George Leonard

George Burr Leonard (August 9, 1923 – January 6, 2010) was an American writer, editor, and educator who became one of the most influential voices in the human potential movement. Born in Macon, Georgia, Leonard served as a United States Army Air Corps pilot in World War II and the Korean War before embarking on a celebrated career in journalism. As a senior editor at Look magazine from 1953 to 1970, he covered the civil rights movement and America's social transformation, shaping public consciousness around education, culture, and the possibility of fundamental personal change.

Leonard's most enduring contribution is Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment (1992), a landmark work that challenged the modern culture of quick fixes and instant gratification. Drawing on his decades of practice in aikido — in which he earned a fifth-degree black belt — Leonard argued that genuine excellence in any field requires embracing the plateau, the long stretches of seemingly unremarkable practice between moments of breakthrough. The book remains essential reading for athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone committed to long-term growth.

Beyond Mastery, Leonard authored more than a dozen books exploring education, athletics, and human transformation, including Education and Ecstasy, The Ultimate Athlete, The Silent Pulse, and The Way of Aikido. He co-founded the Aikido of Tamalpais dojo in Mill Valley, California, where he spent his later years, and developed the Leonard Energy Training (LET) practice. He served as President Emeritus of the Esalen Institute, past president of the Association for Humanistic Psychology, and co-founded Integral Transformative Practice International. His philosophy was grounded in a deep conviction that Western civilization had lost touch with the present moment, and that disciplines of the body and mind — practiced with patience and love — were the path back to full human aliveness.