In his new book, It’s Not a Big Thing in Life, Arnie Witkin asks you to consider what actions you should take in handling life’s troubles and triumphs.

The 65 topics covered include:

• Principles of success
• Love and relationships
• Sex
• Work and money
• Facing difficult challenges and decisions
• Taking responsibility for yourself
• Humour as a coping strategy
• Public speaking guidelines
• Coping with illness
• The power of vulnerability
• Self-compassion
• How to deal with sexting, cyber bullies, pornography, racism, drugs, anger, jealousy, envy, gambling, trust, etc.

It’s all about your big things in life and your less big things in life and the energy that you assign to each.

Arnie was a successful investment manager and a pioneer in the private equity industry in South Africa. Since retiring from active business he has been a speechwriter, public speaking coach, executive coach and mentor. His path was far from smooth. After emigrating in 1989 he found himself out of work for three years, living off dwindling capital. Calling on all his inner strength and resilience he started again at age 50 and once again reached the top of the tree.

Possibly the greatest challenges he faced were being diagnosed with advanced thyroid cancer in 2001, which has metastasised to his lungs, and prostate cancer in 2009. He has developed strategies for coping and living a full life, which are all detailed in the book. He still plays golf three times a week, so everything must be OK

As an awkward teenager he was quite obese with all the angst this can create. As a result he understands anxiety that shy people can have about sex, inclusion, envy, jealousy, power and ambivalence about what to do with their lives.

He has been married for fifty years, has two sons and six grandchildren. His eldest grandchild said, ‘Grandpa, I think that you understand everything’.