Jack Canfield

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Jack Canfield bigraphy, stories - Speakers

Jack Canfield : biography

August 19, 1944 –

Jack Canfield (born August 19, 1944)"Jack Canfield". Contemporary Authors Online. Gale. August 31, 2006. Retrieved on February 13, 2009. is an American motivational speaker and author., "Jack Canfield", accessed 02-14-2009 Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame, accessed 02-14-2009 He is best known as the co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, which currently has nearly 200 titles and 112 million copies in print in over 40 languages., "History of Chicken Soup for the Soul", accessed 02-14-2009 (July 11, 2008), "Simon & Schuster Enters into Sales and Distribution Agreement with Chicken Soup for the Soul", accessed 02-14-2009, Famous Authors Vol 17, Jack Canfield, accessed 02-14-2009 According to USA Today, Chicken Soup for the Soul and several of the series titles by Canfield and his writing partner, Mark Victor Hansen, were among the top 150 best-selling books of the last 15 years (October 28, 1993 through October 23, 2008). USA Today, "USA TODAY’s best-selling books of last 15 years", accessed 02-14-2009

In July 2004, Jack Canfield founded the Transformational Leadership Council,http://www.transformationalleadershipcouncil.com a group of thought leaders, speakers, authors, coaches, trainers, researchers, consultants, and other leaders in the fields of personal and professional development. The members of TLC meet semi-annually to network, connect, and learn from each other, to enhance members’ effectiveness and contribution in the world. So far, semi-annual meetings have been held in USA, Canada, Bermuda and Mexico. As of January 2012, membership numbered 120.

Career

In 1990, Canfield shared with Mark Victor Hansen the idea for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and after three years, the two had compiled sixty-eight stories. Canfield has appeared on numerous television shows, including Good Morning America, 20/20 and NBC Nightly News.

Canfield is the founder of "Self Esteem Seminars" in Santa Barbara, and "The Foundation for Self Esteem" in Culver City, California. He is also the founder and CEO of the Canfield Training Group. One of Canfield’s most recent books, The Success Principles (2005), shares 64 principles that he claims can make people more successful. In 2008, he wrote The Success Principles for Teens with Kent Healy, as a result of the success of his original book. In 2006, he appeared in the DVD, "The Secret", and also in the book titled "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne and shared his insights on the Law of Attraction and tips for achieving success in personal and professional life. In the summer of 2004 Canfield founded The Transformational Leadership Council (TLC), a closed membership, invitation only members’ club.

Apart from being an author, Canfield is also a speaker and trainer. He conducts seminars focused on peak performance, such as Break Through to Success. He also trains speakers and trainers about training and teaching the Success Principles through his Train the Trainer program.

Biography

Canfield has worked as a teacher, a workshop facilitator, and a psychotherapist. He is a Democrat and a follower of "the secret" and the Law of Attraction, and his hobbies include tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, and guitar. In 1962, he graduated from high school at Linsly Military Institute in Wheeling, West Virginia and he received a BA in Chinese History in 1966 from Harvard University and an MEd at University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1973. In 1978 he was named Outstanding Young Man of America by the U.S. Jaycees. On September 9, 1978, he married Georgia Lee Noble, with whom he had a son (Christopher N. Canfield). They divorced in December 1999. On July 4, 2001, Canfield married Inga Marie Mahoney. In the recently released Long Past Stopping, Canfield’s first son, Oran, from a previous marriage, details a troubled childhood with a distant father, as well as his skepticism of the entire self-help genre in which his father became famous.

Honors awards

  • Named Outstanding Young Man of America, U.S. Jaycees, 1978
  • Honorary Doctorates:
    • Honorary Doctorate in Human Behavior (Ph.D.), University of Santa Monica, 1981
    • Honorary Doctorate of Public Service (D.P.S.), Parker Chiropractic College, Dallas, TX, 2003
    • Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA, 2003
  • For Chicken Soup for the Soul: One Hundred and One Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit:
    • American Booksellers Book of the Year (ABBY) award 1995
    • Storytelling World award for tellable adult stories, 1995
    • Body, Mind, and Soul Book award, 1996
    • American Family Institute Nonfiction Literary award,
  • Named Southern California Book Publicist of the Year, 1995
  • Storytelling World award for tellable adult stories, 1996, for A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul
  • Distinguished Author award, Radio and Television Interview Report, 1996
  • Motivator of the Year award, Business Digest, 1999
  • Chancellor’s Medal, University of Massachusetts, 1998
  • Promise of the Earth Award, National Arbor Day Foundation, 1998
  • Oprah’s Angel Network Award, 1999.