We are very excited to be able to share this interview we did with Chris Cannon. Chris is the author of The Mystery of Manhood which can be purchased on Amazon.com.
Fatherville: Hello Chris, please tell our readers what motivated you to write The Mystery of Manhood
Chris Cannon: The pain from my own life and the pain I’ve witnessed from the lives of men nationally that I know, motivated me to write The Mystery of Manhood. Over several years and many conversations and experiences, I’ve learned strategies and discovered the solutions to problems that men face daily, but rarely talk about. I wanted to make it available to men in book format so they can feel safe, secure, and a since of freedom while having “The Mystery of Manhood” revealed.
FV: Tell us why you have a heart for fathers and manhood in general?
CC: I believe the thing that brings you pain is the thing that you become most passionate about over time. Based on my father only being 15yrs when I was conceived and understanding the importance of a fathers presence, it’s become something that I’ve decided to invest my life in.
FV: What is the Manhood Model all about? Who is the intended audience?
CC: The Manhood Model is a nonjudgmental, secure, and safe place where men can come and get answers to the many questions they have and have had over the years. It’s a coaching program that derived from years of research and experience related to men being more confident, clear, more effective leaders, and understanding their true purpose in life. The intended audience is fathers with sons and men who seek to live their higher purpose in life.
FV: Other than your own book what are some of your favorite books for men to read? Tell us what is on your reading list.
CC: The Power of Focus is a really good book. I also like a book titled The Success Principle. My current reading list consist of Blue Ocean Strategy, The Charge, Outwitting The Devil, Long Story Short (for business), and Relationship Breakthrough.
FV: What in your opinion are some of the biggest challenges fathers face today when it comes to raising sons and/or daughters?
CC: One of the biggest challenges fathers face today is competing with social media and technology, depend on the age of their children. As fathers, we want to protect our children and keep them safe and many of us understand that social media can be very dangerous for our children. With so much pressure to be on social media, it’s easy for fathers to be viewed as unfair, insensitive, mean, and a hinderance to the social life of their children. This can be a major distraction in strengthening the connection in the relationship with them and their child. However, finding that balance of protecting them and allowing them to have certain social access can be very difficult.
I think another challenge fathers face is no longer being the gatekeeper for their son or daughter. Years ago, fathers would protect their children by discerning who’s good and who isn’t best for their children to be around based on who called their home. With so many young people having cell phones, the gatekeeper is bypassed altogether and certain protections are no longer provided by fathers. This isn’t to say that we as fathers can’t raise our children to recognize good from bad influences. It’s just a reality that some things we as fathers pick up on, young people sometimes don’t, until it’s too late.
FV: Growing up–who were your childhood heroes?
CC: My childhood hero was my High School Basketball coach for so many reasons. He actually wrote a chapter in my newest book, which was an honor!
FV: Who are your heroes today?
CC: My heroes are people that make this world a better place everyday, some of which we will never see or know by name. Many of the hard working fathers that commit to being the best they can be for their children fit into this category. Heroes from my perspective today, aren’t celebrities, movies stars, people that help me directly, or people who get recognized by and from the world. Heroes are people that do what’s best for others from a universal perspective, even if they benefit the least. They sacrifice what’s good for what’s best and they find joy and satisfaction in making the lives of others better. I can go on about this for days, but todays fathers are the modern day heroes in my opinion, because without them you have chaos, crime, no hope, hurt, identity crises, and so many other ills that plague this world as a result of fathers not being absent.
FV: Chris, what would you say are your biggest accomplishments to date? What are you most proud of?
CC: My biggest accomplishments to date is my marriage and the ability to model to my children what a happy and healthy marriage looks like. I’m most proud of my marriage, because regardless to what’s going on in my life or what challenges I might face, I can always find comfort and peace within my marriage and what my wife and I share.
FV: Tell us a little bit more about yourself. Your passions, hobbies, and goals for the future.
CC: I really find fulfillment in helping people live to their full potential and experience their higher purpose in life. My life was almost taken and I’ve decided to never live another ordinary day ever again, which includes dedicating my life to enhancing the lives of others. I love writing unexpected letters to people, some of which I don’t know personally, but understand their need to be appreciated for who they are and what they might have done. I love talking to fathers because it gives me an opportunity to share things I’ve learned and also learn something from them in the process. I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends. Future goals that I currently have consist of creating an online community centered around helping people to become more confident in every area of life (parenting, career, relationships, entrepreneurship, spiritual, physical, etc). I’ll also have live events nationwide as well to serve those who prefer the physical environment. After giving my newest book (“The Mystery of Manhood”) the attention and energy it deserves, I’ll begin working on the confidence book to compliment the online and live events.
For more information about Chris and his book check out the following resources:
- The Manhood Model
- Twitter at @ManhoodModel