Determination

LIKE A DOG WITH A BONE

Determination can be a good thing. It can help us prevail against the odds to reach a goal. It can also motivate us to action and keep us going when others cannot go on. Focussed on the rights tasks, this positive character trait/emotion can be rewarding and bring about success outcomes.

My key characteristics from a child are; High energy, low fear, adventurous and determined. This remains true of my personality characteristics today. These qualities have helped me to rise above certain challenging situations but have also got me into and kept me in tricky situations for longer than should be experienced. I'm currently suffering low energy as a result of my strong determination which has arguably been channelled through other emotions like anger.

A key focus for next year will be on maintaining my strong determination, but will only directed on the tasks that are beneficial to me and all those around me. I've mostly had my energy tied up in having ongoing battles with large corporations and governing bodies this year. These 'battles; have taken a toll on my health and altered my mindset like ingesting a daily dose of poison would likely do to someone.

I have the energy, determination and will to succeed in something good and that's where the drive to achieve should be invested. It's time to let go of these heavy, tough bones, bury them for good and find something worth ploughing my energies into.

The X factor

THE CHOSEN FEW

Catching the finals of the X Factor this weekend, I was surprised to see just how good some of it's contestants have become in a relatively short time frame.

I don't usually watch the show - as I believe it gives too much false hope to these wannabe stars and takes away our focus from the small venues up and down the country where true talent works hard at their craft before being discovered more 'organically'. But whatever our opinion of the show, or what we think of it's creators and their motives - it's still very entertaining to watch and was for me this year, a real eye opener to witness just how good the 17 year old 2015 winner is. 

Seeing these select few performers stand up in front of a crowd of 10,000+ people and sing so confidently alongside long-standing superstars like Rod Stewart, is both heart warming and inspiring. Having the magical stage presence and incredible vocals as well as the ability to pour such heartfelt emotion into a song at such a young age, really is something remarkable.

Is it raw talent? Is it hard work or is it something more than that. Some people just seem to have 'it'. They have something special - but they still need to apply themselves to get recognised for having these qualities. Hearing these budding young stars talk about their dream of being on the stage and having the chance to shine - I feel a little bit sad for them, because the limelight can be a cruel place and maybe they will never fully realise their dream.

The show has a double edge to it. Yes it could be a kind of talent lottery that propels these people to stardom, fame and fortune. But realistically, how much further will it take them? Maybe their focus on being in the show is enough - and they come home knowing they gave it a go, enjoying their brief moment of living in the limelight. Others may come close to the finals before being dropped and that won't be enough for them, leaving them feeling dejected and a failure. The winners may actually already be at their peak on the night and not realise it. Because if we look back at the history of the show's winners since 2004, we can see there's only a few years of success at most. Some of the show winners have gone back to complete obscurity. The only real memorable talent that became a global star, is Leona Lewis. Interesting that she appeared on the weekend's show where I thought she seemed a little below par. Since being dropped by Simon Cowell's record label, she's had a bit of a roller coaster herself coming to terms with the ups and downs of fame and success.

Being in the limelight and having such an intense focus on how one looks, sings, acts and performs is tough. It's no wonder so many fall into depression and addiction. The same can be said for sporting stars too - the pressure to stay at the top and the hurt felt as the lights move to the next 'lucky' soul. This phenomena is not just exclusive to being a celebrity or performer either as many others around us have those special talents and star qualities which are expressed in a multitude of other ways, through their actions and hard work.

Therefore, we really need to have X Factor awards for those who do selfless acts - like looking after the sick, caring for elderly or doing other charitable deeds. As Leona Lewis has seen, having these qualities and using the fame from performance success as a positive vehicle for sharing this compassion with the the fans, will not only guide celebrities to focus on what's really important - but also ensure the light continues to shine on them long after the stage show has come to a close.

Beat The Masses

X FACTOR

Certain individuals seem to have that special quality that makes them stand out from the crowd. They are either born with a natural ability/edge over others or strive passionately for their life's calling. 

These individuals are very rare. In the billions of people on this planet, those that 'make it' are in a very small minority. But what's making it? Maybe it's as a sporting celebrity or an actor. These people have fame and fortune, but they also have the stresses and problems that come from having too much time & money on their hands and the isolation/restrictions of being in the public eye. 

It's nice to have the money, but do we need that much to really have a good time? Can we still appreciate the small things in life when everything can be easily obtained through financial wealth? And for those with so much money, do they worry about losing the money too much or strive to get more rather than enjoy spending it?

Be The Best Of The Rest

Life is hard work. It's enough effort trying to get the work sorted that really needs to get done. Once we factor in family, friends, jobs, colleagues, paying the bills and having enough energy left for keeping everything in order without getting stressed, so we can't enjoy the time that's left remaining. We can see that it's a fine balance which often leaves less time for being really present in the moment to enjoy it all. 

We're constantly striving to keep our heads above water and stay up with the herd. The thing is, something most are not aware of, is that most of the herd are working with just a fraction of their capabilities. They think things are hard, but they are barely trying when compared to some of the grafters at the top. That's because they tend to do just about enough to stay up with the masses.

While we may never have the focus and drive to be in the top 1% of golden 'n' gifted achievers - we needn't try that hard anyway. We can still get the perks. We can still take a share of the cream. We just have to stay ahead of the rest of the herd and that means working just that little bit harder than the majority do.

It's relatively easy as it turns out. We just need to get up a bit earlier, plan a bit sooner, endure a bit longer and aim a bit higher. Most of the herd front runners will be happy in their position. The next rows will be looking at the front for a measure of effort and content to take second or third row. So, there won't be that much competition if we go for something beyond the norm. And that sweet spot between super and average achievers, is arguably where the best pickings are, relatively open, free, just a short distance away from the stampede of the pack and safe distance from the scramble of the elite.  

Critical Thinking

DEALING WITH CRITICISM 

Taking criticism is tough. When you've invested a lot of time and effort into a project and put it out there for the rest of world to enjoy, only to receive criticism. It can hurt when certain individuals appear so determined to destroy everything you've put your heart & soul into producing. Yet this is what happens to even the greatest artists and scholars. 

Everyone is a critic these days. Trip advisor is full of criticism both good and bad. Amazon relies heavily upon it's reviews, as do all the main shopping portals. Even Uber has a rating system for our cab rides. And with Twitter used as a modern day soap box, a virtual pin board of feedback for all to see, we really have no way to opt out from criticism. 

Criticism can be good too. If it's delivered to us in a way that helps us to improve our offering, via constructive feedback, then we can take the necessary steps towards greatness. The problem comes when criticism is thrown out for no apparent reason. And if there's a following bringing momentum to a criticism, others quickly jump on the band wagon. Then the labels can stick. One example I recall where I also joined in the jibes, is from the Spitting Image days. 

Spitting Image was a satirical puppet show which poked jibes at members of government plus famous film, TV and music celebrities too. Celebrities like Phil Collins got a lot of flack. Spitting Image was a funny show, because it made some of the serious government figures like Ronald Reagan (President of the USA) and Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister of the UK), look comical, at the same time as getting across some underlying political message. Some of the MPs like Norman Tebbit were portrayed as a bit of a no-nonsense cool-headed hard-nut, so he actually liked his puppet. This puppet portrayal actually elevated his kudos to a much higher status than he deserved. Phil Collins however, became a bit of an uncool joke at the time. It may have started with Spitting Image, but whatever created this badge of un-coolness, it stuck. 

To be a fan of Phil Collins, you keep it a secret for fear of being labelled uncool. His music topped the charts in the late 80's and early nineties but the emergence of dance music, meant a movement away from Phil's style of music. So, those wishing to be seen as part of the musical revolution, went a long way to distance themselves away from chart pop music. Consequently, he was hounded and ridiculed by the press until eventually, after years of media abuse that affected his record sales (and also to avoid hefty tax payments), he moved to Switzerland and into semi-retirement. 

Fast forward 20 years - I can now appreciate the body of work that Phil co-created in Genesis, and all the chart toppers he wrote/performed in the 80's. The mid to late 80's and early 90's saw a change in popular music, with the emergence of boy bands, chart winning take overs by Stock Aitken & Waterman creating a lot of cheesy pop tunes and this sped up the masses move away from Phil's music genre to a more cool, underground dance music scene. 

A lot of my generation were keen for a music revolution to happen, so Phil was an easy target for rebellion. While Phil's era isn't exactly my preferred style of music now, it holds nostalgic value and I recognise its value much more than I did at the time in the 80's. 

My point here is that we can easily be swayed by others to follow, disassociate or condemn the work or character of those that are putting their neck on the line, so to speak. This is especially true of the youth. In their quest to move on the older generations, they may inadvertently speak harshly of those who are at their peak, to bring about change. This is no help from the media either and there are often commercial interests at the heart of all this. 

It isn't just a revolution in music that we see causing such harsh criticism, it spits venomously from 'budding critics' on IMDB when discussing films and we see humanity is at it's most base on sites like YouTube, where some of the vile jibes are arguably diffused because they are deliberately antagonistic and childish, but still harmful. Wherever the forum, the fact remains, we need to be more decent and constructive in how we feedback. 

These creative, brave & generous souls who choose to bare their souls through their art, acting, writing or singing, need to be recognised more for their contribution, plus appreciated/praised for having the guts, to put their work out in the first place.

If more critics were to take a stance from this point of view, then arguably more of us would pluck up the courage to do what we believe in. Success would be a lot easier to achieve, by avoiding having so much flack from those whose taste is merely different or just too slow to adapt.  

Further Along The Path

BASE CAMP

I'm reminded today of a friend who fondly recounted the story about one of her greatest achievements - trekking to Everest base camp. Base Camp is located in Nepal at an altitude of 5,364m (17,598 ft) and it is where the main ascent to the top of Everest by the mountaineers and sherpas is commenced, all aiming for the glory of being in a select group of those who have reached the top. Base camp is a couple of thousand meters higher than the highest ski-resort in Europe. It's got significantly lower levels of oxygen in the air which inhibits our ability to function well.

At high altitude, the exertion required to take just a few steps, can mean you have to stop every few minutes to catch your breath. My friend was getting just a few steps at a time and having to stop. Some people have complications breathing at altitude and it can be life threatening to continue - so, when breathing became difficult, she was worried that after three long weeks of trekking to get to base camp, she'd have to stop a few hundred meters from reaching her final destination.

Porter Steps
It was not looking good. The group was getting held up and there were concerns about the time, but then she remembered some advice she'd gotten from the sherpas about taking porter steps. These tiny movements forward, although a lot slower to make progress, required far lower levels of exertion and so she was able to keep going without having to stop so many times. Without these big gaps and keeping up a slow, steady pace she actually saved some time, caught up with the others in the group and safely made it to base camp without incident. 

Benchmarks For Success

Starting my yoga course today, I realise just how far I've come along in these last ten months. And apart from the first week and month benchmarks, I've not really had any more markers on my journey to measure progress over the last half of the year.

Today I was shown a marker of my success this year so far. I could clearly see how well I've advanced along this chosen path - how open and aware of my actions, other people's motives, intentions and actions I am and also how I'm being influenced and what I'm being influenced with. I've taken a lot more control over my life by committing to this daily blog.

There's been motivation for learning something new every day, with regular affirmations appearing - that reinforce to me that I'm doing the right thing. Important, rational decisions are constantly being made.

I now set aside my times for fun and times for work plus try to made sure I do not have too much of either without compromising or affecting health and wellbeing. I'm tapping into new positive energy sources and as a result, have been able to do more of the things I like doing without getting ill or feeling guilty for doing any of them. Consciously I have been able to influence positive outcomes and I can regularly witness with my own eyes when these good things fall into place for me - and whenever I need them.

All of these new ideas have been learned, honed and utilised for giving me the power to make a better life path for myself. And all these small incremental steps have already gotten me a long way up the mountain - far higher than I even expected. I realised this fact today after I talked with the yoga gurus about mindfulness, awareness and being at one. I have been giving a lot of time to this level of understanding already, so I feel further along the path of enlightenment and closer to the person I aim to be when reach the top.

Staying ahead of the Curve

BELIEVE IN THE WHY

If we wish to follow the truest path in life, we need to identify the reason why we want to take it. Innovators in business have identified where their products have been successful over their competitors, because they have started from the very heart of why they are doing what they do.

A study about Diffusion of Innovations shows us where the greatest achievers move their products through and past the point in the curve where success is realised. In the following video, Simon Sinek identifies where success comes from the heart and by starting with the question 'Why' we choose to do what we do, we can all be more successful in life.

The Inspiration Net

THE INSPIRATION INDUSTRY

Self help books, websites showing videos of inspirational leaders like WOW Talks and Ted Talks, podcasts, business entrepreneur websites and business gurus offering the killer tips to become a successful leader like they have done...it's all a big industry in itself.

Caught In The Net
It seems everyone wants to become a guru for success these days, as it often brings 'success' in itself. Just look at the sales of self-help books alone. But what is success if it's not money and fame. I'd say working less hours and spending more time with family, friends and loved ones is success. I'd also say doing good for the community by contributing and connecting with others is success and when it's given freely, not really seen as work either.

The inspiration industry is warped, because it's mostly focussed on getting money and fame at it's core, whereas success and happiness is really not about money at all. In fact, I'd say that success is about enriching the soul and therefore any commercial gains become valueless when compared to the appreciation received from someone that's been in need of some love, respect and help.

If we look at success in these terms, everyone who can freely give to others is successful and should be seen as an inspiration. Forget the inspirational talkers as a motivator, we can all be successful and start today through acknowledging that we have the immediate potential right there in our grasp. We can get up on the ladder of success right now purely by donating freely to those who are greater in need than ourselves.

Sports Day

TAKING PART

Watching the 4 year olds compete at their first sports day today, seeing the joy on the parent's faces as their kids crossed the line with their spoon and bean bag, I witnessed first hand how powerful these defining moments are in a child's life. 

So, while it is encouraged to cheer on every child for taking part at these events, it was evidently very difficult to conceal the excitement from the mums and dads as their somewhat bewildered child took the line as a winner and immense relieve certain parents expressed as their child trotted in away from last place. 

Winners

It was a wonderfully amusing and at the same time very human base-level, survival spectacle which will have imprinted something on that child's character that will either give them a solid foundation of self confidence or, if we're not careful, a fear of failure. We put so much importance on winning as it's a survival instinct built in to our genetic makeup. Nowhere more so than the kids sports day, do we see these human traits in their rawest form. But if we remove the competitive element, what do we gain from watching some exercise in the park?

Even if we try and kid ourselves that it's just the taking part, seeing your child take the line and pick up a gold medal in front of all the other class mates, teachers and parents, is a defining moment not only for parents but in that child and every other child's development one way or other - either a mark for already having success, achieving success again or a measure to strive for success in the future.

Alignment To Success

MOVING IN CIRCLES

Being able to associate in and with successful circles lies at the core of personal success. Having positive and influential people in our lives can help us to realise our own potential. Being mis-aligned in and with groups that ultimately want to see failure from us - in order to keep aligned with their own failures and missed opportunities for success, will keep us from ever reaching our goals.

The connections we can make through social media - commenting/contributing to debate and also reaching out to the extended circles in the group plus attending seminars/talks from these visionaries, to further immerse ourselves, will ensure we are closer-aligned with other great, inspirational thinkers. This will help propel us into the limelight, where we become part of the zeitgeist where our life purpose has the potential to be recognised in ourselves and by others as it takes significant form.

Minding Mindsets

FORMING NOT FOLLOWING

We have a set of beliefs that make up who we are and this belief system is our mindset. Born with a clean slate, like a computer, we have been programmed through early contact with our family unit, schooling institutes, peers and life experiences. Essentially, it is this core mindset that permeates through everything we do, affecting the outcome in all our endeavours.

If we can identify these set patterns, that repeat throughout our lives, we can better see those traits which bring either success or failure. With focussed awareness, we can train ourselves to switch over to the right path for attaining wins and when we see repeated failure, replace the wrong mindsets with new positive ones.

This book by Carol Dweek called Mindset: How you can fulfil your potential will enlighten us all to see past the myth that talent is key and focus on the facts that having a winning mindset is the recipe for success.

Doubling Down

BAD BEATS GOOD

Apparently, when we have something bad happen - it takes 2.5 good things to make up for the bad. That is why when gamblers lose on the roulette or blackjack table, they double down to recoup their losses. If, like me, you're trying to get an advantage with day trading, the same rules apply. Hence why a small couple of losses have put my head in the sand.

We are all hard-wired this way. We're afraid of losses and this article covering The Psychology of Loss is really helpful if we're to better understand how to work against our fears in order to make gains and ultimately successes before loss aversion sets in. To overcome loss aversion, we need to take control of our fragile ego and this great article about developing the will to win, can help us take the rights steps.

Peak Time Performance

"

THE RIGHT TIME TO PERFORM

We're on day 23 - just over 3 weeks into the new focus regime for 2015. The discipline has been applied consistently. It's been a steady march on the chosen path. Friday's are always time to reflect on the week, so it's time to evaluate and see if there's been any marked improvements.

Health:

I've been following a fairly low impact exercise routine that includes yoga, pilates and boxing. I cycle to work and back most days a week. I've also introduced a new strength training programme. I can clearly see/feel that the 3-4 times a week yoga & pilates, has improved my movement/flexibility and posture. The cycling, and gym work has helped up my general fitness, strength and stamina levels. In regards to the injuries - my neck has more mobility and my shoulders and right bicep appear to be getting better/stronger. Through diet, I've lost almost a stone in weight! (13lbs or 5.5kilos) and my definition is coming back through. My energy levels are up because I'm sleeping and eating much better and I'm able to cope with stress really well. 

Wealth:

Introducing the dry Jan rule has been an easy way to save money as there's been no money spent on alcohol. The Paleo diet means I've stuck to a very simple diet: eggs, fresh vegetables, lean meat & fish - fairly in-expensive too. Also, having a restrictive diet makes eating out a bit tricky - consequently, there's been little of that either. It's been fresh, home-cooked non-processed simple meals all round. But on the couple of times I have eaten out, the bills have been very low - especially as there's no alcohol in the mix!

I've spent some of my new free time organising my accounts, expenses and tax receipts - which has already saved on accountancy fees. I may also be saving considerably more money with a tax rebate too!

Happiness:

I've found some really great inspiration and info on the Internet - I'm actively learning, improving and creating every day. I feel and look healthier physically and mentally. Creating space for me at the most productive time in the mornings, means I have plenty of time throughout the day to accommodate others' needs. I'm more grateful of what I have and in a better mindset to appreciate the things around me that were taken for granted before. I have a positive outlook every morning and ready for what the day brings. 

Being at your best

Nobody wants to hang around with dull, depressive & negative people. But we do like being around energetic, uplifting, happy and positive people. So, which one are you today? How often are you like this? In your morning 5am comms meetings, take a bit of time to give yourself a daily check - kinda like the pilots do before flying a plane. This is how mine goes:

• How's the body feeling?
• Do I need to stretch?
• Am I rested/do I need more sleep?
• Is my mind clear/focussed?
• What's on the agenda?
• What nutrition do I need?
• Am I ready to take on the day?

According to sleep studies, you're optimum time for being the most productive is from about 7am til about 11am - then it drops to around 3pm when your energy is at it's lowest. So, If you can nap - do it at 3pm but keep it short because your energy goes up again at around 5pm (dropping off at around 9pm). If napping's not an option - this is when we tend to reach for caffeinated drinks and sugar fixes - switch for water and fruit & nuts instead. If you're going to bed earlier, you can change your internal body clock for optimum productive time to start at 5am. This gives you a few hours of quality time on your own to think and create.

I've realised making this extra time has had a massive improvement on my mental wellbeing. I'm one of the uplifting and positive people you'd wanna hang around with again. I believe everyone can benefit from doing this - and particularly introverts (see Meyers Briggs post) and the interesting book Susan Cain has written on the subject of living in a predominantly extroverted world. It can be energy sapping for an introvert if they don't get that time alone. I've found myself hiding from people at work, friends and my beloved girlfriend because I've not had the me-time during the day. If left for longer periods, this has manifested in periods with very low moods and extreme introversion whereby going deep in to my cave for recovery. While looking up the benefits of solitude, I stumbled upon Susan's insightful book which talks about introversion and coping in a predominantly extroverted world. I work in an open-plan office but as we're now able to 'hot-desk', I've managed to move away from distractions and into the designated quiet areas, which has left me in a much better place to produce good work.

I'm sure there's a lot of introverted thinkers out there who, stuck at their desk in an open environment, just don't have the luxury of being able to move to another place to work. Having everyone out in the open is a relatively new phenomenon and something that we need to look at in the workplace if we're going to have a happy, productive team.

For me, working in a creative role, keeping away from distractions and having a place of calm & order is key to ensure I'm at peak performance for longer to produce the best output.

Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

I've taken on board a fair amount of knowledge over the years from reading and listening to advice from those that have achieved success. There's so much out there it seems - especially these days - so much inspiration from 'gurus' to be found on the internet. There's 100's of success stories and many opportunities to see what can be achieved: how greatness can come from humble beginnings etc. There's no excuses why we can't also be winners....but seeing all this info and looking at some of the footage (a bit of envy creeping in here?) of smug winners has almost the opposite effect for me. Having so much of it in your face can give you inspiration overload - there's just so much to take on, it can wear you down.

All About The Journey

The reading/listening to advice/wisdom is the easy part. It's applying the necessary action that's hard. Following in the footsteps of successful others can be easier to do if you take on board the sometimes omitted fact: attaining success can be a long and challenging journey of a 1000 steps. A few small steps can feel insignificant in the grand plans. But if there's a written journal, focussing on what's immediately in front of me, a way to tick off the small victories, there can be marked improvements seen over time. Geoff Thompson has been a real inspiration on this subject. Reading Warrior this morning, I can see it's taken many small steps over the years to attain the experience and wisdom for Geoff to evolve. It's been very hard work - and he makes no bones about it. And that's also what makes it worth doing! Daily assessments: discipline and focus morning and evening, to measure the small successes - following a routine for consistently ticking off the milestones and setting up the tasks for the following days ahead.

Geoff tells us to write down our fears and goals - then use the fears to motivate ourselves and to visualise the goals that help us stay on the right path. Anthony Robbins and other inspirational speakers preach similar strategies for personal growth and success - but, coming from Geoff, to me it feels more 'real' in some way - not preaching but like he's purely relaying learnings gleaned from his first hand experiences and resulting success - applied learning has integrity. His wisdoms back up some of the stuff I already know, give fresh insights and learning for the stuff I haven't yet learned and because he's been doing personal growth for a good 10 years or more longer than I have, he's going to have so much more of that first hand experience that I can learn from. Learning from others will help me get where I need to be so much faster.

Self Mastery Takes Discipline
Taking on something that requires commitment/focus and that is both physically & mentally tough - out of my comfort zone, will give me a sense of achievement and greater strength of character.
I don't want to plagiarise from Geoff by cutting and pasting from his book - you need to read it for yourself! I will get round to thanking him for his wisdom – I'm sure he won't mind me putting this one sentence in here - something fundamentally at the heart of what I've started.
So, here's an excerpt from Geoff's book, Warrior (free to download):

"The power base of the warrior is control of palate: What he eats, drinks, ingests, reads, listens to and is influenced by. This is the start."

Self mastery. I hear it spoken in the mantra by the teacher at the end of my yoga classes. I know this to be truth. I can already see and feel the results since starting the new year. Through my diet and exercise routine, I've lost 7lb (half a stone) or roughly 3.5k in just a week! From Tuesday I'll be stepping up the routine to include a weekly early morning boxing training session and working on a strength and stability routine for my injured shoulders to compliment the yoga and pilates sessions.

I'm really looking forward to the week ahead!