I encourage you to start thinking and acting strategically with regards to “hard to achieve” situations so that you can realize your true potential and succeed in business.

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In Jack’s case, it was in his early twenties and it happened while attending University in Chicago. He was teaching a class of unmotivated black students who really had no desire to be there. Jack started telling them inspiring “rags to riches” stories of black people who consequently started out just like them and finished off becoming successful icons. What he witnessed when he started sharing these stories was a class of students that stood to attention with true interest. He realized at that moment that the magic ingredient in telling a story that would transform an individual’s thinking had to do with combining a truly inspiring tale about something his audience could identify with on a personal level.
Fast forward a few decades and 192 Chicken Soup for the Soul titles later, Jack Canfield has become one of the most successful authors in publishing history. His books are all based on the same valuable principle he learned in his twenties; telling inspiring stories readers can connect with on a deeply emotional level.

Timing a product to fill a void or need in the market is essential to the success of any new product.

Jack ranks having a partner as one of the driving forces behind his success and quotes, ”together, my partner and I were able to do the work of 5 men while I could have only done the work of one by myself.” He insists that having a relentless desire and passion for wanting to spread inspiring stories around the world was essential to his success and with 144 rejections from publishers not wanting to publish his first book, I would agree that those characteristics were key. “Timing a product to fill a void or need in the market is crucial to the success of any new product”, Jack added and at a time of war and economic recession, it didn’t hurt that the release of his books were timely with their inspiring messages of hope and promise.

But even with all his success, the element that launched Jack from successful author to celebrity was his affiliation with The Secret – the book and DVD with the powerful “law of attraction” philosophy that inspired global change in the minds of millions. He quickly recognized the enormous impact The Secret had on his persona and responded to it by capitalizing on new business opportunities.

He wrote more motivational, self-help and business books, booked more seminars and workshops, embarked on more speaking tours and produced an infomercial, all of which is marketed using the equity in his name (his personal brand).

Jack expressed to me the importance of building one’s personal brand and thinks it’s essential to success, especially today where messages are so hard to make a lasting impact. He was quick to comment that, “you must sell yourself as the product today and really put yourself out there. You have to run your flag up the pole to let people know you’re there, especially when you have a message or product that you’re passionate about like I do”.

He believes his name has the power to propel any product to success. The true essence of a flauntrepreneur is to build a strong brand and leverage it to create wealth.

In the last few years of his heightened success, Jack added a marketing person to his team who is responsible to source out new business opportunities by expanding on the brand (that being Jack). He was quick to point out that his marketing person’s strengths are in areas like sourcing new and creative business opportunities where his are not and that is why he remains focused on doing what he is naturally great at; empowering people to achieve. The business lesson here is evident; retain associates who complement your weaknesses in order that your business can grow.

From Jack’s first paid endorsement promoting The Quality Inn to receiving a few thousand dollars in royalties from a pet food supplier in association with Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul to charging $35,000 a day for speaking engagements, it is clear that Jack has hit a new plateau in his career. He believes his name has the power to propel any product to success and with annual earnings of over $8 million dollars, I’d say he’s doing something right.

The true essence of a flauntrepreneur is to build a strong brand and leverage it to create wealth. Jack Canfield has done just that and then some.

I want to leave you with what Jack coins one of his most valuable success principles and a sentiment I believe whole-heartedly, “Have a passion in your heart, the rest will follow”.

Jack Canfield can be reached at www.jackcanfield.com

Having a mentor is not a luxury but rather a necessity as you journey through life, learning, making mistakes and perfecting your craft along the way. A mentor is invaluable because he/she acts as a credible sounding board, teacher and coach while providing guidance and advice to a developing protégé. Mentoring relationships can be developed through formal organizations or informal peer relationships and there is no right or wrong way in this instance. In fact, many successful entrepreneurs and flauntrepreneurs find it useful to have both at the same time.

To get you started, identify an individual you hold in the highest regard, someone who has an impressive track record. This individual should possess all the characteristics you admire most. Then formulate a list of what you would like to learn from this person if you were given the chance to create your own wish list.