Mark and Crystal Hansen; More Than Just Chicken Soup for the Soul

You may not know it, but Mark and Crystal Hansen are probably a major part of your childhood. Visionaries and authors in their own right, Mark was the co creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series,  and they both co wrote their newest book, ASK! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny. The Hansens are responsible for making millions of people feel more worthy and capable.

Speaking with Steve Sims for The Art of Making Things Happen podcast, the Hansens talked about setting lofty goals. Says Mark, “We sold a million and a half [books] in a year and a half, then 5 million to 10 million a year, and then 15 million a year, and now we’ve sold a half billion books. And the goal is, of course, to sell a billion books ‘cause no one’s done it.”

If you think this intimidates the Hansens, you’d be wrong. “We believe that the universe conspires to help those who have the courage, the guts, the gusto, the boldness to ask,” says Mark. Not everybody may be so bold, but the Hansens want to teach you to get there.

It may just be Crystal’s background in neuroscience, epigenetics, and quantum physics that helps her and Mark be so ambitious. She explains, “Whatever you think you are, you don’t have to be if you don’t like it. Because there’s so much plasticity in our brains. And most of what we’re expressing today is what has happened in our past… If we’re able to tap into what I call our… past programming and look at it at the hundred thousand foot level and say, ‘What do I want? What do I like? What do I not like? What do I want to let go of?’…  Finally [you will arrive] at the place where you get to decide deliberately who and what you’re going to be.”

Achieving that is all about learning to face and release your demons. “In our childhoods, in our lifetimes, we get rejection, we get put down. Maybe we had crappy parents, maybe things didn’t work out for us, but we’re carrying that at the subconscious level. Whether we know it or not,” says Crystal.

The answer? Forgiveness. Crystal explains, “You can either carry that forward and take [the people who hurt you’s] heavy burdens with you, or you can forgive them and understand and actually start to feel compassion for them.”

When you think of if that way, everybody has the potential to shine. At least, that’s how Crystal sees it. “That’s what I love to do,” says Crystal. “ I see people as these shining perfect human beings. It’s just, we gotta clean the mud off, dig the dirt out and all of that messy thinking, shine them up so they can be everything they were meant to be.”

If you don’t feel like you’re quite there yet, the Hansens have a three-step system to help you out. “We say there are three parts to asking; three channels through which we all need to start practicing. And that is: ask yourself, ask others, and ask God… There are three critical phases to that ask yourself part. That is, where am I now? … Where do I want to be? …  And what are the steps I need to take to get there?… When you start asking yourself these questions, clarity comes, illuminations come, a solution starts to come to you, but then you need to act on them,” explains Crystal.

If you need help acting on all of these insights, the Hansens believe you’d better ask for it, however uncomfortable it may feel. Says Crystal, “We need to just step on our fear and crush it with some courage and get out there and start asking. And, sure, people are going to say no, you’ll get some rejection, but remember, it’s not about you. It’s about where they’re at at that particular time. But for the most part, your odds are pretty good. If you start asking, [the odds are] really good, actually 80%, you’re going to find some answers. You’re going to get some direction. You’re going to find exactly what you need.”

Why not try it? It may just change your life.

Mark Victor Hansen

Mark is widely known as an American inspirational and motivational speaker, trainer, author, serial entrepreneur, and member of multiple board of directors. He is best known as the founder and co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, with more than 500 million books sold.

In the area of human potential, no one is better known and more respected than Mark Victor Hansen. For more than 44 years, he has focused solely on helping people and organizations reshape their personal vision of what’s possible. His powerful messages of possibility, opportunity, and action have helped create startling and powerful change in thousands of organizations and millions of individuals worldwide.

With his open, honest, endearing charismatic style, Mark captures his audience’s attention as well as their hearts. With his one-of-a-kind technique and masterful story-telling ability, he is one of the most dynamic and compelling speakers of our time.

You may know Mark as “that Chicken Soup for the Soul guy.” Mark and his business partner, Jack Canfield, created what TIME magazine called, “the publishing phenomenon of the decade.” With more than 500 million CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL books sold around the world, and over 100 licensed products in the marketplace, it is one of the most successful publishing franchises in the world today.

The Chicken Soup idea was just one of many that have propelled Mark into the worldwide spotlight as a sought-after keynote speaker, best-selling author, futurist, business leader, and marketing maven. ASK! THE BRIDGE FROM YOUR DREAMS TO YOUR DESTINY and YOU HAVE A BOOK IN YOU! Mark believes it again has lightening in a bottle and it will outsell even the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. The author of many books such as ONE MINUTE MILLIONAIRE, CRACKING THE MILLIONAIRE CODE, CASH IN A FLASH, THE RICHEST KIDS IN AMERICA, HOW TO MAKE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE, THE MASTER MOTIVATOR, THE POWER OF FOCUS, THE ALADDIN FACTOR, DARE TO WIN, THE MIRACLE OF TITHING and others, Mark Victor Hansen has an extensive library of audio programs, video programs, and enriching articles in the areas of “big thinking”, sales performance, marketing, publishing, and personal and professional development.

Crystal Dwyer Hansen

Crystal Dwyer Hansen is an international speaker, researcher, corporate consultant, author, and entrepreneur.  Her expertise is in the field of human potential. Through her years spent as a Transformational Life Coach, and Wellness/Nutrition Expert, she has seen people experience profound and lasting transformation in relationships, career, health & wellness, by tapping into their own inner resources.  Having personally guided people from seemingly impossible states of depression, anxiety, and hopelessness—to triumph, freedom, and happiness, is what drives Crystal’s conviction that all people have unlimited potential for greatness if they only understand how to access those resources.

Crystal’s research in the fields of neuroscience, epigenetics, and quantum physics provides the scientific knowledge she uses to help people use their minds proactively and evolve their consciousness to move themselves out of misery and into a fulfilled and happy life.

Crystal’s personal coaching, speaking, CD and video programs, books, and articles have helped people all over the world. She is a Member of the International Coaching Federation, a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, the founder of Crystal Vision Life, Ltd, (crystalvisionlife.com) and Skinny Life™ a wellness company (skinnylife.com).  Her book Skinny Life- The Secret to Being Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually Fit, is available Barnes & Noble.com and Amazon.com.   She travels the world with her husband, best-selling author and entrepreneur Mark Victor Hansen, speaking, inspiring, and teaching leadership. Crystal and Mark are releasing a new co-written book called ASK! The Bridge from Your Dreams to Your Destiny in Spring of 2020. They are both passionate about the health of our planet and the need to create comprehensively sustainable energy and water solutions. Together they are owners of Natural Power Concepts, a Hawaii based company focused on cleaning up the planet through natural energy devices.  They live happily in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona.