Plan Your Year and Change Your Life

So, how did your year go?

What happened to those New Year Resolutions?

New Year's Resolutions are a great way to set your intent for a positive, fulfilling year of growth and accomplishment. But, on the other hand, when the year ends, if you haven't completely fulfilled your resolutions, it can be frustrating.

This usually happens because New Year's resolutions are often too vague, and don't include practical steps that lead to a clearly defined goal.

So today, by all means, look at your usual big-picture resolutions. But, in addition, I'm going to suggest you make some sub-resolutions. Especially if your New Year Resolutions haven't...how shall we say...kicked in yet...especially this late in the year ;-)

Each of these sub-resolutions is designed to give you a long-term benefit (some of them even for a lifetime) with a minimum amount of time and effort. In fact, each of these sub-resolutions can be completed in anything from a few minutes to, at the very most, a few hours. And they're all either free or very cheap .For most of you, many of these items fall into the category of things you've "been meaning to do." Since chances are that you have already accomplished at least a few of the items on the list below, there's no reason why you can't take half a day this week and get at least six more of the items below done.

So, in the interest of the betterment of your future, the management of your life, and the fresh start of a new year that hasn't happened yet, here are

12 THINGS YOU CAN DO IN ONE DAY TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE (You could tick off ONE of these a month in the coming year if you wish but the sooner you do them the better!)

1. Register your full name as a web domain if you haven't yet. You never know when you're going to want your personal website. If www.[yourname].com is already taken, don't worry - there are alternatives. For example, who owns jamesjoyce.com? Answer: A bar in Dublin beat the author's estate to it. But there are always other options, like hyphenating the name and getting james-joyce.net or james-joyce.org (check those sites now if you'd like), or choosing less common TLDs (or end letters) like .ws or .me.

For more information, homestead.com is a great site to register and design your own website.

2. Call your cell/mobile phone provider. Ask if you can get a better calling plan based on your usage. This way you can afford to do the next item on this list.

3. Subscribe to a newspaper or magazine. Choose a topic that you don't know about - be it politics, fashion, culture, or technology- and sign up for the best periodical covering that topic. Rather than choosing the most popular magazine, select one that offers the most in-depth and interesting coverage, like Wired for technology or Foreign Affairs for politics or Mental Floss for culture. Yes, you could read it all online, but it's great to have a physical magazine to read when you're on the subway or on an aeroplane or waiting in line somewhere.

4. Get a passport if you don't have one. If yours has expired, get it renewed now. You never know when that great travel opportunity is going to occur, and you don't want to get stuck at home while your friends are at some great concert at the Acropolis in Greece.

5. Back it up. Most people don't take the time to do this, and regret it later. So copy your entire hard drive onto an external drive or USB stick immediately; if possible, download a program like Acronis True Image that will simplify the restoring process and regularly make backups (or for Mac owners, start using Time Machine or SuperDuper). Also backup your mobile phone, PDA, and any other personal-information-storing device.

6. While you're at it, make photocopies of your credit cards, passport, drivers license, birth certificate, and other important papers. If you keep a journal or anything similarly irreplaceable, photocopy that. Keep these in a safe deposit box, parent's house, locked file cabinet, or any other secure location, preferably outside your own house. They'll be invaluable in the event of theft, loss, fire, or any other unplanned incident.

7. Look through your refrigerator and cabinets. Read the labels on the food. Stop buying anything high in saturated fats, trans fats,cholesterol, and sodium. And start shopping healthier today.

8. Get business cards. Don't have a business? It doesn't matter. Sites like vistaprint.com will send you 250 free ones (though there's a shipping fee of under £6). Never hurts to look professional

9. Learn while you work: I'm often asked what books I found the most useful for learning Sales, NLP and Business. I will be posting my recommendations soon.

10. This is not for everyone, but some of you--and you know who you are--definitely need to do this: Throw out all your socks. Every last one. Now go buy new pairs that actually match and don't have holes in them. You'll feel like a new man. Remember, get black socks. White socks are for athletic activities only. I don't want to catch any of you guys here wearing white socks in the boardroom! ADMISSION! Ok, I admit it.  I ALWAYS wear purple socks...but they are Calvin Kleins!!!

11. Buy a suit. (Or a dress if you're a woman.) But don't just get any suit or dress. Get one that's slightly closer to the size you want to be this year, whether it be a little bigger or a little smaller than your current measurements. Try it on every Saturday morning as a reminder to yourself to get in shape this year; until, one day, it fits perfectly, and you wear it out and feel like a million pounds

12. Decide to actually become a millionaire.

2013 Resolution

LOST:  

One whole year. Last seen yesterday.

Contains uncertainty, lazyness and no achievement.

Could you place an ad like that on January 1st 2013?

Be ashamed!! Be very ashamed.
2012 is the year the world ended.

2012 is the year the Mayans said it was going to be 'game over'.

Errm...

Actually:

2012 is nearly ended.

2012 is nearly over.

BUT...it had nothing to do with Myans/ Shmayans

It's New Years Day soon. What are you doing about it?

Plan ahead!
You don't need the end of the world being averted to realise that you are standing on the starting line of a whole new opportunity.

Do you wake up and say 'I can't wait to be mediocre today!'. I could tell you to get a life but why don't you just change the one you have?

Is watching TV tonight going to earn you money? Get you new clients? Expand your business? NO! So...Turn off the tube and get out your Notebook/ Planner!

If you are sitting there thinking 'Wow, a whole year ahead of me'? I guarantee you will soon be saying 'Where the hell did that year go?' And you will say that sooner than you think!

Hold on...ARE you sitting there thinking 'Wow, a whole year ahead of me'?  Have you ever had a deja vu feeling?  Didn't you say that LAST year?

What are you doing today? Watching TV? Reading the paper? Sleeping? Get off your ass and make a to do list and put a deadline in there!

2013 can be the best year ever if you make it so!

Go and do it. I am!

"Those who merely hope that conditions will change, their luck turn, or the person in front of or above them will either retire or die, merely see instead the success of those who grasp the opportunity of the present.  If you waste the valuable time of today, awaiting the promise of tomorrow, you will inevitably, always, be second the the person who, yesterday, prepared for today!" Dave Moore

Santa List

What was on your Christmas list for Santa this year? No matter what you asked for, the one thing you really needed to ensure that next year you get exactly what you want did NOT come from Santa. Nor did it come from anyone else!

It’s a gift you can only receive from yourself.

It’s something that none of us even think to put on a Gift List. How do you wrap a gift that makes it possible for you to be the person you want to be, so that you can do the things you want to do, that will let you live the life you want to live? Is there even such a gift? Is such a thing even possible?

YES.

It does exist and it is possible. But it doesn’t come in the form of some program you get by attending a live event, an online webinar series, or from a product that has a bunch of CDs/ DVDs and a flashy workbook.

Thats the gift that “they” all want to give you. It's not the gift you need.

All these events, teleclasses, home-study programs and the like, are about teaching you STRATEGIES, giving you some sort of plan that basically involves not doing what you’re doing now and instead, doing what they tell you to do.

And you know as well as I do, that there’s a lot of vigilance, discipline and will power that has to go along with it, or you aren’t going to be able to stick to it. How well has that worked for you in the past?

You need more than just a resolution to be successful

Only a relatively tiny number of people succeed with these programs and strategies over the long term, because others run out of discipline, will power and never-ending vigilance. They go back to doing what they were doing before, because that’s who they are and that’s what who they are does.

And this is why those plans, programs and strategies don’t work.

Great… so what does work?

What works is becoming a person who easily and effortlessly acts and behaves in a way that supports achieving your goals, because that’s who you are. Once you become a person who naturally makes choices that are aligned with whatever goals you’re seeking to achieve, you don’t need willpower and discipline any more. You’ll make the most effective choices, because that’s what feels instinctively right to you.

What’s on your wish list?

• An ipad?
• A piece of jewellery?
• A new kitchen?
• A new Car?
• Maybe even a trip to some warm Caribbean island for a week!
• A villa on a Greek island?

Or maybe you’re being more practical?

• Lose 20 pounds.
• Be more organized.
• Break through the six-figure barrier into making seven figures.

And perhaps you know exactly what you need to do, or perhaps you’re still at the vague idea stage.

There is no shortage of people who have foolproof plans they guarantee will help you lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks eating whatever you want.
You can find 20-step teleseminar series that will teach you how to organizeyour home, your office and your life.
There are a myriad of programs that promise they have the secret that will enable you to create the right mindset for success.
There are a number of programs that promise to show you how, just by thinking about it, you can manifest or attract all manner of stuff into your life.

Why Don't These Strategies Work?

They don’t work because they’re STRATEGIES, they’re a plan, they’re another way of doing something that will hopefully be more effective than what you’re doing now.

But they all have the same premise:
1. Take Behavior A
2. Substitute it with Behavior B
3. You’ll supposedly get a better result.

That could work IF you can muster up the willpower and discipline to stick to it. But once you’re past that first rush of anticipation and excitement, it usually turns into a struggle, especially if you’re more comfortable with the way you’re accustomed to doing things. And whoosh! There goes that resolution out the window!

Great… so what does work?

What works is becoming a person who easily and effortlessly acts and behaves in a way that supports achieving your goals, because that’s who you are. Once you become a person who naturally makes choices that are aligned with whatever goals you’re seeking to achieve, you don’t need willpower and discipline any more. You’ll want to do the “right” things, because that’s what feels instinctively right... to you.

Onassis and Me

The Aristotle Onassis Model

In 1970 Aristotle Onassis was relaxing in the bar of the London Palladium during a performance. The variety show on stage held no interest for him, he was most likely with Jackie and some friends and he had removed himself from the audience and was now enjoying his customary Johnnie Walker Black Label.

At the Interval the audience started to fill the bar and a man and woman walked in with their 8 year old son. Onassis looked at the boy, who was wearing a suit and a tie, and smiled, walked over to the couple and said in his gruff voice something along the lines of, 'You have the smartest young man I have seen in a long while'. He then patted the boy on the head and gave him a five pound note. Then, with a smile, a slight nod and a wave he walked off to meet his party of guests. People looked at the couple with their son and the man said to his wife, 'You know who that was don't you?'

£5 was a LOT of money in 1970. The evening out for the couple and their son had been something the man had been saving up for for two months. The suit the boy was wearing (a blue two tone single breasted) came from the Peter Pan Outfitters for children in the Commercial Road in East London. The couple were my Mum and Dad. If ONLY I had kept that five pound note Onassis gave me!

Ever since that moment I have been interested in the life of Aristotle Onassis.

Aristotle Onassis was one of the most successful, publicized and examined people in the world during the middle of the 20th century. Today, 37 years after his death, he is principally remembered as an ultra-rich shipping magnate, touring the world on his magnificent yacht and for his romance with the diva soprano Maria Callas and marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. Before he attained business and social heights, however, he was a very rough, uncultured, non-work of art. His effort to change a dim future is worth a look: and is instructional as a teaching aid that anyone can utilize in pursuit of success.

Onassis was born in Smyrna of Greek parents. At the end of World War I he, along with millions of others, was forced into refugee status and arrived in Argentina as a penniless immigrant. His Spanish was minimal, his education limited and his skills on offer were not highly prized. Nevertheless, he examined his circumstance realistically and with deep analysis. He recognized that out of post-war chaos would come opportunity for the agile and creative entrepreneur. Being broke was just an obstacle, not a closed, door to Onassis.

As Onassis learnt the ways of Argentine society and business he noticed that there were specific clubs, restaurants, hotels and theatres that were almost exclusively frequented by the successful business and political class. Always a keen observer of human nature, he realized that contacts and friendships of value to an ambitious fellow like himself could only be nurtured in this rarefied realm. Onassis was determined to find a way in.

He worked mundane jobs, including a stint as a telephone operator. However, he was different from co-workers and other immigrants. He immersed himself in all things Argentine and he saved every cent he earned that was not needed for basic sustenance. Most importantly, he recognized the old saying; “the rich are different from you and me” was so true. He needed to emulate the rich in order to become rich. He never looked at successful people as the enemy. He had aspirations, not jealousy in his heart.

Onassis became addicted to quality in all areas of life. While still poor, he saved every peso until he could afford a Saville Row hand cut suit. He only had one suit, but it was elegant. He also observed that the rich seemed to appear healthier, happier. They seemed to sport suntan skin as a badge of their fortunate lifestyle. Onassis developed a lifetime addiction to pursuit of the perfect suntan. His tan was internationally famous long before the actor George Hamilton gained similar fame. To this day, a suntan is an emblem of the good life for the successful class.

A Saville Row suit, quality personal furnishings and a suntan that reeked of idle leisure and success were only a start. Onassis was still a rough diamond. Nevertheless, he believed in his ultimate destiny. He would have a drink every night at the bar of the Intercontinental Hotel in Buenos Aires, the cities finest. Only one drink, because that was all he could afford. He still worked as a telephone operator, but he kept his parallel lives as a blue-collar worker and social status seeker firmly differentiated.

His nightly visits to the Intercontinental Hotel bar gradually lead to his building a network of business and social contacts. The famous Argentine soprano Claudia Musa frequently visited the hotel. She was an adored opera star and a cultured beauty. Onassis was basically a nobody and a poser. And yet, he pursued the beautiful singer, and with his usual tenacity he won her heart. This drive to win would be displayed in every area of his long and exciting life.

Onassis recognized that Argentine women preferred a type of sweet Turkish tobacco that was not widely available in South America. Utilizing his newly found relationships; he brokered an import deal for an inventory of the tobacco. He assembled the capital necessary to organize a small factory and began to market several brands of Turkish cigarettes. This small, but successful deal was the basis for his later international business prominence.

Onassis recognized that World War II was imminent. The movement of war materiel was going to become crucial to the Allies winning the war. Shipping would be highly profitable, if he could find an inventory of ships to purchase. With customary elan, he found a small fleet of sturdy but well used freighters on the St. Lawrence Waterway and arranged a tight line of credit to purchase the motley flotilla. He was on his way to becoming the most famous shipping magnate in history.

Entrepreneurs, in order to succeed, often must change elements of their personal lifestyle. We have all heard the old adage, “success breeds success”. No one practised this truism more fully and instructively than Aristotle Onassis. He bought one high quality suit. He squired beautiful women. He went to the finest clubs, even though he could not afford much more than one drink. He used his new environment, new contacts and network to benefit his single-minded pursuit of success. Why did Willy Sutton rob banks: because that was where the money was! Onassis also made the elemental decision to hang out where the money was.

One of the most difficult aspects of the entrepreneurial process that must be overcome is the need to adjust lifestyle. Sacrifice today will pay dividends tomorrow. Venture capital usually will not be found in a pool hall. The necessity to improve one’s self-presentation and to network continually is paramount. You must be constantly closing the sale, improving your skills and totally focus on achieving your goal.

Aristotle Onassis worked blue-collar jobs, spoke Spanish as a third language, was a displaced immigrant on a strange continent and had zero personal assets. Nevertheless, he organized a personal plan to overcome his obstacles and lead a life of legendary accomplishment.

I spend a great deal of time training and coaching people and corporations to overcome hurdles. Some easily recognize the need to change habits and to utilize pieces of the Onassis template. They often have the ability to succeed. Many more unfortunately, decide that they know best, markets will adapt to their wants and a shortcut to success can be taken. They always fail. This is an absolute observation.

At the harbour of Nidri is a statue of the man who has inspired me and, through my work, inspires others. You can also see Skorpios from there. There is no way I can visit his grave as he is entombed with his two children on the private island but the statue is the nearest I can get to 'The Great Onassis' again in person.

Quotes:

“To be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building (even if you're in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants (even if you only nurse one drink) and if you borrow, borrow big.”

“If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning.”

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.”

“The secret of business is to know something nobody else knows”

“After a certain point, money is meaningless. It ceases to be the goal. The game is what counts.”

“I have no friends and no enemies -- only competitors.”

“Get a sun lamp to keep you looking as if you have just come back from somewhere expensive”

“Find a priest who understands English and doesn't look like Rasputin.”

“The more you own, the more you know you don't own.”

“Always carry a notebook. Write down ideas and information. Write down everything you know and hear about a person you meet. That way, next time you meet them, you know how much time to give them.”

The Secret to.....

Not unless you get off your ass
and do something it won't!!!!

I don't want to rain on any parade regarding the Law of Attraction but something really bothers me about the whole 'The Secret' industry.

I think the only people who are making any money out of using 'The Secret' are the people IN 'The Secret'.

I wonder how many people have crashed and burned after 'thinking positive' and 'asking' for what they want?  How many people are still waiting for the knock on the door from someone delivering their request?  Waiting for their lottery numbers to come up.  Waiting for the new car. Still looking for that parking space.

The people who are getting a large monthly input into their bank accounts are the people in the Secret.

What's more, the Secret has raised another challenge.  The word 'secret' is now a buzzword bandied about to make you buy other products.  I know, I know: we all like to know a secret but...
...take a look at Amazon....

I just typed in 'secret to sales...' and I can see 2,642 books with some permutation of SECRET in the title.

There IS no 'secret' to sales.  The answer is very simple.  And it is something many salespeople forget to do.  You can have all the answers and all the techniques and all the confidence you want but you have to remember one thing...you have to ASK FOR THE SALE!

You would be amazed at how many salespeople I have listened to on the phone and sat next to in peoples homes.  I have heard some of them talk and talk, sell and sell, and seen a potential customer switch off.  The salesperson talked the person OUT of the sale and....you guessed it...nothing was sold.  They forgot to ask for the sale.

There is no secret to selling.  It is common sense but now we have so many books on the subject with 'the SECRET to...' in the title it's madness!!!

The issue I have with The Law of Attraction as portrayed in The Secret is that it bangs on and on about 'asking for what you want' but gives the impression that that's all you do.  You then sit and wait and, lo and behold, it arrives.  That is BS!

Let's break The Law of Attraction down.  In fact lets just break down the word ATTRACTION.

Can you see a six letter word at the end of that word?

ACTION.

Yep, you have to DO something to get something.  You have to take action to receive what you want.  You can't just sit back and wait for your special delivery.  You order it and then you do something to make it happen.  You take action to make it real.  You do it yourself.  The Universe just helps you out.  THAT is what it does. 

Remember, when you think the universe is not working for you, get the hell out of its way, let it do its thing.  Don't be the obstacle of your own success.

I am a firm believer that everything is attainable and that you can have ANYTHING that you want but unfortunately, many people who watched The Secret think and believe that all you have to do is ask, write it down, believe that you already have it and, miraculously, it will appear. WRONG!

You have to take steps, take action, to make this happen. You have to give SOMETHING in order for the universe to deliver.

Lets put it like this.

Every week a man goes to church and prays for God to help him.
"Dear Lord I have no money, no job, a wife and family to feed, Please Lord let me win the lottery this week."
This happens each week for 6 weeks. The man does not win. He starts to become disillusioned, losing his faith, and starts to believe that no one is listening.
On that final prayer he says, "Dear Lord, please please let me win the lottery. I am destitute and have nothing. Please let me win the lottery"
SUDDENLY, there is a flash of lightning, a loud clap of thunder and clouds form over the church. The roof of the church parts and a blinding light shines down on the man and then, through the clouds and the smoke he hears a voice...
"Jim, meet me half way...BUY A LOTTERY TICKET!"

If you are waiting for opportunity to knock on your door, keep waiting. Do something to show opportunity where you live and that you are at home. You do it with Amazon!  You do it with everything else you order online!!  Make sure you do something to make it happen and be ready to receive.  If you don't, you might find what you were waiting for has been left with a neighbour!

Countdown to 2013

It has been a very changeable, happy, difficult, rewarding, challenging and eye opening year so far.
Aside from the personal losses, such as my Mother passing away, this year has been one of positive change.  What I would call one hell of a roller coaster year.  I am SO ready to begin a new year I am buzzing with excitement....so much to do and so much energy to make it happen!  Now the good news for you.....It’s that time of year again!

'Hmmm, do all those online courses
in my email box work?'

THINK!.....

Have you noticed that beginning in November, your Inbox fills up with all kinds of programs the sender claims “will make 2013 your best year ever!” Some of the ones I’ve received involve three day live events where they help you dig through your past and release all the limiting beliefs and negative self-talk that’s holding you back; another offers a “once-in-a-lifetime, special deal that will disappear at midnight” (I got that one three days running! Go figure that!) on a 36 CD program, complete with transcript, workbook and two live group calls, blah, blah, blah, work, work, work; and my favourite, the people who guarantee they will reveal how The Secret really works and how to make it work for you (which leads me to believe that the real secret to The Secret is all the people who are making a ton of money from telling other people how to get it to work)

What all these programs have in common, is they’re all about telling you things you can do and actions you can take, that will somehow magically turn you into “a money-making magnet.” But at the end of the day, all these live events, these “secrets”, these CDs and workbooks fundamentally are, are strategies, strategies that will supposedly “release negative patterns that are holding you back”, “rewire your brain for success”, or some equally bogus hype.

Why is it that all these claims, promises and allegations don’t work?

It’s very simple: what these programs are all about is teaching you a method, a strategy whereby you take something you’re doing, stop doing it, and instead do something else. Like the bright, glossy, shiny CD/DVD program they’re selling you.

I have news for you! Replacing one behavior with another behavior is not going to change your life or make a long-term difference on how successful you are in 2013. Substituting doing something with not doing something is a STRATEGY, and will only work as long as you maintain the willpower, vigilance and discipline to continue to do that strategy.

So, what's the real secret?

The real secret to lasting success is;

• Become a person who naturally and instinctively does whatever needs to be done to be successful.
• Become a person who easily and effortlessly acts and behaves in a certain way because that’s who you are.
• Don't use a strategy to fix what you’re doing or not doing. This won’t work because you’re still the same person you’ve always been, you’re just forcing yourself to act in a different manner.

And, that’s why you, and everyone else, inevitably fails and reverts back to doing what you always do.

You go back to being who you really are.

I know, it can be confusing, you might want to go back and read what the Real Secret is again.

My early Christmas gift to you...

It actually is possible to become the person who makes the choices you’d really like to make, who does the things you’d really like to do, so that you can achieve the success you really want to have. And it doesn’t involve dredging up the past or listening to dozens of CDs and filling out workbooks or flying across the country and spending thousands of dollars on a live event. You don’t need to develop your willpower, walk on fire or glass, be relentlessly vigilant or subject yourself to strict discipline for the rest of your life either.

What you do have to do is be willing to keep an open mind, and allow yourself to consider that something that sounds like the 21st century version of snake oil could actually work,

We are closing in on the New Year, and you, too, are probably getting a lot of emails from people who have products, on-line courses, are holding live events, etc. that promise to “make 2013 your best year ever!!”

I’m sure they have the best intentions, but…

What none of them seem to understand is that replacing one behavior with another behavior is a STRATEGY, and strategies like this only work as long as you have the willpower and the discipline to do them on a consistent basis.

For example, a diet is a strategy, making and prioritizing the next day’s To Do list is a strategy, only checking Twitter/ Facebook and your email twice a day at a predetermined time is a strategy – you get the picture? As long as you can make yourself do it, it works. And we all know that pretty much nobody is able to keep doing it for very long.

Great… so what does work?

What works is becoming the person who instinctively makes the choices you know you need to make to get you the results you’re looking to get. In other words, doing what needs to be done because that’s who you are.

Another Onassis Lesson

Lesson # 2

Always tie up the loose ends.

How many people do you know say, 'Let's just sign the paperwork and we will get all the other stuff sorted out at a later date!'?

Here is something I find really strange. Why on earth would anyone, if they are in their right mind, allow you to lock them into a contract that at a later date may change?

Would you want to be signing a piece of paper that would be either worthless, or worse, turn out to be even more costly to you and have deep implications into your business or wealth at a later date?
No, is the answer, so...
Never leave loose ends.My mentor, Ari Onassis, would always tie up all the loose ends of a contract at the very start.

It is like my lesson 'kill the monster early'.

If you do all the finer details at the start then there can be no questions later, and no problems either. Nor can there be any costly surprises.
I have a phrase that I have used on many occasions in training and in my own life and it serves me in good stead.

Every time I have negotiated a contract I have thought of it and I have worked by it,and it is this:

"If you tie up all the loose ends at the start they will never become undone. If you leave the loose ends undone at the start, they will remain undone and you will never, ever, be able to tie them. What's more, they will become very expensive!"

Onassis and Me

The Aristotle Onassis Model

In 1970 Aristotle Onassis was relaxing in the bar of the London Palladium during a performance. The variety show on stage held no interest for him, he was most likely with Jackie and some friends and he had removed himself from the audience and was now enjoying his customary Johnnie Walker Black Label. 

At the Interval the audience started to fill the bar and a man and woman walked in with their 8 year old son. Onassis looked at the boy, who was wearing a suit and a tie, and smiled, walked over to the couple and said in his gruff voice something along the lines of, 'You have the smartest young man I have seen in a long while'. He then patted the boy on the head and gave him a five pound note. Then, with a smile, a slight nod and a wave he walked off to meet his party of guests. People looked at the couple with their son and the man said to his wife, 'You know who that was don't you?'

£5 was a LOT of money in 1970. The evening out for the couple and their son had been something the man had been saving up for for two months. The suit the boy was wearing (a blue two tone single breasted) came from the Peter Pan Outfitters for children in the Commercial Road in East London. The couple were my Mum and Dad. If ONLY I had kept that five pound note!

Ever since that moment I have been interested in the life of Aristotle Onassis.

Aristotle Onassis was one of the most successful, publicized and examined people in the world during the middle of the 20th century. Today, 37 years after his death, he is principally remembered as an ultra-rich shipping magnate, touring the world on his magnificent yacht and for his romance with the diva soprano Maria Callas and marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. Before he attained business and social heights, however, he was a very rough, uncultured, non-work of art. His effort to change a dim future is worth a look: and is instructional as a teaching aid that anyone can utilize in pursuit of success.

Onassis was born in Smyrna of Greek parents. At the end of World War I he, along with millions of others, was forced into refugee status and arrived in Argentina as a penniless immigrant. His Spanish was minimal, his education limited and his skills on offer were not highly prized. Nevertheless, he examined his circumstance realistically and with deep analysis. He recognized that out of post-war chaos would come opportunity for the agile and creative entrepreneur. Being broke was just an obstacle, not a closed, door to Onassis.

As Onassis learnt the ways of Argentine society and business he noticed that there were specific clubs, restaurants, hotels and theatres that were almost exclusively frequented by the successful business and political class. Always a keen observer of human nature, he realized that contacts and friendships of value to an ambitious fellow like himself could only be nurtured in this rarefied realm. Onassis was determined to find a way in.

 

He worked mundane jobs, including a stint as a telephone operator. However, he was different from co-workers and other immigrants. He immersed himself in all things Argentine and he saved every cent he earned that was not needed for basic sustenance. Most importantly, he recognized the old saying; “the rich are different from you and me” was so true. He needed to emulate the rich in order to become rich. He never looked at successful people as the enemy. He had aspirations, not jealousy in his heart.

Onassis became addicted to quality in all areas of life. While still poor, he saved every peso until he could afford a Saville Row hand cut suit. He only had one suit, but it was elegant. He also observed that the rich seemed to appear healthier, happier. They seemed to sport suntan skin as a badge of their fortunate lifestyle. Onassis developed a lifetime addiction to pursuit of the perfect suntan. His tan was internationally famous long before the actor George Hamilton gained similar fame. To this day, a suntan is an emblem of the good life for the successful class.

A Saville Row suit, quality personal furnishings and a suntan that reeked of idle leisure and success were only a start. Onassis was still a rough diamond. Nevertheless, he believed in his ultimate destiny. He would have a drink every night at the bar of the Intercontinental Hotel in Buenos Aires, the cities finest. Only one drink, because that was all he could afford. He still worked as a telephone operator, but he kept his parallel lives as a blue-collar worker and social status seeker firmly differentiated.

His nightly visits to the Intercontinental Hotel bar gradually lead to his building a network of business and social contacts. The famous Argentine soprano Claudia Musa frequently visited the hotel. She was an adored opera star and a cultured beauty. Onassis was basically a nobody and a poser. And yet, he pursued the beautiful singer, and with his usual tenacity he won her heart. This drive to win would be displayed in every area of his long and exciting life.

Onassis recognized that Argentine women preferred a type of sweet Turkish tobacco that was not widely available in South America. Utilizing his newly found relationships; he brokered an import deal for an inventory of the tobacco. He assembled the capital necessary to organize a small factory and began to market several brands of Turkish cigarettes. This small, but successful deal was the basis for his later international business prominence.

Onassis recognized that World War II was imminent. The movement of war materiel was going to become crucial to the Allies winning the war. Shipping would be highly profitable, if he could find an inventory of ships to purchase. With customary elan, he found a small fleet of sturdy but well used freighters on the St. Lawrence Waterway and arranged a tight line of credit to purchase the motley flotilla. He was on his way to becoming the most famous shipping magnate in history.

Entrepreneurs, in order to succeed, often must change elements of their personal lifestyle. We have all heard the old adage, “success breeds success”. No one practised this truism more fully and instructively than Aristotle Onassis. He bought one high quality suit. He squired beautiful women. He went to the finest clubs, even though he could not afford much more than one drink. He used his new environment, new contacts and network to benefit his single-minded pursuit of success. Why did Willy Sutton rob banks: because that was where the money was! Onassis also made the elemental decision to hang out where the money was.

One of the most difficult aspects of the entrepreneurial process that must be overcome is the need to adjust lifestyle. Sacrifice today will pay dividends tomorrow. Venture capital usually will not be found in a pool hall. The necessity to improve one’s self-presentation and to network continually is paramount. You must be constantly closing the sale, improving your skills and totally focus on achieving your goal.

Aristotle Onassis worked blue-collar jobs, spoke Spanish as a third language, was a displaced immigrant on a strange continent and had zero personal assets. Nevertheless, he organized a personal plan to overcome his obstacles and lead a life of legendary accomplishment.

I spend a great deal of time training and coaching people and corporations to overcome hurdles. Some easily recognize the need to change habits and to utilize pieces of the Onassis template. They often have the ability to succeed. Many more unfortunately, decide that they know best, markets will adapt to their wants and a shortcut to success can be taken. They always fail. This is an absolute observation.

At the harbour of Nidri is a statue of the man who has inspired me and, through my work, inspires others. You can also see Skorpios from there. There is no way I can visit his grave as he is entombed with his two children on the private island but the statue is the nearest I can get to 'The Great Onassis' again in person.










Quotes:

“To be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building (even if you're in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants (even if you only nurse one drink) and if you borrow, borrow big.”

“If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning.”

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

“We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.”

“The secret of business is to know something nobody else knows”

“After a certain point, money is meaningless. It ceases to be the goal. The game is what counts.”

“I have no friends and no enemies -- only competitors.”

“Get a sun lamp to keep you looking as if you have just come back from somewhere expensive”

“Find a priest who understands English and doesn't look like Rasputin.”

“The more you own, the more you know you don't own.”

“Always carry a notebook. Write down ideas and information. Write down everything you know and hear about a person you meet. That way, next time you meet them, you know how much time to give them.”

Are you Getting what You Want?

Well? Are You?  Or, are you depriving yourself from getting what you want by not asking for it?

How many times are you really specific?  I mean REALLY specific?  Answer: a lot less times than you think.

Attitude, surprisingly enough (!), plays a large part in this. 

What do you see written here?:

Do you see 'Opportunity is Nowhere'?
Good. If you like that sort of thinking.....

But, do you know what is better?  What you SHOULD be reading?

'Opportunity Is Now Here!'

It's your choice, you decide, your conscious and unconscious minds conspire to read whatever it thinks you want to read. 

Opportunity abounds.  Opportunity is everywhere.  Opportunity is in every situation you find yourself in.  Do you see it? Would you take it? 

I ask people what they want out of life and a lot of times people say 'Money'.  I always ask 'How Much?' and I get the same answer more often than not...'Lots of money'.

To a beggar on the streets, one pound or dollar is a lot of money.  Would you classify it as a lot of money?  No?  Then what is a lot of money? Be SPECIFIC.

If you want to get 'something' out of a situation, be specific about what it is you want.  If you want to lose weight, be specific about how much weight.  If you want to make more money, be specific about how much. 

Give your dreams some idea of what reality is and they will become reality.

Why don't you use what I call 'the Starbucks Method'?

When you go into Starbucks and the Barista asks you what you want, do you say 'Well, I don't want a Latte, and I don't want a Mocha, and I don't want an espresso...' until all that is left is the Cappuccino that you want?  No! You say: 'grande Cappuccino please'.  thats it...specific!

If you want the universe to work for you then ask it for something.  But, give it a clue. 
FOCUS on what you want, not what you don't want.
Ask for what you want and be Specific.
Take some action to make it happen.

The Universe is there to help you.

When you think the Universe is ignoring you, not listening or not delivering...wake up!  Has it occured to you that you may need to get out of its , both physically and mentally so it CAN help you?  You could be your own barrier to success. 

Change your mindset....MOVE!

Psychological Cat Burglar

Psychological Cat Burglar – An Interview with Dr David Moore.

It is safe to say that if David Moore did not exist you would have to invent him.  He is the owner of The Moore Consortium group of companies which cover a variety of the ‘self-help’ streams, from NLP and Persuasion through to Firewalking and EFT.  David spent his early years as a salesman in a variety of industries including Time Share, Insurance, Double Glazing and Advertising.  In the early 1990’s he became a salesman for Cable London, a cable TV and Telephone provider and within a very short space of time went from salesman to team leader, to Field sales Manager to National Sales Trainer.  He was the most successful salesman Cable London produced.  He was the only salesman to venture into the notorious Broadwater Farm Estate in North London, the scene of rioting a few years earlier, and over a two month period there became top salesman.  He became national sales trainer when Telewest increased their share holding of Cable London and flew all over the country training staff from London to Dundee.  It was only after watching a sales consultant present a three day training seminar to Telewest Communications (Cable London’s owners) that David realised where the future really was.  He formed his own Training company, left Cable London/ Telewest and was a spectacular success.

Behind the success he admits there were difficult times.  The loss of a corporate culture was one.

“I had always worked for other people.  I had a very high salary, pension schemes, medical insurance and a car allowance.  Now all of that was gone and I was flying solo.  It is difficult but not impossible.  If it is something you feel you should do then I would suggest you do it.  It is liberating.  It’s very different.  It’s a huge responsibility.  But, it is the only way to really do what you want!”

Over the last 15 years David has incorporated a variety of elements into a program he has developed called ‘Human Potential Technology’.  These include Inner Game and Attitude, Persuasion, Firewalking, Glasswalking, NLP, Hypnosis, EFT and Sales Training.

“I don’t believe in being a ‘jack of all trades; master of none’ as some companies appear to be.  My method is to incorporate a lot of different areas of expertise that fall under the umbrella of Personal Development.  I feel that if you teach Persuasion you must have expertise in NLP.  To teach people how to walk on fire or broken glass you must have expertise in attitude and persuasion.  It all fits within the parameters of development.”

What about the Personal Development or self help movement?

“To me, self help is like self abuse.  You HAVE to do it yourself.  The books and dvd’s only show you what to do.  You must take action and do it yourself.  I do tell people to stop buying self help books because they probably haven’t read all of the ones they already have.  A new one comes along and they put down the one they are reading and order the new one from Amazon and then a few weeks later…it happens again.  It’s a paradigm shift. The answers you want are probably already in a book on your shelf that you didn’t finish.  I have read hundreds of them and I read the new ones and I can see that many of the ‘new’ ideas are just a rehash of older ideas.  I agree that as the times change and people become more aware of self help and human potential we need to teach and coach in a new way.  If we taught today in the style of a teacher from 30 years ago, the chances are we wouldn’t be listened to.”

You spent a lot of time teaching people to walk on Fire or Broken glass.  Was that fun?

“Fun is one word for it.  It was great at the time but I believe it has been done to death.  It is very rare to find anyone who hasn’t either done it or at least heard of it or heard of someone who has done it.  It doesn’t have the novelty factor any more.  The training I put people through before they walked included a lot of life skill training, persuasion and NLP techniques that they could utilise in all manner of areas of their lives.  It was never really ‘only’ about the walk.  I train a lot of people in everything from Sales training and Customer service through to Attitude and Inner Game.  I have always been interested in Persuasion.  How one person can get someone or a company to do something when other people have tried and failed?  I have studied great persuaders of history; I have researched and studied conmen and brain pirates who can get total strangers to do whatever they want them to.  There is an art to it and like everything in life; all it takes is the knowing how to do it.  If someone tells me something can’t be done, I have always believed that was because they  didn’t know how to do it!’

So salespeople have to have the ability to persuade people to buy?

“A good salesperson will persuade people to buy.  A really great salesperson with put a person in a position where they not only WANT to buy, but buying will seem natural.  They have to be put at ease.  I have been very successful in every sales environment I have worked in.  My mentor, Hal Stamford, was one of the UK heads of Coca Cola before he retired and took a consulting job at Cable London and he said once that I ‘could sell shaving foam to the Taliban.’  That’s an interesting concept!”

If I were to become a salesperson could you teach me how to put people at ease?

“Remember, my years of training salespeople stem from my history of selling.  If you knock on someone’s door at 7pm at night, with no idea of who is behind the door and they, in turn, are not expecting you then you have four or five seconds after they open it to put them at ease.  You are then expecting to be asked in, for them to listen to you and for them to buy from you.  I did that on a daily, weekly, monthly basis for two years before the company asked me to show other salespeople HOW to do it.  I was always over target and getting results.  I was earning more money in a week than the Sales Director was earning in a month.  Yeah, I can teach anyone.  I didn’t only look at sales techniques. I studied body language, language patterns, embedded commands even colors.  I was always aware that colors have an effect on people.  I always wore a pink shirt.  Pink is a very powerful color, as is purple.  Not just any pink but what is known as ‘Baker-Miller pink’ or more commonly ‘drunk tank pink’.  It denotes trust.   It’s used in calming offenders moods in prisons, it reduces the anxiety levels as well as blood pressure.  The dressing rooms of visiting football teams are sometimes painted that colour so as to render the players less competitive.  If I worked in a very affluent area then the pink shirt would be accompanied by Gucci loafers, designer suits and silk ties.  In a less affluent area that look was jettisoned for jeans/ chinos and trainers and a leather jacket.  I still had the pink shirt though.”

What about Manipulation or Persuasion in everyday life, like advertising?

“It is more like Social Influence.  It is fun to intercept and decode the psychological DNA of free will.  Once you have an understanding of how to redirect another persons thought processes then your own neural meteorology is something I call ‘Controlled unpredictability’.   You can decide what way it will go but the distance and direction will sit outside the normal constraints.  You just need to know where the brain’s pressure points are.  Where peoples blind spots are.”

 Isn’t that dangerous?

“Only if you were using the knowledge for something bad.  As it is, I have people coming to me for answers.  They are stuck, at a point in their life where they can see no future or change.  I do what needs to be done to help them.”

What is the basic process?

“There is a system that is used in all forms of Persuasion.  Conmen use it, politicians use it, members of the public use it without knowing they are using it.  It’s an algorithm.  There are three A’s to persuasion.  Attention, Approach, and Affiliation.  The basic raw material, your message, is what people pay attention to.  The manner of your delivery is going to predetermine how people will process or approach it.  Thirdly, how you are evaluated by others, your body language, language patterns, verbal and non-verbal cues are the parameters of affiliation.  In essence, the Human Potential Technology program we run offers our SPICE^© program. Simplicity, Perception, Incongruity, Confidence, Empathy.  Once you deploy a technique that encompasses those ingredients, it ships so much psychology into the brain’s bloodstream, people lose all resistance to persuasion. “

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

“The Moore Consortium will be worldwide.  The Dynamic-Life Academy will have a team of trainers around the world and certification programs.  I am looking forward to the future and working on it now.”

Happy Halloween!

Have a great Halloween people...enjoy it and stay safe...but be afraid...VERY afraid....

Isn't the Weather Miserable....errr...no!

How many times do you hear someone say that the weather is 'Miserable'?


How can weather be miserable. It's your reaction to the weather that determines the mood you 'do'. And you choose miserable over 'fun' 'excitement' 'adventure' or even the desire to do something different.
I know of one so called motivation 'expert' (read ex sports star who has read a book on motivation and become an expert) say 'I can't run a motivation workshop today as the weather is so miserable'! What? Big ideas and little experience...bless ;-)

I have worked with some people in the past when we ran a training program for AMP Bank and we were in a hotel in Peterborough. On the last day, having just returned from running a firewalk the previous night in Leeds, the snow began to fall like something out of the movie 'The Day After Tomorrow'.

The delegates were nervous, the staff were nervous. All of them worried about how they would get home. We couldn't wait to get in the snow in our cars. The difference? ATTITUDE.

They saw the snow (or the rain, fog, high wind - you choose, because I am good like that) as a barrier, or an obstacle, or...shudder... a P-R-O-B-L-E-M!!! That word doesn't appear in the lexicon of language I carry around in my head.

We saw it as fun, opportunity, a laugh and...(drum roll)....a C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E.

Nothing in life has any meaning except for the meaning you give it. Choose fun, opportunity, adventure, and challenge. You will have a lot more fun if you do. You will seize life and squeeze all the juice out of it. Capture the moment. And above all...don't 'do' miserable. The weather doesn't make you miserable, you are choosing it. Knock it off!

Have fun!

Who Is On Board your Leader SHIP?

Who Is On Your Leader Ship?

Have you ever been on board a ship?  It really doesn’t matter whether it’s a large cruise liner or a cross channel ferry.  The principle is always the same.

The Captain.  The captain or master is the ship's highest responsible officer, acting on behalf of the ship's owner. The captain is legally responsible for the day to day affairs of the ship as he is in command. It is his responsibility to ensure that all the departments under him perform legally to the requirements of the ships owner. The Captain represents the owner, or could also BE the owner.

The Chief Officer.  He is the head of the deck and second-in-command after the ship's Captain. The chief Officers primary responsibilities are the vessel's cargo operations, its stability, and supervising the deck crew. The Chief Officer is responsible for the safety and security of the ship, as well as the welfare of the crew on board. The chief Officer typically stands the navigation watch with an eye on the horizon. Additional duties include maintenance of the ship.  The Chief Officer also trains the crew on various aspects like safety, firefighting, search and rescue, and various other contingencies. The chief officer assumes command of the whole ship in the absence of the Captain.

The Second Officer. The second officer is usually in charge of navigation and is the next licensed position above third officer and below chief officer as third-in-command.  The second officer is typically the navigation officer aboard a ship.

Third Officer.  The third officer is primarily charged the safety of the ship and crew. The third officer is the next license position onboard the Ship, being fourth-in-command after the captain, first officer, and second officer.

Now let’s look at this in a different way. 

Let’s imagine we are not talking about a Ship.  Let’s talk about a company.  Your Company.

You have a Ship/Company that you want to sail.  You launch it and its full steam ahead.  Your passengers are your Customers.  If they enjoy the trip, and the customer service is excellent then they will book again.

The Captain is YOU! You are the Leader, the CEO. You are the one in overall command of the Ship/Company.  You are the one that decides direction and destination.  Your Crew/Team will come to you with ideas to make the cruise more enjoyable for the passengers/customers, and will run ideas past you as to new and exciting destinations for you to steer towards.  You need a great crew/team and your ability to recruit, mentor, promote and empower your people is the reason your ship/company will be successful.  They are the driving force, the lifeblood of your business.

The Chief Officer is your Director.  They have the day to day running of the company in mind.  The navigation, the speed, the training of your staff, the planning…yes, you are the overall person in charge but you have mentored and coached this person in such a way that when you ‘go ashore’ you are confident that what you would have done if you had been on board is being done while you are not on board.

The Second Officer is your Manager.  They maintain and steer your company on the course set by you and your Director.  They ensure that you arrive at the relevant port on schedule (your company hits target) and that the seas are navigated in a safe way (your customers have a smooth ride) while keeping an eye out for icebergs (challenges, roadblocks and complaints).  They report back regularly and advise you and your Director of the potential difficulties (competition activities, current trends, feedback from customers).  They also manage your team directly and monitor their performance.  They have targets to reach, staff levels to maintain and results to achieve.

The Third Officer is your HR or Compliance Officer.  They are in charge of the safety and compliance with the law of your company and its entire staff.  They ensure that the documentation, contracts, employment law and entitlements of all of your staff, and you, are adhered to in a manner that is conducive to all.

A Captain is usually someone who has started out as a sailor and worked their way up thru the ranks to Captain.  In doing so, they have a great understanding of how each section, from the Bridge to the Engine Room, works and they could, at any time, step in if disaster happens in ANY of those areas.

A great leader is also someone who can step in at any level because, not only do they have a deep understanding of what the business is and how it runs but they spend time walking around, talking, getting involved and relating to people at all of those levels.

If your Ship is called ‘Leader’ then the only way to ensure your ‘Leader-Ship’ is sailing on calm waters, fully crewed with full capacity of passengers at all times is to not only have a crew that you trust, but to have a crew that trusts you!  You are confident that when you 'step ashore' the ship is running EXACTLY as it would if you were on the bridge.

When your crew (and customers) feel safe, feel they can approach you, listen to you, admire you, know that you are decisive and that you are willing to listen to them AND include them because you consider their opinions and ideas relevant, you can sail any sea.

Bon Voyage! 

WHO ARE YOU? This is me...

It's a difficult moment. Someone approaches you, at a party or a function and asks that age old question..."What do you do?"

Even on something like Twitter, I have online friends who ask.

So...

David Moore was born in the East End of London which, he says, explains EVERYTHING!. He was so surprised he didn't speak for a year and a half.

He is a Behavioural Psychologist, Human Potential Technology Trainer, NLP Trainer, Firewalk and Glasswalk Trainer, Sales Coach and Business Agitator.

He has a PhD in Philosophy with a Major in Psychology and only uses his title ‘Doctor’ when booking a table in a restaurant, tickets at the cinema/theatre or to bypass a long check-in queue at the airport.

He has a reputation for leading people astray, or as he prefers to call it, giving them options. He holds no guilt or conscience for this as it is always people who should have known better. He is more than happy to make mistakes on any scale as he believes that this is the only way to grow.

On the subject of growth, he is living proof that black is not a slimming colour. Knowing also that the camera adds at least 10lbs to the size of the subject he can regularly be seen watching his own seminars on DVD wondering how many cameras were actually on him. The last time he checked, there were at least six.

He was the most successful salesman Cable London produced. He was the only salesman to venture into the notorious Broadwater Farm Estate in North London, the scene of rioting a few years earlier, with scant regard to his own safety, or anyone elses, and over a two month period there became top salesman. He became national sales trainer when Telewest increased their share holding of Cable London and flew all over the country training staff from London to Dundee. Occasionaly he used an airplane.

He has sold Timeshare, double-glazing, insurance, cable, satellite and Advertising. He has made many friends in the industry and, considering the list includes Timeshare, a few enemies.

He has been called a salespersons salesperson. He gives Value with every sale.

He has a delivery like a cross between a TV evangelist and a stand up comedian.

At Telewest he and the Sales Director underwent Psychometric testing and evaluation.

The Director was classified as “someone who could pour oil on troubled waters and calm fiery arguments”.

David was classified as “someone who would not only enjoy, but benefit, from a head on collision”.

It was suggested that he mediate at the Company employment tribunals. Out of 18 he defended Cable London at he won 15 and lost one. The other two were settled in the car park.

He is a qualified NLP trainer and hypnotherapist. He is also a qualified Firewalk and Glasswalk instructor.

He has created Human Potential Technology programs for hundreds of companies.

He also has private clients and assists them with Business Coaching and also uses Hypnosis to remove Phobias, Fears and Addictions.

He has worked for and with some of the most brilliant, funny, intelligent, sick and twisted people you could imagine. He wishes some of them everything they deserve, and worships the ground coming to the others.

He has a very soft spot for a previous sales director from long ago. It's behind the shed in his garden and easy to dig.

He is writing an autobiography to share his experiences and observations for the amusement of friends and strangers alike, for the sake of posterity, and for a Louis Vuitton bag full of cash. He plans to retire offshore to a hammock between two palm trees on a beach and a couple of hand maidens.

His hobbies are opening Mars bars underwater, getting children to run with sharp objects while playing with traffic, collecting books, aligator wrestling, avoiding depressing people and using creative sarcasm.

He enjoys multi tasking a wide variety of useless and pointless projects in the belief that by appearing busy he can pick and choose what to do next. He is confident that after ten years this will one day be proved as a good career move.

He believes firmly that, in life, you only get out of it what you put in. Each week he puts in £10 on the lottery.

Some of David Moore's core Beliefs

1.      If most people said what they were thinking they would be speechless!

2.      Flying is simple. You just throw yourself at the ground and miss.

3.      Life is a waste of time and time is a waste of life, so waste your time and have the time of your life !

4.      There is a light at the end of every tunnel….just pray it’s not a train!.

5.      Some say the glass is half full, some say the glass is half empty. I say “Are you gonna drink that?”

6.      Everyone has a photographic memory… some just don’t have any film.

7.      If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the UP button first

8.      It is quicker to do something and then apologise than to get permission to do it in the first place

9.      It is never too late to have a happy childhood

10.  It is better to give than to receive. This does not apply to Money though!

11.  Never confuse activity with achievement

12.  Never confuse feeling with thinking

13.  Keep away from mood hoovers or energy vampires. These people will bring you do

14.  Don't buy into other peoples bullshit

15.  Pay no attention to what others think of you. They are not qualified. they are jealous.

16.  We are human beings but we succeed by doing

17.  Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to act in spite of fear

18.  Fear is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real.

19.  Fear can also be anacronym for Fuck Everything And Run!

20.  Fear is a darkroom where your negatives are developed.

21.  Being good = Preperation. Being bad = Preperation H

22.  Have fun! If you don't enjoy it, no one else will.

23.  Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning you give it.

24.  I cannot be insulted, because I do not care what you think.

25.  Everything I get is a toy to play with. I choose where my energy goes, you don't.

;-)