As the co-founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul empire, Jack Canfield believes that emotional wellness and material success are deeply intertwined. In THE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES, Canfield spends more time selling the benefits of introspection than the productivity tips that are commonly found in self-improvement books.
One of Canfield’s most interesting claims is that everyone has deeply held beliefs about money that are rooted in their childhood experience.
Canfield’s not talking about advice from your accountant, which appeals to the logical side of your brain. He’s referring to beliefs that reside deep down in the subconscious, often inspired by the child-parent relationship. For example, a kid who grew up wealthy but felt neglected may secretly harbor the belief that money is the source of emotional suffering.
These beliefs can damage our financial health in surprising and complicated ways. The antidote is awareness: surfacing the problematic idea so that it rises to the level of conscious awareness, where it can then be resolved.
For more advice at the intersection of psychology and business, check out our Instaread on THE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES.
