Who is Earl Nightingale

Earl Nightingale

Akash, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Earl Nightingale (1921-1989) was an American motivational speaker, author, and radio personality. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the personal development industry and is best known for his motivational recording, "The Strangest Secret."

Nightingale grew up during the Great Depression and served in the United States Marines during World War II. After the war, he worked as a radio announcer and eventually became a motivational speaker, delivering talks and workshops on success, self-improvement, and personal development.

In 1956, Nightingale recorded "The Strangest Secret," which became a best-selling spoken-word recording. In the recording, he explained that the secret to success is simply that we become what we think about most of the time. The recording has been re-released many times and continues to be a popular motivational tool.

Nightingale also authored several books, including "The Essence of Success," "Lead the Field," and "The Strangest Secret," among others. He was inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame in 1985 and his work continues to inspire and influence people around the world.