James R. Doty, MD
Neurosurgeon, Entrepreneur, Investor and Bestselling Author.
James R. Doty, MD, is the New York Times bestselling author of Into the Magic Shop and Mind Magic. An adjunct professor at Stanford University and the director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), he served on the board of a number of nonprofits, including as the chairman of the Dalai Lama Foundation. Dr. Doty passed away in July 2025.
Philosopher's Notes on James R. Doty, MD's Books
Locked
Philosopher's Notes
Mind Magic
James Doty was a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Stanford and the founder of CCARE, the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. It breaks my heart to write that in the past tense. I’m not typically a fan of the word “manifesting,” but this is the book that changed my mind because Doty grounds the best of that world in modern neuroscience and throws away the pseudoscience. He shows us that the real secret isn’t about the universe, it’s about agency, attention, and the power of your own mind. Manifesting, properly understood, means clarifying an intention, embedding it in the subconscious, and aligning your focus, emotion, and behavior so your brain stays oriented toward what matters most. Big Ideas we explore include the real secret (agency), reclaiming your power to focus, clarifying what you truly want, removing the inner obstacles of fear and self-doubt, and the ultimate superpower that makes it all work: FOCUS.
