Don't get out of your comfort zone, get into your adventure zone

We've had a busy start to the year. Lots of work but plenty of play too. We went skiing as a family for the first time (a day trip to Glenshee), my eldest son entered his first diving competition and my youngest son jumped into water out of his depth for the first time, in preparation for diving lessons. I have also spoken at several events (not new but I still need to push myself!). What these all have in common, is that they were in our "adventure zone", which is the theme of this post.

Quick Quote

"When you're safe at home you wish you were having an adventure; when you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home." ~ Thornton Wilder

Get into your adventure zone

Would you like a change? Some people are more inclined to take action to move away from something they don't like and other people are motivated by moving towards their goals. Whichever you are, getting out of your comfort zone is a well-worn phrase which doesn't sound particularly attractive. It is moving away from something, but most of us quite like our comfort zone! "Get into your adventure zone" is more positive, exciting and attractive. I would like to challenge you to:

• Get into your adventure zone at least once a week (stretch target once a day!)
• Think ahead of time what your adventure will be, look for opportunities or, if you prefer, do something spontaneous
• It doesn't have to be parachuting out of a plane (although it is a fantastic adventure!). For some people it might just be having a different sandwich for lunch or going to a different cafe/restaurant. Why not try a new exercise class or hobby, talk to someone you haven't spoken to before or wear a different colour or style to your usual attire?

If you would like to share your adventures (large or small) I would love to hear about them below.

Will it make your boat go faster?

I had an inspiring weekend last weekend. I went on a training day, the highlight of which was a talk by Ben Hunt-Davis. He won an Olympic gold medal in Sydney in the rowing eight. He told his incredible story and I would like to share the three main lessons I took away.

Quick Quote
"One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks."  ~ Jack Penn

Suggestions on how to make progress

1. Will it make the boat go faster? This was obviously a literal statement for Ben, but for many of us, it can be a great metaphor for "does it move us closer to our goal?". If you ask this question before any decision on how you're spending your time, it is a powerful way to move towards your goals. For example:

• ​Is is a good idea to click on this internet link? Will it make the boat go faster? Be honest. Are you just getting distracted or procrastinating?
• I haven't got time for yoga today. Will it make the boat go faster? Yes, it probably will. It is unlikely to contribute directly to your goal but if you don't nurture yourself you are likely to hinder any goal. Interestingly, in 2000, the boat team trained less hard than they had before previously unsuccessful competitions, so remember to pace yourself.

2. Never give up. Ben had lost every major competition for the first seven years he was in the GB team. Would you have given up? The key was that he changed his approach, tried new things and carried on.
3. Work as a team. – The ethos of the team was trust and honesty. If feedback needed to be given (or taken), however hard, it was on the understanding that it would make the boat go faster. Communication was key. Is there someone you need to communicate better with?

If you have any suggestions or success stories, please share them below.

Receive Team GB support

The question is..."is it all in your mind"?

I have had an amazing summer! I was privileged to go to several events at the Olympics. As I am sure you heard, the atmosphere was amazing. This had a major impact on the athletes resulting in a record number of British winning medals. It is this phenomenon which I would like to explore today:

It brought home to me the power of our minds. Arguably the difference between our athletes in Beijing and in London was not significant physically. The fundamental difference was the support. The support had a huge positive impact just by influencing their minds.

How can we utilise the incredible power of our minds on a daily basis to perform higher than we are currently achieving, through support?

Quick Quote
"What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds" ~ Wayne Dyer

Find your Team GB supporters

Support comes in many guises and although most of us won't be lucky enough to enjoy thousands of people chanting our name in encouragement, here are some great ways to ensure you have the support you deserve:

1. Family - For the luckiest amongst us we are able to receive and provide unconditional love and support to/from our family. Lead by example and offer encouragement daily.
2. Friends – Cherish your friends, be their "Team GB" and surround yourself with people who happily boost and encourage you.
3. Coaches – You will receive support and encouragement from a coach and increase your self-belief. For example, people who work with me, without necessarily improving their natural ability, increase their confidence, strive for more and achieve greater results.

In my experience, a coach has a similar impact to a cheering crowd (albeit not so loud!). If you would like to benefit from this, please ring me on 07764 235394 to discuss how I can help you.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the incredible power of the mind, support and the Olympics at so please leave your comments below:

PS There are other ways to boost our minds but I am leaving those techniques for another time.

Determination is key...keep running...

I can’t wait for the Olympics to start and we are lucky enough to have tickets to a couple of events. The Olympians who are taking part are amazing, not so much because of their natural ability, more for their dedication. Most people are born with much innate ability. Only a few reach their full potential. My passion is helping people reach their potential given their current position (it’s too late for many of us to reach the Olympic stage!) and to achieve their own dreams however large or small. For me it is not about gaining Olympic gold, but about achieving the most you can. In this newsletter I am going to talk about dedication – determination and perseverance. What can we learn from these elite athletes?

This 3 minute video is inspiring (made me cry!): Click here. Let me know what you think by commenting below.


Quick Quote
"The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running." ~ Author unknown
in reference to Ecclesiastes 9:11, "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."


Never give up

​1.       Be clear on why you are aiming for your goal – a strong “why” will keep you motivated when the going gets tough
2.       Surround yourself with people who believe in you and stay away from doubters and nay-sayers
3.       Make some progress every day whilst understanding that everyone has set-backs and that the path is unlikely to be smooth
4.       Don’t break the chain – print off a wall chart with the days of the year on and mark off every day when you make a step, however small, towards your goal. Aim to build a very long chain without breaking it.
5.       Reward yourself for your achievements – time with a friend, relaxation time. And be kind to yourself by acknowledging every effort you make however small.

If you have any suggestions or stories, please share them

Happiness Pig

Just a bit of happiness sharing - 4 minutes long. Enjoy

A story about how your perception can change your version of reality

One day a rich father took his son on a trip to the countryside with the sole aim of showing him how poor people can be.

They spent a day and a night at the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"Very good Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yes I did Dad!"

"What did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a river that flows all the way to the sea. We have imported lamps in the garden; they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front garden, they have a whole horizon."

When the little boy was describing what he saw, his father was speechless.

His son continued, "Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are!"
Isn't it true that it all depends on the way you look at things?

The moral of this story is: If you have love, friends, family, health, good humour and a positive attitude towards life, you've got everything. You can't buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc... but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing.