About Richard A. Catalina, Jr.

 

A brief description of Richard A. Catalina, Jr., the insanity behind The Success Manual.  Find out a little about me, what makes me tick - and, more importantly, what this site is about and its Purpose.

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Welcome to The Success Manual – a unique online resource dedicated solely to the Science of attaining Success – at any level, in any endeavor.

My name is Richard Catalina.  I am a husband and father of three beautiful young children – Gifts from God.  I am an Intellectual Property, technology, and Internet law attorney and have my own law practice.  I am a business person and entrepreneur.  I love the outdoors and I enjoy sports, competition and just about anything that challenges human endurance.

And, I have an insatiable Passion when it comes to Success, Self-Improvement and Personal Development.

This site – The Success Manual – is a manifestation of that Passion.

I have been a Student of Success for most of my life, although I believe for much of my formative years, my Desire to Achieve was misdirected while I ignorantly pursued other, more crazed interests.

As a young man, I often wondered what “it” was that made some individuals achieve extraordinary levels of Success, while others failed.  I especially gravitated towards professional athletes, since I loved sports of all nature and particularly enjoyed the thrill of competition.

Now, when it comes to physical competition, some of us are more gifted than others from a genetic perspective, but putting that variable aside, I often pondered what was it that propelled some athletes to achieve extraordinary levels of Success in their respective fields. Why was it that, on any given Sunday during the NFL professional football season, one team could beat another football team, despite which one was allegedly better “on paper?”  What creates an Olympic champion, a top PGA professional golfer, or a U.S. Open Tennis champion?

I was fortunate to have been raised by two parents who instilled in me the belief and faith that I could achieve in my life whatever I wanted – as long as I put my mind to it.  Indeed, as a youngster, I recognized that our family was a little different (I didn’t say “better,” so let’s be clear about that!) than most of my friends’ families.  As a family, we would often tackle projects in and around the home that most people wouldn’t touch – they would call professionals.  Come weekends, though, we would just go out and “do it.”  Our neighbors thought we were nuts.  To me, it was just normal.

In my senior year in high school, I had started a landscaping company and my own office cleaning company.  Within one year, I employed family and friends as my businesses grew beyond my individual capacity to service the needs of my customers.  I learned the power of leverage; yet, I didn’t know it.

Only two years later, I owned, with family, two restaurants, and managed a full payroll of employees.  I was 22, still in college, and simultaneously working on a joint degree in Biology and Chemistry and a minor in Physics. 

Shortly thereafter, I was off to law school and, after graduating and subsequently working a stint as a successful attorney at a large New Jersey law firm, I opened my own Intellectual Property law firm that attained outstanding Success in less than one year – starting with no clients or any portable business whatsoever.

For the past eight years, I have been named a New Jersey “Super Lawyer” for Intellectual Property Law.  Out of approximately 84,000 attorneys admitted to practice law in New Jersey, only nine were named a “Super Lawyer” for Intellectual Property Law by our fellow colleagues and peer attorneys.  I was one of them and am extremely honored.

Yup, whatever I truly Desired to achieve, I did.

And, I have failed miserably!

Yes, it has NOT been the “Life of Riley,” and I certainly have experienced more than my share of “failures” (boy, have I).  I have hit some very rocky bottoms – some of which seemed (and seem) to have no escape!

Particularly when I have tried the hardest is when I have fallen the hardest.  BAMM!

So, my life has not been one giant Success story – far from it.  I have experienced peaks and I have experienced valleys, as everyone does.

That all being said, I still stand by my Belief that I can achieve any Success that I truly and honestly Desire.  Including, the very Goals that, at present, seem impossible – and there are plenty.

But, that begs the question: WHY is it that Success IS sometimes so elusive?  What is it that separates attaining Success from falling into “failure?”  Why have certain times of my life been adorned with amazing Abundance and outstanding Success, and other times defined by utter and disgusting “failure,” lack and limitation?  Why have I at times demonstrated amazing brilliance, only to follow with acts seemingly founded on pure stupidity?

Is God punishing me?  Does God want me to suffer and experience misery?

At times in the past, I believed that was the case.  But, that notion simply fails to hold weight under careful and critical scrutiny.  It just doesn’t make sense.  Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that if I suffer lack, limitation and “failure,” it is certainly NOT God’s fault.  Could it be me?  Perhaps it was MY fault.

And, so, my Quest continues.  I seek Success – Abundant Success – and yet, I need Truth.  HOW can Success be earned?

I have learned – or so believe – that, first, and foremost, Success begins with THOUGHT.  My THINKING is the originating Cause of my Life’s experiences (Effects).

More than twenty years ago (hard to believe), I read the Success classic As A Man Thinketh by James Allen.  That little book changed everything – or at least how I viewed the world.

With that as my starting point, the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together.

Is attaining Success easy?  I would say “no.”  However, I would also say that the fundamentals of attaining Success are not extraordinarily difficult.  In fact, they are rather simplistic.  But, definitely NOT easy.  For, if Success was easy, many more would have joined the ranks of the most Successful.

As they say, “No guts, no glory.”

I continue, as every aspiring Success Student, to struggle and make mistakes.  But, I now experience profound Growth at every turn.  And, importantly, I have learned that appearances are not Truth.  Appearances are just appearances, nothing more, nothing less.

The Success Manual project is now experiencing its own level of Success, as more and more travelers stop by the site, thirsty for Truth, Wisdom.  I welcome you to this site and hope that you make strong, ardent and sincere use of the teachings, information, materials and principles that I have gathered here for you.  As I indicate in many of the posts on this site, what I pass along to you are merely the materials that have resonated well within and worked best for me.

I wish you the very best Success in all of your endeavors.  Please feel free to contact me at anytime using the Contact Form on the site.  It may take some time, but I do attempt to answer all email.

Also, please feel free to comment on any post – PLEASE!  Feedback is not only welcome, it is highly encouraged.  Everyone has something to contribute, everyone is a teacher.

Thank you for supporting The Success Manual.

Richard