By Manan Arora/b>Contributing Writer
Morris Taylor revels in the audience’s awe when he levitates and plays memory games on stage. But he insists that all he does is create an outlook that makes the impossible possible.
Now Taylor, a longtime Evanston resident and corporate consultant, hopes to bring the same mindset to college students’ lives.
Taylor, who lived in Evanston from 1980 to 2003, has worked as a corporate consultant in countries ranging from Kenya to Bermuda before turning his focus to college students with his book “How to Create a Magical College Life.”
Since he began lecturing to high school and college audiences, Taylor said he found several books to help students achieve better grades. But in talking with students, he discovered that the biggest challenges of college rely on self-management skills: Students who struggled lacked confidence or self-esteem, were lonely or had poor self-discipline and money management skills.
“The vast majority of college dropouts fail not because they aren’t smart enough or can’t do the work, but because they aren’t able to reorganize their lives and priorities to deal with the academic and social pressures of a college environment,” Taylor said.
Though he found books on subjects, such as study habits and preparing for standardized tests, Taylor said he wanted to give well-rounded advice for college students.
He wrote “How to Create a Magical College Life” to fill the gap.
“You become what you think about,” Taylor said. “Attitude and mindset (are) the foundation of any college student.”
The book does not talk only about academics. It advises students to “seek ways to be of service to others,” “be smart about romance and relationships” and “stay in touch with family and friends.”
Taylor draws on a varied background in his consulting. He describes himself as a “magical motivator” and has presented more than 1,300 lectures, seminars and workshops in both educational and corporate environments in locations as diverse as Kenya, Uganda and Bermuda.
His motivation to help others stems from volunteer work he did in the Caribbean, Kenya and Uganda right after college, interacting with youth groups and helping young people.
“This experience fostered in me a deep interest in human potential,” Taylor said.
He began drawing on those experiences five years ago, when he became a consultant. His work is concentrated in two areas: helping employees in large corporations acquire new leadership and communication skills and inducing self-belief and self-discovery in regular people.
Taylor’s advice centers on service to others and maintaining personal physical and mental health – whether in college or in the workplace.
Evanston Township High School college counselor Denise Brown said she believes there is no harm in referring to the book, but that students should not depend on it as their only source.
“The book is just one piece of the equation,” she said. “Getting involved in college life and experiencing what other students are going through or have gone through is essential.”
Some students, however, are skeptical about the power of a book.
“The book may be helpful to someone unsure of how to approach college or who has had a rough high school experience,” SESP junior Andrew Tinajero said. “However, you would not want to be seen in a college caf
