reprinted and used by trainers, coaches, and educators seeking frameworks around attitude transformation.

• Though not as widely known in mainstream academia, he holds a place in the landscape of motivational education as a figure who bridged adult education, training, and self-help modalities.

Lessons from His Work

1. Attitude changes everything.
   Conklin’s core belief is that while we can’t always control external circumstances, we can control our responses and inner orientation.

2. Thoughts shape reality.
   By changing underlying thoughts, emotional resistance dissolves—this principle underlies much of his training.

3. Growth is relational.
   He acknowledged that many needs are met through people, and that interpersonal growth is part of individual development.

4. Commitment is key.
   He insisted that unconditional commitment to goals unlocks the resources and paths to achieve them.

5. Teach by doing.
   Conklin’s immersive programs and training apply educational design: experiential learning rather than passive reading.

If you'd like, I can try to track down a fuller biography of Robert Conklin (with birth/death dates), or check whether there’s another educator by that name. Would you like me to dig further?