75 pages • 2 hours read
Michael A. SingerThe Surrender Experiment
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 5 Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 5: “Something Priceless Is Born”
Part 5, Chapter 32 Summary: “From the Personal Self to the Personal Computer”
In 1978, Singer visits a Radio Shack store and comes across a TRS-80 personal computer. Though he’s never worked with computers before, he’s instantly captivated by the machine. The experience of interacting with the computer feels natural to him, like an extension of his spiritual practice. Despite having no clear idea of how he will use it, he surrenders to the pull he feels and purchases the device.
Singer, already managing two full-time roles with the Temple of the Universe and Built with Love, finds himself dedicating late nights to learning how to program. His first real project is writing an accounting system for his construction company, and from there, things escalate quickly. Word spreads about his programming skills, and Singer soon finds himself receiving requests for custom software development from local businesses. Without seeking it, a new business, Personalized Programming, is born, and he becomes a professional programmer.
What started as a hobby evolves into a thriving software company. Committed to his spiritual practices, Singer initially turns down out-of-town business trips, unwilling to compromise his attendance at morning and evening services. But when James Pierson, a Temple resident and pilot, offers to fly him to clients, Singer expands his services. Flying to upscale businesses across Florida, Singer marvels at how far life has taken him, all without leaving his spiritual path or the woods of Alachua.
Through surrendering to life’s flow, what began as curiosity about a computer grows into a multimillion-dollar business. Singer reflects on how this unexpected journey unfolds seamlessly, driven by his simple philosophy: devote yourself fully to whatever life puts in front of you, treating it as a gift from the universe itself.
Part 5, Chapter 33 Summary: “The Birth of The Medical Manager”
Singer recounts the unexpected birth of what eventually becomes The Medical Manager, a software product that revolutionizes medical practice management. By 1980, Personalized Programming has grown into a profitable one-man business, generating over $100,000 a year. Singer, content with his work and lifestyle, has no intentions of expanding further. However, as fate would have it, two phone calls on the same day change the course of his journey. Both callers inquire about a medical billing system for patient and insurance claims—something Singer hasn’t yet developed. He initially searches for existing software to meet their needs but quickly realizes the available options are inadequate.
When he informs the clients, they encourage him to write the software himself, believing in his skills based on his reputation. Singer hesitates due to the scale of the project, but he eventually surrenders to the opportunity life presented. With no formal meetings, budgets, or plans, Singer begins coding the system, starting with patient records and medical billing procedures. His uses a deeply spiritual approach, writing the software as if it were a gift to the universe, ensuring every line of code is meticulously crafted with utmost precision.
The Medical Manager quickly outgrows its original purpose, serving not only Singer’s initial clients but also transforming the medical billing industry. Without any grand vision, Singer allows the work to flow through him, treating programming as a form of inspiration. As his business grows, so do his leadership skills, laying the groundwork for managing a team of developers—something The Medical Manager’s success necessitated.
Part 5, Chapter 34 Summary: “The Early Programmers”
Initially, Singer takes on the enormous task of writing the medical billing system alone, committed to surrendering to the flow of life and viewing the project as a sacred task. One day, a young woman named Barbara Duncan approached him on the Temple porch, offering to help. Initially skeptical due to his preference for working alone, Singer quickly recognizes Barbara’s arrival as another moment of life’s perfect timing.
Barbara, shy and soft-spoken, proves to be an invaluable partner, possessing both a brilliant mind and a deep spiritual commitment. She begins working with him on the project, moving into the Temple and becoming Personalized Programming’s first full-time employee. As the software’s complexity grows, they bring on additional programmers, creating a small but dedicated team.
The first version of The Medical Manager requires intense precision, especially when developing the module that handles insurance claims. The team works tirelessly to create a template-driven system that allows medical practices to customize how they fill out insurance forms—an innovation that quickly sets The Medical Manager apart from other products. Singer describes the program as a “living entity” that demands perfection, likening its creation to polishing a diamond.
By early 1982, after two years of development, the software is ready to be installed for the original two clients. Singer and his team focus solely on delivering the best system possible, without concern for what would come next. Once again, he trusts that life will determine the program’s future, just as it has guided him through every step of its creation.
Part 5, Chapter 35 Summary: “Preparing for Launch”
After completing the software’s first installation, Singer receives a surprising phone call from Systems Plus, the distributor of an accounting software he’s previously sold. During the call, the representative, Lorelei, says she’s looking for a medical billing package, immediately piquing Singer’s interest. Despite his self-doubt—wondering how a small, self-taught programmer from the woods could compete with Silicon Valley—he tells Lorelei that he’s just completed a medical billing system. To his amazement, her boss is interested, and she encourages him to send the software for review.
As Singer prepares to send his work off, he marvels at the unfolding events: “How does such a thing happen—even in a fairy tale?” (144). A few weeks later, Systems Plus’s president, Rick Mehrlich, flies to meet Singer in Alachua. Impressed by the quality of The Medical Manager, Rick expresses his desire to distribute the software, leading to an agreement that takes the program nationwide. Singer, trusting the universe, does not seek other distributors, feeling that Rick is “handpicked by the Universal Force” to take The Medical Manager to the next level (144).
By late 1982, Systems Plus is ready to launch The Medical Manager at the prestigious COMDEX trade show in Las Vegas, marking the program’s official introduction to the world. Singer, reflecting on the extraordinary journey, feels astounded by the way everything has come together so effortlessly. To him, the software seems to have a life of its own, attracting all the right people and opportunities at the perfect time.
Part 5 Analysis
In this section, Singer continues to utilize a mix of literary and non-fiction devices to convey his journey of surrender and the unexpected professional developments that follow. Singer’s tone remains observational, characteristic of his narrative style, recounting ordinary moments that catalyze extraordinary change. His restrained and minimalistic writing style is both meditative and purposeful, aligning with the book’s theme of surrender. For example, in Chapter 32, he describes discovering a TRS-80 computer in a Radio Shack store, which he approaches with a sense of curiosity rather than excitement. This subtle tone reflects his steady, contemplative approach to each new direction in his life.
A hallmark of Singer’s storytelling is his introspective tone, often conveyed through internal dialogue, which illustrates The Power of Surrender. In Chapter 32, for instance, the anecdote of his computer purchase is not merely a personal story; it acts as an accessible example of how life’s seemingly minor nudges can shape destiny when met with surrender. This device illustrates the dichotomy between his personal preferences and the surrendering mindset he has chosen to adopt. In Chapter 32, he experiences a “calling” to engage with computers, despite having no previous interest or knowledge in technology. Through internal dialogue, he reveals the push-and-pull within his mind as he moves through his own resistance toward surrender.
Singer juxtaposes his spiritual pursuits with his growing success in the business world, framing the former as the catalyst for the latter. For example, in Chapters 33 and 34, he describes the founding of Personalized Programming and the early development of The Medical Manager. This juxtaposition creates a sense of irony: the author, who moved to the woods for a solitary, contemplative life, now finds himself managing a burgeoning enterprise. By contrasting his spiritual ambitions with the demands of corporate life, Singer highlights the tension between material success and spiritual surrender.
Singer employs metaphor to convey his deep sense of detachment and trust in life’s unfolding path, reinforcing the text’s thematic interest in The Impact of Mindfulness and Acceptance. In Chapter 35, Singer describes his projects, particularly The Medical Manager, as “living entities” with their own destinies. This metaphor reflects his respect for the organic process of creation and his view of his software as having a life beyond his control. By characterizing the software as an entity with a path of its own, Singer underscores his philosophy that he is merely a conduit for life’s flow rather than its controller. This device illustrates the depth of his surrender, as he relinquishes any sense of ownership over his achievements.
Singer’s integrates subtle references to other experts drawing from spiritual teachers like Ram Dass and Amrit. In Chapter 35, he reflects on Ram Dass’s impact through his dedication to absolute self-honesty, which Singer mirrors in his own life. These references to well-known spiritual figures bolster the authenticity of his surrender journey, lending credibility to his narrative.
Singer frequently emphasizes the role of coincidences in guiding his path, a recurring theme that serves as a narrative framework for surrender. In Chapter 35, he recalls a “destiny-filled phone call” from Systems Plus that leads to The Medical Manager’s distribution (142). These coincidences are strategically placed within the narrative to demonstrate the “magic” of surrender. By presenting them as moments of destiny, Singer implies that his achievements are less the product of personal ambition and more the result of life’s unfolding plan. This sense of timing and serendipity enhances the mystical quality of the narrative, framing each event as a deliberate piece of a larger puzzle.
Singer’s recurring reference to a “Universal Flow” is a thematic device that permeates each chapter and highlights The Challenges and Rewards of Living a Life Aligned with The Universe’s Flow. In Chapter 34, as he works with Barbara Duncan, the first programmer to join him in Personalized Programming, Singer describes their collaboration as part of a larger, inexplicable force guiding their actions. This concept of a Universal Flow supports his philosophy of surrender, suggesting that even his business ventures are simply components of a grander scheme. By repeatedly invoking this concept, he emphasizes a sense of trust in the process, advocating for a life led by openness rather than control.
Throughout these chapters, Singer foreshadows future growth subtly, especially in Chapter 35 when Systems Plus contacts him about distributing his software. This moment hints at the significant commercial success that The Medical Manager will eventually achieve, building a sense of anticipation. By using foreshadowing sparingly, Singer ensures that the narrative remains grounded in the present moment, which is consistent with his philosophy of living fully in each stage of life’s unfolding.
