John D. Eisenfelt was an intelligent boy. In primary school, no one really got a grip on him. His strength was that he could quickly put himself in the shoes of fellow human beings and therefore he could empower them. He had a different perspective on things, which enabled him to solve problems in a creative and innovative way.

 John D. used some basic principles in everything he did. For example: You only know if someone is your friend when you argue with them. So John D argued with everyone at least once. Those with whom he was then ‘on speaking terms’ again in no time, he counted as his friends.

During high school, he met Sandy, a very popular girl. He was eager to win her over. But how? John D put himself in her train of thought. After thorough preparation, one day he made a bold move and asked Sandy about her passion for astronomy. Sandy was pleasantly surprised by this question; few boys and girls her age could share this passion with her. John D asked question after question and gave tip after tip. Within two months, Sandy gave in.

Twenty years later, John D and Sandy were waving goodbye to their three children as they left for high school in the morning. ‘The Principles’ by John D Eisenfelt had by then become a household name in the United States. They were applied to all sorts of areas of science. They often formed the basis for an entirely new perspective; a new way of looking at all kinds of more or less entrenched issues.

His main achievement, John D Eisenfelt himself stated, was not inventing principles. ‘It’s about what it does, not what it is,’ he once said during a speech at a prestigious university. The principles had only one purpose: to raise questions. Hence he always ended his speeches with: “Whenever you have a problem, try to find the question, not the answer.”