My sixth grade teacher, who refused to let me graduate sixth grade until I had learned my times tables.

My physics teacher in high school, who was the reason I became a software developer.

Anthony Robbins, for showing me how powerful taking action can be.

But mostly, my wife. My life wasn't really going in any particular direction until I met her, and then miraculous things began to happen. She is the wizard in the family.

since we all influence and get influence by people i guess trying to find one person is like negating all the other person. i will say every one that as bring something good in my life was a good influence on me. and every one that was in error also a good influence on me to not do the same error. that duality might seam strange to you but it is true. with out people making error we would never learn from those error. i could make a long list of name and never finish writing.

I would have to say Eckhart Tolle because reading his book "A New Earth" was really what started me on a spiritual journey and a quest to find my own Truth. I've found a lot of inspirational teachers since but few teachings have had as profound an effect on me as his - without a doubt he is the real deal.

My Father, the ever practical soldier and police officer, who taught me the value of action, rules and order.

My Mother, the dreamer, the free spirit, who taught me to be open minded and even tempered.

Jose Silva, from whose organization, and through whose hard work, I was able to learn and use the Silva Method of mind control. I attribute most of the happiness in my life to the Silva methods!

Abraham, even though an entity and not a person, has taught me to experience and appreciate more joy.

My daughter Cristine, who has a unique perspective on life, and from whom I am constantly learning to re-think things even though I am older than she is in this lifetime.

Earlyne Cheney, who started up ASTARA with her husband and wrote so many interesting books.

Last but not least, my childhood Girl Scout Leader, Lois, who taught me class, style, patience, crafts, outdoor skills, love, music and every good thing I can think of through her teaching and loving example.

Sorry, Jaianniah, I cheated and wrote many more than one, but all these influenced and shaped me!

@Wade Casaldi - I met Elizabeth Clair Phrophet when she came to Atlanta. I was teaching at a metaphysical organization called the "Foundation of Truth." She was amazing! She stood in front of the audience and called out unusual names, "Anyone here have a passed over relative named Amitayus?" a hand would raise. "Did he pass over due to a rare blood disease?" "Yes!" "Come forward, he is here and ready to help heal your right hip problem."

She did this multiple times until she had a group in a semicircle in front of her. She then said to imagine she was standing in a (virtual) pyramid with her heart at the epicenter ('pyramid' means "fire in the middle") with Jesus Christ on her right. Then she approached each person, touching their forehead. When she did, they collapsed backwards, caught by some of her assistants and lowered to the floor. Some were cured.

She spoke about spending the night in the Great Pyramid at Giza. Awesome experience. Had slides.

I really loved her chants, especially "I am the purple violet fire, I am the Purity God desires."

http://tsl.org/2011/04/ascended-masters-invoke-violet-flame-now/

She spoke at another organization, this was in the 1970s, I was sitting in the back row with a copy of her book of chants. I was quite stoned. She invited people in the audience to come down to the stage and pass by her. I was not moved to come down until she pointed at me and motioned.

I handed her my book to autograph. She wrote in it, closed it handed it back, reached out, put her index finger on my forehead and I was instantly sober. She smiled.

Later I opened my book and she had written, "I will be with you in your daily meditations, Mother."

Chilled me to the marrow of my bones! Certainly a great influence in my life.

Jimi Hendrix was also a very interesting person. Did not spend much time with him. I was a news photographer and my assignment was to get photos of him for a newspaper. I remember him practicing. "Hey Joe." It was amazing! I had thought that a lot of his sounds were pre-recorded and mixed in with his guitar playing, but when he played that tune, it was all him, real time! He could get incredible sounds from a guitar! All him!

Certainly a music channel-er! And an influence in my life.

Another, less well known person was my mentor, Clay. He was an enormously successful real estate investor. Quiet, unassuming man. I knew of him through professional associations. I was beginning to get interested in real estate investing. He was a friend of my father and about 25 years older than me.

I met him for lunch. I told him, "I want what you have!" This rocked him back because he did have people hitting him up for loans! I could sense him withdrawing, so I went on to say that I was not interested in his possessions or money, I WAS interested in his process, his thinking, his strategies for investing.

It took some time to get past his wariness. I discovered he did not have a lot of conscious strategies so I had him tell me stories of how he came to invest in this or that. I modeled him as best I could because I wanted to open these channels for myself. Understanding and using his strategies was the beginning of my success. Hugely more important than his possessions.

Most people were trying to get him interested in 'doing a deal with them.' I wanted to know how he thought! When I see someone who has something I want, particularly something big, I want to know process, and I will get something as big or bigger and get it easily.

I knew from my metaphysical studies the absolute foolishness of envying others, because that closes my connections to get the same kind of goodies! So I found a rich guy, modeled him and became richer! Same with health. Relationships.

I knew, from previous metaphysical studies that the connection was far more important than the manifestations. Do you want to have a Geni grant you a wish? I would rather own the lamp! Do you want a chicken dinner? I want an egg a day.

My parents were also very important influences. I grew up on a farm with the understanding of planting, nurturing and harvesting. Not to be swayed by the desires of the moment, but longer range goals. We always had enough, but we did not eat our 'seed corn!'

My Mother read me moral fables and fairy tales. It was only later, much later, that I found out she had modified some of the violent endings that included dire retributions for the evil witch. She would end the stories with, "They forgave the witch and EVERYONE lived happily ever after."

She and Dad also constantly told me, "You have a fine mind and you can do anything you set your mind on."

My wife, Anne, has been a profound influence on me. I have had several other marriages that had failed. Before Anne and I got married, we went for Christian Marriage Counseling. Among other things I learned that Marriage is not only a personal commitment to each other, but it is also a Covenant agreement with God! Did not recognize that before, hit me like a ton of bricks! Maybe you can break agreements with another person, but there are far-reaching consequences when you break an agreement with God!

We have been together for 14 years. Not all of it was easy, particularly for her, especially in the beginning. Ex-wives, ex-girlfriends trying to enter the picture. My mercurial personality. But she hung in there. We learned together. We are still learning. She has persistence. I greatly value her fellowship and unique perspectives.

Though she brought little to the table financially, through our bonding we increased my already considerable net worth and cash flow 4x! And we have a lot of fun doing it. My best student, my dearest friend, my lover and fellow traveler.

Tony Robbins - I knew him when he was 29 (seemed like he was 29 for several years :) He taught me strategies and goal setting. I took every course he had and became on of his trainers. Though he pushed everyone to excellence, I now find some of the methods he was using (and I was using 1989 and 1990) harsh. The motto of the 1990 two week seminar in Hawaii, "If you can't, you must, if you must, you Will!"

I might rewrite that slogan, "If you want something, meditate and connect with your Source and together, it will happen easily.

I am getting back in touch with Tony "Tone" as we called him to see where he is, now.

Many other people. Esther Hicks, Richard Bach, Max Lucado, Nikolai Tesla, Federico Fellini, Dante Alighieri, Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Napoleon Hill, Charles Haanel, Jose Silva, @Stingray, @Eddie and even @White Tiger among many others on IQ and elsewhere. At the top of my list, Jesus Christ without whom all is illusion. He is the only Reality.