MARK VICTOR HANSEN ~ An Encounter

I first met Mark Victor Hansen in 1979 when he came to the Community Church by the Bay in Costa Mesa, CA. Dr. William R. "Cherry" Parker was the minister and everyone called him "Cherry"--a nickname given to him in his earlier years due to his red hair. During his tenure as a professor at the Redlands University in Redlands, CA and a practicing psychologist, he co-authored the best selling book Prayer Can Change Your Life. He later became an ordained minister in Divine Science.

Cherry had a large following in his church, which met in a theater on Sundays and usually packed to the overflowing. Cherry enjoyed giving many unknown people an opportunity to speak and Mark Victor Hansen was one of his speakers.

I remember Mark bounding on the stage filled with enthusiasm and energy. He told us his story. As I recall, he had been a self-made millionaire at age 25 in New York City from investments in the stock market. He said that he walked into his office one morning a millionaire and when he walked out, he was penniless. The market he invested in crashed. He was devastated at the time and made a pledge to himself that he would become a millionaire again.

I really don't remember too many details, but when he came to the Costa Mesa/Newport Beach area he was on his way to becoming a motivational speaker. He self-published his first books and sold them out of the trunk of his car.

One evening I was having dinner at Cherry's house in Costa Mesa and Mark was a guest. I remember him telling Cherry that he wanted to buy Cherry's house. Cherry liked his house and said it was not for sale. Mark focused on buying the house and a few months later Cherry sold it to him. Mark would not take no for an answer. He had developed a tremendous powerful ability to focus on what he wanted.

Mark joined the Huntington Beach Church of Religious Science and met his wife Patty and after a courtship, they married and have two girls—now young women. Perhaps it was four or five years after his first talk at Cherry's church that Mark gave back to Cherry. Dr.Parker was establishing the Parker Holistic Center and needed to raise money. I was the program director and I asked Mark if he would help out. Mark came and gave a presentation--for free. Mark was always a giver and he had a dream that has manifested today. He knew what he wanted and went after it. It has been a pleasure to keep up with Mark's career and to see it become what it is today.

Some will say he has done it with positive thinking. I would not call it positive thinking because for every positive there is a negative. I would say he has developed affirmative thinking to a fine art. I remember speaking recently with someone who has known Mark and she said something I thought most interesting. The gist of the remark was that Mark never actually wrote a book himself—instead he accumulated the stories of common people and turned them into the best-sellers Chicken Soup series.

It has been so long ago that I do not remember if the books Mark self-published and sold from the trunk of his car were not actually written by him. I think that he did write them in the very early days.

What would be the key to his success? Perhaps it would be that he had a dream and he had the power of focus. He never gave up. I also think he had a plan or he mapped out his intentions. Doubt and fear along with lethargy were foreign to him it would seem. Since Mark and I crossed paths twenty-eight years ago, I have developed my own dream.

I placed my dream of writing on hold for many years and there are no regrets because I have gained wisdom. I do understand the power of affirmative thinking and I understand the necessity of letting go of regrets, guilt, doubt and fears. It takes will to pursue one's dream.

I have my list of steps to take to bring to me what I want. I do not try to figure out how it will come to me. I also in my list write as if I already have it. As an example, I write, "I have always been an international acclaimed author." I am a self-published author of Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls, an Independent Book Publisher Award Winner 2006. I entered the contest and then I forgot about it. When the notification came, I was ecstatic! One part of my dream had manifested.

With the second edition of my book released, the Macro Edizoni Publishers of Italy approached me and my book is translated into Italian. Next, a German publisher approached me and my book now translated into German and on sale in Europe.

This year I entered the Writers Digest 15th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards contest. No—I was not named a winner, however the Commentary Sheet I received from the Judge was greater than I could have expected. My book received a high five in all categories and the Judge's review of the book and the commentary on my writing ability is available to read on my blog, www.magdalenescrolls.blogspot.com.

I am experiencing great things because I have let go of doubt, fear and I have confidence in my abilities to write. Mark Victor Hansen has been an inspiration and I honor him for all that he gives to other people and organizations. He is on the world stage because he pursued his dream. I have learned that the more I give, the more I get back. What is my next step? The sequel, Mary Magdalene, Her Legacy release date is January 2008 and then onward into the future.