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Success Advice

The Formula That Puts You In Control Of Success

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Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul, often tells audiences the story of how his book came to be. He and co-author Mark Hansen were motivational speakers when they came up with the idea for an inspirational book. It would tell real stories about real people, many of them from their audiences.

Canfield says he wrote every night from 10 pm until about 1 am for about a year to get the book finished. Then, he came up with a title that, in his own words, “gave me goosebumps.” He was certain it would be a huge hit immediately. After rejection from 144 publishers in a little over a year, they finally found a small publisher in Florida.  The empire that was built from that one little book has been stunning.

Canfield’s success theory

According to Canfield, he lives by one principle only, and that principle has been the cause of his success. The principle is that we have to accept 100% responsibility for all that happens to us in life. In accepting that responsibility, we control our thoughts, behaviors and actions and our responses to everything that is going on around us that we cannot control.

Success theory in practice

The equation that Canfield lives by is E+R =O. Here is how it works.

E = events. Take a look at the world around you. There is certainly plenty to be worried and anxious about. Wages are not going up, and the economy seems stuck. There is a mess in the Middle East that is impacting the whole world. There are events going on in your workplace that are negative. You personally cannot control those things; you can only control your responses to them. And that’s where the “R” comes in.

R = responses. There are 3 responses that we have to events. We respond with thoughts, images that we place in our minds, and behaviors. These tend to be negative when we focus on the events we cannot control. We worry, we fear, we visualize bad outcomes, and we talk about these fears and worries with others. When we do this, the events control us. If, on the other hand, we change those responses from negative to at least neutral, the events no longer control us. And this results in the “O,” or outcomes.

O = outcomes. When our responses change, we can then visualize different outcomes. We can see what it is we want to happen rather than what those events are saying will happen.

“There is no right reaction. There is only your reaction.”  – Jack Canfield

How to use the canfield theory of success

The most important element of this success equation is to shut out the events you cannot control and then to identify your life’s purpose. If you start with knowledge of your purpose, then the only events that will consume you are those that you choose to cause – the actions you take that will get your closer to your purpose (goal).

Here are the 5 steps:
  1. Finding your purpose is actually pretty easy. What are you passionate about? You may have strayed from that passion because of outside events (e.g., taking a job you don’t like for the security of a paycheck in a bad economy). But until you align yourself with your purpose, events will continue to control you.
  2. Set goals that align with your purpose. Do you want to be a writer? Then set a goal to be one.
  3. Visualize the outcome. See yourself as a writer, a teacher, a lawyer, or whatever it is that you know is your purpose.
  4. Take action toward that purpose fulfillment. Will there be hard work involved? Of course. But you can  develop the habit of creating the events that will fulfill that purpose in small steps. You are building the foundation, bit by bit. Every day, create 5 events that will take you closer to your goal. Make a list of those 5 actions (events) and put it in a visible place, checking each one off as it occurs. Every day that foundation gets a little bigger, because you have created 5 more events.
  5. Keep visualizing your outcome so that your optimism grows.

Success is not a chance event

Success can only be defined as fulfilling your purpose in life, as engaging yourself in that work about which you have passion. If success were only about money, then we could say that someone who wins the lottery is a success. Given that 95% of those winners are broke within 5 years of their wins, however, would tell us otherwise. All of that money without any thought to one’s life purpose is just a chance event that does not bring success.

“Slow down and take the time to really see. Take a moment to see what is going on around you right now, right where you are. You may be missing something wonderful.” ― Jeffrey Michael Thomas

We have to define success correctly, find our life purpose, create our own events that fulfill that purpose, and then fully enjoy the outcomes that we have visualized for ourselves. This is a life well lived.

Are you in control of your success? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!

Daniela McVicker is a passionate digital marketer. Daniela is interested in everything related to SEO and blogging. She is a contributor to Essay Guard and other websites where she shares her experience and helps marketers make their name in the online world.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

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