The Success Principles

Author Jack Canfield presents a guide of 64 principles for achieving success, which he defines as a combination of professional accomplishment and personal fulfillment. He asserts that these principles are timeless and have been used by successful people throughout history. Canfield shares his own story, describing his average upbringing and early career as a high school teacher before becoming a multimillionaire and co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

Canfield’s transformation began under the mentorship of W. Clement Stone, a self-made millionaire who taught him the foundational concepts of success. Canfield states that he has distilled the book’s principles from decades of study, interviews, and teaching, and asserts that they will work for anyone who applies them with discipline.

The book is organized into six parts that guide the reader from establishing a foundation for success to mastering specific areas of life. The first part, “The Fundamentals of Success,” begins with the core principle of taking 100% responsibility for one’s life. Canfield introduces the formula E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome), arguing that while events are often uncontrollable, one’s response to them determines the outcome. This requires giving up all blame and excuses. The next steps are to gain clarity on one’s life purpose, decide exactly what one wants, and develop an unwavering belief that achieving it is possible.

Canfield introduces the concept of being an “inverse paranoid,” someone who believes the world is plotting to do them good, thereby seeing opportunities in every challenge. He then details the mechanics of effective goal-setting, emphasizing that goals must be specific, measurable, and have a deadline. Large goals should be broken down into small, manageable steps, a process he calls “chunking.”

Continuing with the fundamentals, Canfield advises that “success leaves clues,” meaning one should seek out mentors and resources from those who have already achieved similar goals. A crucial step is to “release the brakes,” which involves identifying and letting go of limiting beliefs and negative self-images that hold one back. This is reinforced through visualization and “acting as if” one has already achieved their goals, which programs the subconscious mind for success. Canfield stresses that the universe rewards action, urging readers to adopt a “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach, reversing the traditional sequence to emphasize action over waiting for perfection. This requires a willingness to “feel the fear and do it anyway,” to pay the price through discipline and sacrifice, and to ask for what is needed without fear of rejection. When faced with a “no,” one must learn to “reject rejection.”

The final fundamental principles focus on maintaining momentum. Canfield explains the importance of using all feedback, both positive and negative, as information for course correction. He advocates for a commitment to kaizen, the Japanese business principle of pursuing collective, constant, and never-ending improvement, and tracking progress to stay motivated. He then identifies persistence as a key quality of all high achievers. To translate that persistence into tangible progress, he introduces the “Rule of 5,” which involves taking five specific actions every day toward a goal. Part 1 concludes by urging readers to always exceed expectations, as going the extra mile is what separates the good from the great.

Part 2, “Transform Yourself for Success,” shifts to the internal work required for achievement. Canfield advises readers to surround themselves with successful, positive people and to drop out of the “Ain’t It Awful” club of complainers. To build confidence, one must acknowledge their positive past by creating a “Victory Log” of successes. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive focus, especially during the last 45 minutes of the day before sleep, when the subconscious is most receptive.

The section also covers the need to address unresolved issues and physical clutter, which drain mental energy, and then continues with the principle of completing the past to embrace the future, which involves releasing old hurts and resentments through forgiveness. Readers are urged to face what is not working in their lives, to confront uncomfortable realities. Change is presented as an inevitable force that should be embraced as an opportunity for growth.

Canfield provides techniques to transform one’s “inner critic” into a supportive “inner coach” by challenging Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs). He offers a process for transcending limiting beliefs and developing four new success habits per year. The final principles in this section focus on the importance of lifelong learning, staying motivated by listening to audio programs from masters, and fueling all efforts with passion and enthusiasm.

The third part, “Build Your Success Team,” focuses on leveraging the help of others. Canfield advises readers to identify their “core genius” and delegate all other tasks. He introduces Dan Sullivan’s “Entrepreneurial Time System,” which organizes time into days dedicated to core genius work, preparation, and rejuvenation. Building a powerful support team of personal advisors, mentors, and coaches is also essential. To protect one’s time and focus, it is critical to learn to say “no” to distractions and low-priority requests, including saying no to merely “good” opportunities to make room for “great” ones. The section concludes with a detailed explanation of how to form and run a “mastermind group,” a small circle of peers who meet regularly for mutual support and brainstorming, and recommends using meditation and other practices to access one’s intuition.

Part 4, “Create Successful Relationships,” outlines principles for effective communication. These include active listening, using structured conversations to safely express emotions, and learning to quickly foster honesty. Canfield stresses the importance of speaking with impeccability, which means avoiding gossip and using words that uplift and empower. He also advises against making assumptions, instead urging readers to live with high standards of integrity and grace.

In Part 5, “Success and Money,” Canfield applies the principles to financial achievement. He begins with the need to develop a positive “money consciousness” by identifying and replacing limiting beliefs about wealth. To get what you focus on, you must decide to be wealthy, define specific financial goals, and understand wealth in a balanced way that includes human, intellectual, and civic assets in addition to financial ones. A key principle is to automatically save and invest at least 10% of your income, harnessing the power of compound interest. Readers are also taught to become more conscious of expenditures and getting out of debt. Rather than just cutting back, Canfield encourages readers to find ways to make more money by providing greater value, finding a need and filling it, or creating multiple streams of income.

The final part, “Success Starts Now,” is a call to action. It emphasizes that there is no perfect time to begin; unforeseen opportunities, or “precessional effects,” will arise from the simple act of moving forward. The book’s final principle centers on reciprocity, empowering others to empower oneself. Canfield encourages readers to teach the principles to their families, colleagues, and communities, arguing that teaching is the best way to master the material and that helping others succeed is the ultimate path to one’s own success.