An Interview with John Jay McKey: Author of Leverage the Field for Success

For 28 years John Jay McKey has been a student of success, building and leading data analysis teams in the banking sector, a Big Four accounting and consulting firm, the Office of Inspector General, and a multinational Fortune 50 company. While commuting from Chicago to Washington DC to work for the OIG, Jay had a personal epiphany that led him on a deep dive into the world of quantum physics. That journey resulted in the writing of Leverage the Field for Success, which explains how one can use what scientists call the universal energy field, the zero-point field, or simply “the field,” to support and accelerate one’s success and/or the success of their team.

Tell us about your book.

In Leverage the Field for Success, the book establishes the reality of the universal energy field, or “the Field”, by presenting a variety of scientific experiments that have been conducted in recent decades. The results of these experiments help us understand three key attributes of the Field: i) at its smallest measurable level, all physical matter is made up of tiny energy waves, ii) whenever any two electromagnetic waves intersect they exchange information, and iii) communication in the Field is instantaneous. This means that everything — all physical matter, all living things, and all knowledge — is connected. The rest of the book presents a framework for how to interact with the Field to one’s greater success. At a more granular level, it covers the mechanisms of the Field and how to recognize and use those mechanisms to one’s advantage in the workplace.

Why did you want to write a book?

Well, first, it was never a career goal of mine to be an author. It’s not something I hoped for or dreamt about or read about. But as I was showering and getting ready for work one morning in late July 2014, I got this kind of “brain dump” of inspirations. I suddenly saw the connections between three main areas: all that I had read and studied about success in the workplace, my own experience of successes and failures, and our physical reality as defined by quantum physics. When I got out of the shower that day, I started scribbling down phrases and concepts. I continued the scribbling of a few words and ideas here and there throughout that day, and by that evening I consolidated all the scribbles into 11 larger concepts, and that’s when it dawned on me, “These could be chapters of a book.” I knew at my core this was the answer to success, and I knew that I had to share it. I knew I had to write this book.

And how did that lead to you focusing on “The Field”?

While I had gleaned bits and pieces from quantum physics over the years – enough to know that it was the glue to connect all these ideas together – I had not written down or documented where I picked up the knowledge. I started doing research to better understand the reality articulated by quantum physics, but after several weeks I realized I was getting nowhere. I started asking friends for ideas about how I could hone my research, and one friend recommended a book by Lynne McTaggert called The Field.

Lynne’s work would form the cornerstone of my understanding of the Field – and it provided a springboard for researching the work of other authors and researchers. Her book is a fascinating account of decades of empirical scientific experiments that have demonstrated the physical reality described as the “universal energy field” or simply “the field.” Lynne’s book gave me a kind of blueprint of WHAT the Field was, and that blueprint dovetailed perfectly with my understanding of HOW the Field interacts with humans in the corporate world. And that is the crux of the book: Understanding the core goals and motivations of the Field so that one can use those to his/her advantage at work.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

There were a few reasons that drove that decision. First, I soon learned that the world of publishers and agents was vast and highly competitive, which would have been a huge time-drainer given that I was working a full time job and trying to raise two teenagers with my wife. So I kept things simple and just focused on writing the book. Second, I wanted to get the book to the market as soon as possible. For me, this whole experience had a sense of urgency and I didn’t want to wait an additional 18 months or two years for the book to finally be published. And third, it made business sense to me to self-publish in this technological world of Amazon and the internet

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

Great question. I think it’s key for indie writers to give themselves completely to their book. If you are excited enough to sit down and start writing, then surrender to that completely. By this I don’t mean that writers should be spending every spare moment on the book. It’s more about Will and Self-confidence. Don’t short change your book. Surrender to the passion of writing, and embrace the knowingness that whatever the challenges and learning obstacles, whatever the ups and downs, you will eventually publish your book.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

I have just one piece of advice: Work with a good, experienced editor. I was in the middle of my third rewrite of the book when I started working with Bill Hammond, my editor. Bill had decades of experience in editing, writing and publishing books, and his directional advice and recommendations were invaluable.

What was your steepest learning curve during the publishing process?

That’s a tough one. I started writing after working 20 years in the corporate world as a data analyst, most of that for a Big Four firm, so everything about writing a book was a steep learning curve. And it’s still steep! The editing process took longer than I expected, but the value of that process was immediately apparent. The book formatting process also took a lot more time and effort than I expected, but that was an invaluable investment of my time.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

The first draft I wrote in evenings while traveling every week to DC for work. The rewrites and the editing efforts I did in early mornings for 60-90 minutes before going to work. I found that writing in the early morning was best as my mind had not yet gotten distracted with all the mind-chatter related to work “to do” lists and/or projects around the house. I’d also write on the plane when traveling for business.

What are your plans now your book is published?

Right now I’m focusing my time on online promotion efforts, but I’m looking forward to ramping up my offline efforts this summer via speaking engagements. My goal is to begin doing paid speaking gigs at conferences this summer, and evolving into keynote speaking engagements for associations and corporations in Fall 2019. As interest in the book grows, I’ll offer coaching and consulting services and eventually host day-long workshops.

What are your hopes for the book?

I want the book to be as impactful as possible, in the United States and around the globe. I know that sounds like a lofty goal, but with so many countries and cultures in the midst of huge changes and growth, I feel the time is right for Leverage the Field for Success. I think some people will be attracted to the book and it’s concepts to help them make the most of changes and growth, while others will reach out to the book simply to help them survive due to their job or industry fading in this new era of growth. It’s a fascinating time, and I hope this book can help make the ride more fun – and more successful – for its readers.