Steve Pavlina
Encyclopedia
Steve Pavlina is an American self-help author, motivational speaker
and entrepreneur
. He is the author of the web site and blog , StevePavlina.com and the book Personal Development for Smart People. He writes on a broad range of topics, and his lifestyle experiments (e.g. polyphasic sleep
) have generated some mainstream media interest.
in the early nineties. He performed extremely poorly in his studies, instead becoming addicted to shoplifting and scamming. On February 4, 1991, Pavlina was arrested for grand theft in Sacramento, California
and given 60 hours of community service
. He claims that this was the impetus he needed to turn his life around, he also claims that he was let off a much worse sentence owing to a mistake in the legal process.
Pavlina claims he then went on to earn a degree from California State University, Northridge
in three semesters (also incorporating advanced placement credits for courses he had taken in high school).
Prior to starting his personal development
site, Pavlina was the founder and CEO
of Dexterity Software
as well as a software developer
at that company. Dexterity published the award-winning computer game Dweep
. In 2000, Dweep won the Shareware Industry Award. In 2001, the sequel Dweep Gold won the Shareware Industry Award for Best Action/Arcade Game (beating out Arkanoid
for the honour).
Steve Pavlina served as Vice President
of the Association of Shareware Professionals
(ASP) in 1999 and President
of the ASP in 2000. By this stage, Steve's writings in the software development community were already having a some impact. The ASP's Hall of Fame
page describes him as having had "a significant, lasting influence on others via his articles and postings".
In 2004, Steve Pavlina began a web site and blog
dedicated to personal development
, StevePavlina.com ("Personal Development for Smart People"). Dexterity Software went dormant at this time and on October 31, 2006, Steve closed Dexterity Software in order (he said) to focus full-time on the website and blog.
On October 15, 2008, Pavlina's book, "Personal Development For Smart People," was published, which expands upon several topics featured on his blog.
setting; career, wealth and business; and spirituality. Some of his most popular writing is around lifestyle and lifestyle experimentation, where he will try a different style of living and blog about the day-to-day experience. Examples include raw veganism
and polyamory
. His most famous experiment in this regard is with polyphasic sleep
, with a related article on early rising appearing in the British
newspaper The Guardian
.
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. He is the author of the web site and blog , StevePavlina.com and the book Personal Development for Smart People. He writes on a broad range of topics, and his lifestyle experiments (e.g. polyphasic sleep
Polyphasic sleep
Polyphasic sleep, a term coined by early 20th-century psychologist J.S. Szymanski, refers to the practice of sleeping multiple times in a 24-hour period—usually more than two, in contrast to biphasic sleep or monophasic sleep . It does not imply any particular sleep schedule...
) have generated some mainstream media interest.
Background
Pavlina was a student at University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in the early nineties. He performed extremely poorly in his studies, instead becoming addicted to shoplifting and scamming. On February 4, 1991, Pavlina was arrested for grand theft in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
and given 60 hours of community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
. He claims that this was the impetus he needed to turn his life around, he also claims that he was let off a much worse sentence owing to a mistake in the legal process.
Pavlina claims he then went on to earn a degree from California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
in three semesters (also incorporating advanced placement credits for courses he had taken in high school).
Prior to starting his personal development
Personal development
Personal development includes activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitates employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations...
site, Pavlina was the founder and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Dexterity Software
Dexterity Software
Dexterity Software was a computer game company founded in 1994 in Los Angeles by Steve Pavlina. It began as a traditional retail game developer, but later changed to a shareware model. In 2004 Dexterity Software relocated to Las Vegas...
as well as a software developer
Software developer
A software developer is a person concerned with facets of the software development process. Their work includes researching, designing, developing, and testing software. A software developer may take part in design, computer programming, or software project management...
at that company. Dexterity published the award-winning computer game Dweep
Dweep
-Gameplay:Dweep is a cute and cuddly purple creature who must negotiate a series of dangerous obstacles to rescue defenseless baby Dweeps.Obstacles include lasers, heat plates, bombs, and lots of other hazards. Dweep must bypass these using only available non-violent tools such as mirrors,...
. In 2000, Dweep won the Shareware Industry Award. In 2001, the sequel Dweep Gold won the Shareware Industry Award for Best Action/Arcade Game (beating out Arkanoid
Arkanoid
is an arcade game developed by Taito in 1986. It is based upon Atari's Breakout games of the 1970s. The title refers to a doomed "mothership" from which the player's ship, the Vaus, escapes.-Overview:...
for the honour).
Steve Pavlina served as Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of the Association of Shareware Professionals
Association of Shareware Professionals
The Association of Software Professionals , formerly Association of Shareware Professionals, is a professional association for authors of shareware computer software...
(ASP) in 1999 and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the ASP in 2000. By this stage, Steve's writings in the software development community were already having a some impact. The ASP's Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
page describes him as having had "a significant, lasting influence on others via his articles and postings".
In 2004, Steve Pavlina began a web site and blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
dedicated to personal development
Personal development
Personal development includes activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitates employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations...
, StevePavlina.com ("Personal Development for Smart People"). Dexterity Software went dormant at this time and on October 31, 2006, Steve closed Dexterity Software in order (he said) to focus full-time on the website and blog.
On October 15, 2008, Pavlina's book, "Personal Development For Smart People," was published, which expands upon several topics featured on his blog.
StevePavlina.com
Pavlina's blog covers topics such as personal development and success; consciousness and courage; productivity, motivation and goalGoal
A goal is an objective, or a projected computation of affairs, that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve.Goal, GOAL or G.O.A.L may also refer to:Sport...
setting; career, wealth and business; and spirituality. Some of his most popular writing is around lifestyle and lifestyle experimentation, where he will try a different style of living and blog about the day-to-day experience. Examples include raw veganism
Raw veganism
Raw veganism is a diet that combines veganism and raw foodism. It excludes all food of animal origin, and all food cooked above 48 degrees Celsius . A raw vegan diet includes raw vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut pastes, grain and legume sprouts, seeds, plant oils, sea vegetables, herbs, and...
and polyamory
Polyamory
Polyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved....
. His most famous experiment in this regard is with polyphasic sleep
Polyphasic sleep
Polyphasic sleep, a term coined by early 20th-century psychologist J.S. Szymanski, refers to the practice of sleeping multiple times in a 24-hour period—usually more than two, in contrast to biphasic sleep or monophasic sleep . It does not imply any particular sleep schedule...
, with a related article on early rising appearing in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
newspaper The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.