Monthly Archives: November 2008

Do you have an excuse for NOT doing something that could actually benefit you?

I believe most people have… including me.

For example.

I know if I go to the gym, I feel good (and maybe even look better)

I also know if I don’t go, I feel like a slob!

So why don’t I go? Why is it sometime I don’t go for weeks? Why is it I barely walk 500 yards during those weeks?

The answer is actually really very simple.

My habitual weakness is my ongoing behavior or …

My propensity praxis.

Praxis:. Habitual behavior

Propensity:. Weakness

Or …

Maybe this is an excuse?… Anyway …

You know breakfast time. OK I admit I love at least 4 huge self cut slabs of toast dripping with honey. This is a habitual behavior of mine for at least 30 years minimum!

I wake up, go downstairs, pull out a loaf of bread and cut 4 slices at least and inch thick.

About 30 minutes later I feel like a slug! Yet my habit stops me from restraining myself to the power of hot toasted bread and inch thick dripping in honey.

Now and then I go through fitness periods where I will get up, go downstairs and eat, fresh fruit, drink green tea, go for a walk and frankly for the next few hours, I feel amazing.

And I even manage to keep it up for a period of time until…

Praxis Propensity comes back and bites me on the backside!

Back to toast and sluggish!

So whats going on here then? The answer is really simple.

My life has been set with a 30 year habit. That habit is totally ingrained into my person.

You see it’s not just… continue reading

It’s interesting to realize that those who are truly successful understand the cult of self. It’s also interesting that those that walk tall, proud and clear are also those that really get the cult of self.

Do you mind if I take you back into the Amazon for a second? I learnt so much about the basic human being while in there it really is worth sharing.

In the village where the native Indians live every young man in the village has to take it in turn to become the leader of the village. Being the leader he has to take control and direct everyone, everything.

So for example I noticed in the village he would walk back and forth along the side of the village watching and directing everyone like a joint force with one mission or end goal in mind.

He would even use a huge shell that he would blow through to get there attention or direct them. He also had a long stick in his hand that he would and could also use to get more action.

The on thing I did notice though was when we first met the leader (who was only about 20) was his presence.

The first meeting took place on the village long hut. When we walked in we hat to sit around in a semi circle and wait for the leader to appear. I was expecting a real old elder type man to walk in. Eventually this young 20-ish man walked in and sat down in front of us all. To his left were blowpipes. To his right there were spears. On the back of… continue reading

Something Somehow Somewhere

Want to know how to really grow any business?

It’s interesting in 1991 I was offered the opportunity of opening a larger hair salon. The first hair salon I had was just 250 square feet. This one was over 2,000 square feet it was going to be a large step into the unknown for me.

I took the risk (it was a risk) and went for it.

Within 18 months I had the number one salon in that small town of 125,000. That was number one out of 35 salons. Some of those salons had been there for well over 20 years!

However that’s not the only story I wanted to share with you.

I wanted to share with you the fact that making it really happen in those salons was hard work… very hard work!

I had left school at 15 years old. My first job was as a gardener. I had no qualifications of any kind. I did what most do. Go to work, get a job and get paid. That was it. That was Alan when I left school.

So suddenly in 1991 just 11 years after leaving school I had to run, build, promote, market and make profitable my new 2000 square feet salon.

Despite all the highs, lows, ups and downs it was a success… a huge success and I fell in love with my business.

Now here’s the thing; a business to most new business people is like a… continue reading

Have you noticed how everyone appears to be angry these days?

I popped out in my car to go to my mothers just yesterday. Now I admit when you drive a bright orange, customized VW Beetle, heads do turn. Hiding is impossible; even in thick fog… it’ll stand out like sore thumb.

The flip side is also that drivers like to run me off the road.

On my drive to my mothers just yesterday a small Nissan truck came racing up behind me. Now you have to know I live in the country. When I have been into the USA or Australia in the country the roads appear to be massively wide. In the UK country roads tend to be the width of one car.

So this angry driver drove so close I could almost feel his breath against my neck. When I looked in my rear mirror his face was purple. Not only was he ugly, he looked furious. Why? No idea, all I know was he wanted to pass me urgently.

Eventually after driving under pressure for almost 15 minutes with a mental Nissan driver behind me looking like a beetroot in color waiting to explode, I pulled over so he could pass.

As he passed, he slowed next to me opened his windows, screamed abuse at me, stuck his finger up at me. I looked back and smiled at him. I think this made him madder than a Bull to a red flag.… continue reading

Universal Feardom

 Are You Scared? You’re Supposed To Be!

Do you remember those old ‘super-fiction’ thrillers on TV or in the movies?

They went a bit like this.

A group hell bent on mass control of the planet would meet in some deep dark, paint flaking basement.

One man at the head of the table would tell the others how he wanted to rule the World.

The others using their sharp finely honed minds would then put together a master plan of how it can be done.

At the end of the movie there would be a battle of good and bad, dark and light, satanic forces against messianic powers that would … hopefully … win the battle of freedom for all.

Hmmmmm does it remind you of what is going on today, right now? The battle for control of minds?

Let’s think about this by using an illustration.

I have a new puppy named ‘Ogilvy’

At 14 weeks old we are training him the best we can. However there is a way that can be applied in seconds to stop him dead in his tracks. In fact it’s so effective after it’s applied he can sit frozen to the spot until you remove this technique.

Can I tell you what the technique is called?

… continue reading

Big Fat Eyes

Big Fat Eyes Can Destroy You or Your Business. How? Let me start with a short story.

So here I am a 45 year old guy that wants to lose some weight. No, that’s not true; I want to look like Adonis or some other kind of immortalized bronzed Greek God with muscles rippling in places I never knew muscles existed. Sadly this is battle of epic proportions that only a Churchill-esque mind or good training can win.

Now I don’t have Churchill to hand so looks like I have to settle for the training side of things for now.

Only yesterday I was at the Gym again. Now what you need to understand it I have been going for 11 months now. Has it made a difference? Of course but I still don’t have the look of a fat free bronzed God, more the look of a slightly overweight Scotsman!

Anyway back to the Gym. I was in the dumbbell corner on my own when this tattooed Nephalim type guy walked over. He was huge I mean like a big tree with just two branches and a head at the top.

Now I think I am doing well at losing weight and changing my shape. I have seen all the faces in this gym for months now. When a new person comes in you know. So this giant walks over to the dumbbells with… continue reading

Reason Treason

When you know one of the most powerful reasons for failure you’ll never fail again. Let me explain with this true story.

During 2005 on February 27^th at 6:30 am I climbed out of bed with the excitement of a child getting up on Christmas morning. The reason was I was going to Australia for the very first time. The trip itself was with Emirates Airlines. I was to get a plane from Manchester down to Heathrow London. From There I would then fly over to Dubai, then to Singapore and finally into Brisbane Australia.

The total travel time would be about 34 hours. I knew I would be shattered but I hoped my adrenaline would infuse me with the extra kick I would need at the end of the trip.

It did help that I flew business class. That was very cool. Those were the days I was still drinking alcohol. So the flight was all about, movie after movie, drink after drink, good food after good food and service that frankly at that time blew me away.

So suddenly I am in Australia, the land of the Kangaroo and other marsupials that are difficult to pronounce.

My reason for going was one only. I had been invited to speak in front of an audience of 500 for a now very good pal of mine, Brett Mc Fall at his large (now the worlds biggest) training event. I would be invited to talk about marketing a business on the web.

Anyway, have… continue reading

… continue reading