Happy New Year and all that bollocks!

Last post of 2011, predominantly just to wish everyone a happy new year.  For the second year running, I have shunned party invites to stay in and figure out what I want to achieve next year.  Sounds boring to most, but to me it's kinda bliss.  Yeah, I'm weird.  

Figured I might as well share with you guys what my plans for SMI (Seeking My Inspiration) are.  So here are my 2012 goals for this lovely little blog, by putting them on here - you can all point and shout abuse at me if I don't achieve them!

1) Have 250 followers by the end of 2012.

2) Interviewed 12 people from my list of inspirational people.

3) Post at least 36 times.

4) Be in the top 10,000 on Alexa, in the UK.

A relatively modest set of goals, goals that I will be cracking on with tomorrow morning, when everyone else is nursing hangovers!  2011 has almost definitely been the best year of my life so far.  I have been on many awesome holidays to NY, Florida, and Spain.  I've had some awesome nights out with my friends, and made some good new ones.  I've almost started up my first business, I started this blog, and lots of other things.  However, the way things are set up, 2012 will be even better, I just have to work for it.

Take a moment, to consider your year, and consider next year.  Even if it is just for a second between two shots of sambuca.  I genuinely wish you all productive and spectacular 2012s, if you wanna share what you want to achieve with me, comment on here - or drop me an email!  Happy new year guys. 

'LikeYourLast' becomes 'Seeking My Inspiration'

So it's been a couple of months since my last post, just before I jetted off to Florida for an awesome holiday with a friend and her family.  LikeYourLast was demanding a lot of my time, time that I have since come to realise I simply do not have.  As well as this, I also feel the content of the blog was not innovative enough - and found myself essentially repeating the words of others in an attempt to provide inspiration for others.  Excuses, excuses - right? I know, I know.  Well rather than pack the blog in all together, I have decided to evolve this blog into my new (less high maintenance) blog for my next project.  Which is...

I am currently working with a new idea I've had for a book, which I have decided to start as a free blog (thanks for the advice Nikul) for anyone who has an interest to have a peruse.  This is where 'Seeking My Inspiration' comes into play.  This is by no means my main goal or interest, as I will explain in a minute, it is however a project that I'm very excited about.  I aim to meet as many people who inspire me as possible, documenting how I went about meeting them, and then post the transcript of the meeting on here - with the hope of later creating a book with some of the better meetings.  Ambitious? Yeah.  Maybe too ambitious.  But the beauty of this project is that the process itself will be highly enjoyable, regardless of the end result!  It is clear that posts on this blog will be sporadic, depending on how successful I am at finding these people.  I will of course post at other times too, but probably no where near the regularity of LikeYourLast.

So where am I now, what has changed since we last spoke?  Well I'm putting the finishing touches to my first semester of my third (and final - thank god) year at the University of Portsmouth, where I study Film.  I still work part-time at The Sony Centre, which is pretty awesome in fairness due to working with a group of heroes, one of who is my best friend and also my business partner.  Which brings me to my main focus currently, Snowglo, the website that Kane and I have been working on starting up for the past 4 months or so.  We are currently seeking an affordable web designer, who is also amazing (there is no such thing).  I do however have a meeting tomorrow with a Business Adviser who works with Uni. students looking to start up businesses - so hopefully he can help!  Then on top of all that, you have this project - which in all likeliness could take years and never materialise into anything - but I'm cool with that.  So that is where I am at the moment!

Lastly, just a quick note to say - don't listen to other people.  When people see you trying to make something of yourself, they don't like it.  This is of course a generalisation, but in reality there probably only is a handful of people who would be genuinely happy for you if you achieved the level of success you dream of.  I recently had a close relative of mine literally ridicule all of my efforts to achieve the things in my life that I hope to.  People who dream big, scare people who don't.  Don't listen to them, keep your chin up, keep moving forward, and surround yourself with people who really give a shit.  Because they are rare.

2 Week Break

Hey guys, I just thought I'd let you know that I am going to the States for two weeks tomorrow, and I'm assuming that where I'm staying - I won't have a WiFi connection.  IF I do, you know I'll be posting as normal!

I'll make sure to let you all know.  But have a good two weeks, while I'm in sunny Florida!  In case you're wondering, YES I am taking work to do while away.  Can't completely relax can I?!

Have fun.

T.G.I. Mondays #7

I love this video, don't you?  It's such an interesting philosophy on life.  Life is a game of inches, and the inches are all around us, you just need to take them.  The people who get in from their boring job that they hate, and then sit in front of the TV until they fall asleep, THOSE people are not seeing the inches pass them by.  Start taking inches guys, like the video says - if you don't take the inches, someone will take them FROM YOU.

This next week is a busy week for me, because I'm going on holiday at the end of it, so I have lots of things to get done before I go.  Lots of things to organise to do while I'm away - and lots of things to organise for when I get back.  But it's okay - because it's at times like these where I am swept off my feet and almost intimidated by how much needs to be done in such a little amount of time, that I actually THRIVE.  I love it.  I love the pressure, feeling uncomfortable for me is feeling comfortable.

What are you guys doing this week?  Get your goals down.  Perhaps you're reading this after checking the last six weeks of this post that I've offered you, and you STILL haven't got up and done what it is you're supposed to do with your life.  Start taking action TODAY.  Every 5000 mile journey starts with a single step.

This weeks quote, from Ultimate Quote is.....

"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me" - Ayn Rand

Love that.  Powerful stuff.

Who's going to stop you this week? No one!  Get on it guys.

As always, have a great week!

Laugh Out Loud.....with Dane Cook

Okay, so to bring a little laughter into your lives from time to time, I'm going to be posting some stand-up that I've been watching.  I LOVE stand-up comedy, and spend a lot of my time watching it.

Today my gift to you is Dane Cook, you may recognise him from films like 'Good Luck Chuck' and 'Employee of the Month'.  Watch the YouTube video below, and let me know what you think!  Enjoy your day guys.

And the Prize Winner is.....

So a week has gone by, and it's time to reward one of my followers for being so awesome!  In the interest of fairness, I'm going to list all my followers and give each a number, and then use a random number generator to select who the winner is....  So here are your numbers guys:

1. Drew Hanley
2. InkOUTBREAK
3. Amy Thorne
4. Hayley Allen
5. Laura Parish
6. Sam Brownjohn
7. Melanie Cox
8. Louise Done
9. Emma Trent
10. Dale Foster
11. Amy Pougher
12. Hannah
13. Hannah Willmott
14. Joe Lifton
15. Ruben Steel
16. Ultimate Quote
17. Lawrence Neal
18. Rachael Harrison

19. Hannah Treagus
20. Peter Jones
21. Emma Cotterill
22. Jean Taylor
23. Jo Barker
24. Rosie Hollobone
25. Paul Stirzaker
26. Ellen Chesterman
27. Lindsay Rowlatt
28. Oliver Bradley
29. Shane King Barnard
30. Stu Long
31. Rohan Seal
32. Callum Treagust
33. Kelly Humphrey
34. Greg Phipps
35. Andy Rule
36. Mog

So I've just completed the random number generator, and here are the results:

Which makes the winner.............Ellen Chesterman!  Congratulations!

T.G.I Mondays #6

It's that time again, it scares me how quickly weeks go.  What did you get done last week?  What did you achieve?  Did you make any of the excuses mentioned in the video above?  I know I did!  But acknowledging that is the first step towards taking action against excuses.  So get it down on paper, what are you planning for this week?  Next time you're reading my TGI Monday post, how are you going to be feeling different?

Last week I ran a prize draw on this blog, the winner of which will be announced later today.  I really just wanted to say thank-you to the people who are reading this every time I post, the people who have supported me with kind words and motivation.  When you start reaching higher, and breaking away from the conformist mold in a bid to find huge success, people don't generally like it.  I've already experienced this in my life, some people can't just be happy and supportive.  I don't write this blog in a bid to make others look lazy, or unsuccessful - I do it because I want to share knowledge that I pick up, and if possible - inspire others to take action.  Headphones aren't exactly a HUGE prize, I know this, I'm not delusional - but at this stage it's what I can afford.  I'm sure you guys are appreciative, and they'll be more to come.

This weeks quote, brought to you by Ultimate Quote is....

'No one has ever become poor by giving'....... Anne Frank

I like that quote, I think it's a good mantra to live by.  Give something today guys.  Whether it's 2p in a bucket for charity, or a lunch to a homeless guy.  Giving is rewarding for all who are involved.

This week will see Kane and I finish our lengthy business plan, and start to plan the pages of our website in preparation for a meeting with a web designer.  It also sees me go back to University, entering my final year!  This year is important for two reasons.  Firstly, I obviously want to do relatively well this year to secure a decent grade (even though I don't plan to really use my degree).  Secondly, this academic year marks down a timeline for me to succeed.  My goal is to be making enough money to live from passive income by the time I graduate.

Have a great week guys, if you're going back to Uni - have fun!

Learning about Learning

It is important to understand how we, as humans, learn things.  We are powerful machines with immense capabilities so long as we know and understand how we work.  By understanding the learning process and how our minds work and learn, we can achieve successes many deem impossible.

To properly learn something – it has to be committed to the unconscious mind.  This is because in general our conscious mind only has the power to consider 7 pieces of information at any one time.  Our unconscious mind in contrast is unbelievably powerful; it is your unconscious mind that keeps you breathing when you need to, it’s also what you use to drive to work.  So how do we commit something to our unconscious mind?

There are four stages to learning something.  First comes unconscious incompetence, then conscious incompetence, conscious competence and finally unconscious competence.  Let me apply this to the analogy of learning how to use a computer.  Before computers were widely used you had no idea how a computer worked (unconscious incompetence).  Then you bought one and read the manual on how to use it, but you were still struggling with how to use it (conscious incompetence).  Eventually you start to figure out how to operate it, but you have to concentrate on what you’re doing (conscious competence).  And now, today you use your computer on a daily basis without even thinking, you switch it on, send emails without ever consciously considering each action (unconscious incompetence).

Finally it is important to understand the journey of mastery.  George Leonard’s book ‘Mastery’ reveals many incredible discoveries which will truly aid all of our journeys to mastering any topic.  His main theory is that of the ‘The Mastery Curve’, seen below.

When learning a new skill, it is natural to see a big improvement at first but then see your ability decrease slightly before reaching a plateau.  Then after a while you will see another burst of improvement followed by another slight decrease and plateau.  Unfortunately lots of people aren’t blessed with such knowledge, and it is for this reason that a lot of people give up during a plateau, when they are putting in equal efforts and receiving no improvement.  Use your knowledge of the Mastery Curve to keep yourself focussed during those plateau moments.

PRIZE DRAW: Win a brand new pair of Sony Headphones

As I love all of you guys who are following this blog and supporting me, I want to give something back.  So, a week today, I will randomly select one of my followers and they will win a brand new pair of Sony headphones.

All you have to do in order to have a chance of winning is be a follower of my blog!  Oh, and choose whether you want them in red or blue!

Check out the Sony website to find out more about the headphones here.

Next Monday morning, I'll be putting everyone of my followers names in a hat and then I'll be pulling a name out of a hat to reveal the winner.  The process will be filmed in the interest of fairness.  So make sure to check back this time next week to see if you're the lucky winner!

T.G.I. Mondays #5

Five?! Can you believe that?!  This is the fifth TGI Mondays I've given you guys.  But I'm going to keep giving it to you, because the stats show it's the post you love the most.  That's right, I rhyme.  Another awesome video this week, if you don't know what hard work looks like it - watch it.  If you do, watch it anyway!

Last weeks video still echoes around my head a week on, "you need to want success as much as you want to breathe" -  that is so powerful.  Blows my mind just saying it out loud.  How bad do you want success?  Success is different to everyone of course.  One man may consider success as being losing 10 stone, another woman may consider success to be giving an awesome presentation at her work.  But you've got to want it.  What do you want?

Without getting too cheesy, this week I want to comment on someone who inspires me daily.  You've guessed it, my Mum.  As Mums go, she's unrivaled.  She has been through a lot in her time, and yet she still strives for success.  She is loved at her workplace by all, and consistently performs to a high level.  On top of this she has completed a foundation degree and is now going on to complete her full degree.  She'll probably moan at me for posting this online, because she's modest to boot.  She opens her house to all my friends as if they were her own.  She drives me forward, and supports all my outlandish ideas and concepts.  She nurtures my ambition and keeps my feet on the ground when they need to be.  Here's a picture of me and her at her graduation recently...

So, the secret's out - I am a Mummy's boy.  

On to this weeks quote, as always brought to you by the up and coming Ultimate Quote:

'We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations'  -  Charles R. Swindoll

Look for the opportunities this week guys - and don't let them pass!  Thanks for reading, and keep on craving success.

 

Album Review: Nero - Welcome Reality

For the past year or so, I have kept hearing music and then saying - "this is amazing, who is this?!", and the answer was more often than not....Nero.  So I was quite excited to get my hands on their new offering, entitled 'Welcome Reality'.

Nero originate from London, and have just recently signed to MTA Records (owned by Chase & Status) - this makes perfect sense as their sound could easily be compared to that of Chase & Status.  Not that I am comparing them, as I think most would agree that C&S are on a whole other level.  It's awesome to see so many UK artists doing their thing and demanding the attention they deserve.

On to the album, overall I was pleased.  However, I will say one thing - it's a little bit samey.  Don't get me wrong, there are some huge stand out tracks which will blow your mind, but there's also a fair few that will go forgotten.  My personal preferences on the album are 'Innocence', 'Guilt' and the crazy-good remix of Justice's 'Stress', 'Angst'.  When 'Angst' first started playing I was a little annoyed to be honest, 'who the hell are these guys to be mucking around with Justice?!', but fair play to them because the track is easily on a par with the original, dare I say it - maybe better.

The album has a good blend of dubstep, drum & bass and house, some of the tracks have a particularly mainstream sound to them, which at first I hated - but ended up accepting.  The album is well worth a listen, as there are some awesome tracks on it, but just expect it to go missing in between them a little.

I'd give the album 7/10.   Have you checked it out?  What are your thoughts on it?

The concept that often separates the successful, from the unsuccessful.

I stumbled across a theory the other day which was labelled as one of the biggest differences between people who naturally succeed in life, and people who struggle and consequently give up.  So get your paper and pen, and take note.

The unsuccessful person.  We'll call him Bob.  Bob has an 'ideal' that he is trying to achieve, he knows where he wants to end up.  This ideal is so specific, the brain naturally can begin to see it, smell it, feel it.  He knows exactly how it should look in his head.  So Bob starts working towards his ideal, he works for months, and then years.  Soon, five years have past and Bob takes a moment to reconsider how much closer he is to his 'ideal'.  To his disappointment, he is no closer.  How could this be? He had worked so hard for so five years, surely he must be a bit closer?  Bob begins to cry like a small girl, and decides to give up his goals and gets a job doing something he dislikes, but just manages to pay his bills.

So what happened?  Why didn't Bob get any closer to his 'ideal'?  Bobs 'ideal' was constantly evolving.  As all of our 'ideals' are.  Imagine what you wanted three years ago, and compare it to what you want now.  We evolve, and so do our concepts of our 'ideal'.  The ideal is identical to the horizon, in that if you set out one day to walk to the horizon you could be walking for months, and still be no closer.  So what could Bob have done?

Meet Rob.  The successful person.  Rob decided what his ideal was and began working towards it also.  He worked equally hard, and after five years of it decided to consider how he was doing in his journey.  This next bit is what separates Rob from Bob.  Instead of looking forward, and seeing how far he was from his end goal, his ideal, he looked backwards.  He considered where he was now to be 'B', and he looked back at 'A' (where his journey began) and considered how far he had come.  Rob put down his work, and with a huge smile on his face went for a beer to celebrate how successful he had been so far.  The next day, Rob wakes up and continues working hard on his journey to success.

So the secret is to constantly consider how far you've come, as opposed to how far you still have to go.  If your goal is to become a millionaire, by the time you've become one - you've probably already started wishing to become a billionaire.  Your ideal evolves.  Get used to it, and work with it.

T.G.I. Mondays #4

How bad do you want it?  How bad do you want success?  This video is arguably the most motivating video I've ever watched.  Don't it just make you want to get up and take action?  What's your plan for this week guys, time to get busy!  I hit pretty much all of my goals last week.  The business is coming along nicely, last week was spent analysing every element of ALL our competitors, and then listing what we will include and how we can compete by doing what others do, but better.  I'm pretty sure we've now settled on a name for the company too, which is great stuff.

If you don't know where you're going, how are you going to get there?  What do you love doing most?  If you could wake up every day and do whatever you wanted with no repercussions, what would it be?  Now take that, and figure out a way to live that life.  It's possible, just because it's not the normal way doesn't mean it's not possible.  Make the big goal, and then break it up into year goals.  Then break those up into month goals, week goals etc.

This weeks playlist is up as well, make sure to check it out - there is a real collection of different genres in there, as always if you're offended by any naughty words please don't listen.

This weeks quote, as always brought to you by Ultimate Quote is:

'The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal.  The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach' - Benjamin Mays

Never a truer word spoken, so get setting those goals.  My Mum told me the other day that she worried about me because she feared that I have my heart so set on success that if it doesn't materialise, I may be devastated.  She asked what if I spend my whole life chasing dreams, and never achieve any of them?  To which I replied, my biggest fear in life is that I'll have regrets on my deathbed (that and spiders), how could I possibly regret chasing my dreams, even if I never met them - I can be happy in knowing that I gave it everything I've got!

What are you chasing?  Your pension, or your passion?

My Inspirations: Tim Ferriss

There's not many books that I can say have honestly changed my life, perhaps only as many as I can count on one hand.  But without a doubt, 'The 4-Hour Work Week', by Tim Ferriss is definitely up there as one of the most important books I've ever read.  It opened my eyes to a whole new way to live life, the life of the 'new rich'.

Tim Ferriss is an author, entrepreneur, a cage fighter, a world record holder in tango dancing, a guest lecturer at Princeton University, an actor on a hit TV show in China, a breakdancer on MTV and countless other insane things.  His life alone is an inspiration, but in 'The 4-Hour Work Week' he tells you exactly how you can live your life as fully as he lives his.

His philosophy is simple, why would you work for someone else your whole life, making them rich, and saving what you can in a pension so that you can spend it when you're too old to do anything interesting with it?  When put like that, it seems obvious - but that is how most people spend their lives.  I for one do not intend on doing this at all.  It's a scary prospect to not conform, when that is simply 'the way it is' in many people's minds.  But it really doesn't have to be, and Tim Ferriss shows you how.

He talks about generating business systems which effectively run themselves, so that you can achieve freedom both financially and with your time.  His book is priceless, and I really couldn't recommend you buy it enough.  There's a reason why it was the NY Times #1 Bestseller.

He has now gone on to write a second book (yes, also a NY Times #1 Bestseller), called 'The 4-Hour Body'.  This book talks about the idea of 'hacking in to your body', getting the biggest results from the smallest efforts.  The tagline, 'An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman', kind of sums it up.  This book hasn't necessarily changed my life, but it is extremely interesting and useful!

Tim Ferris is definitely one of my biggest inspirations and anyone who has not tapped into his vast knowledge and advice, is missing out in a huge way.  So open your eyes and go and learn about the 'new rich'.

Album Review: Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX - We're New Here

As this blog is about getting the most out of life, I will definitely be commenting on music and films regularly as they are a huge part of my life, and I believe this is the same for many people.  So expect the occasional album or film review.

I felt compelled to write about this album, as eight months into the year it is easily my favourite album of the year.  Gil Scott-Heron for those who don't know was a soul and jazz poet, who unfortunately passed away this year after falling ill upon return from a trip to Europe.  He released the album 'I'm New Here' last year, and Jamie XX from the popular group 'The XX' took it upon himself to remix the album and aptly rename it 'We're New Here'.  Three months after it's release Scott-Heron would sadly die.

The album is faultless, and although it has been greatly modernised and made 'current' - it still holds all the power and meaning that Scott-Heron brought to all his work.  The three stand out tracks for me are: 'Running', 'I'll Take Care of You' and 'NY is Killing Me'.  But every track on the album is incredible in it's own little way.  The whole album has a very unique sound which I imagine we'll hear more of as Jamie XX continues to rise in popularity.  It only saddens me that this combination of artists will likely never collaborate again.

The album is special to me for two reasons, firstly because of Scott-Heron's death in May, and secondly because it was pretty much all I listened to whilst I lost my NY virginity earlier this year.  Seems like yesterday I was walking down 7th, listening to this album, and every time I listen to it - it takes me back.  Check out the album and let me know what you think of it.

What's your favourite album so far this year?

T.G.I. Mondays #3

Thank.
God.
It's.
Monday.

When I say that, I mean it.  Can you do the same?  I genuinely get excited by the start of another week, because it signifies that I have completed another week of goals, and I'm about to start on another.  Imagine if you will a Monopoly board, when you decide on a huge goal you want to achieve - you start moving towards it.  Let's say that that goal is to reach Mayfair.  It certainly doesn't happen with one roll of the dice.  But each week that goes past is like another roll of the dice.  Sure some weeks I may only move a tiny bit closer, but other weeks I make giant leaps.  When was your last giant leap?  What happens when I reach Mayfair?  Apart from passing go and collecting £100, I make new goals and start again.  Humans are machines which need to set and chase goals.  So do it.

This week's video is a Nike commercial which I found kind of awesome.  Give it a watch and enjoy it.

To fill you in on what this week holds for me, I plan to sit down with Kane and analyse exactly what our competition are offering, and start plans to better it.  Could be a long process, but is a necessity to ensure success.  We're also going to have to secure the domain name this week so we don't miss out.  I'm personally also going to be trying to get some fitness goals back on track as well, going to Florida soon - so I should probably start working out again!  What does your week hold for you? Tell me!

This week's quote, as always brought to you by the fantastic Ultimate Quote is:

'You will find the key to success under the alarm clock'.............Benjamin Franklin.

I chose this quote because it's an area that I am working on; waking up with more purpose, more determination.

Have a great week guys, whether you're starting at Old Kent Road, or moments from success at Park Lane, it doesn't matter.  Roll the dice!

The Best Daily Goal Setting System Available

If you don't set goals, then you're not moving forward.  Start setting them.

I read a book a few weeks ago called 'The Unemployed Millionaire', written by Matt Morris.  It's fantastic and I strongly recommend you all go buy it today.  Today I'm going to be focusing on a goal setting system that Matt talks about in his book which I've been using since and it has proved to be so productive.  Here's a step by step guide to creating your daily goals, the Matt Morris way!

1) Before you go to bed, make a list of all the things you want to get done tomorrow.  Don't go crazy, be realistic but also make sure not to give yourself to an easy-a-ride.  Example:

• Pay money into the bank
• Practice meditating for 30 minutes
• Write 5 blog posts
• Pick up some bread
• Work out for 60 minutes
• Attend meeting with business advisor 

2) Now that you have your list, you need to categorise them into A,B, or C.  If the action HAS to be achieved tomorrow, then it is an A priority.  If it'd be good if the action did get completed tomorrow then categorise it as a B priority.  And finally anything which doesn't really have to be done tomorrow, but it would just be a bonus if it did get finished, categorise it as a C priority.  Let's take a look at our list now:

• A) Attend meeting with business advisor
• A) Pay money into bank
• B) Write 5 blog posts
• B) Work out for 60 minutes
• C) Pick up some bread
• C) Practice meditating for 30 minutes

3)  Okay, so now we have a better idea of what really needs to be done tomorrow.  Now all we have to do is place each group of priorities in order of importance, with 1 being the most important, and then so on.  Here's our list now:

• A1) Attend meeting with business advisor
• A2) Pay money into bank
• B1) Work out for 60 minutes
• B2) Write 5 blog posts
• C1) Practice meditating for 60 minutes
• C2) Pick up some bread

4)  So now all your tasks for tomorrow are completely in order of importance.  Tomorrow, you should try and complete the tasks in their order of importance, meaning everything that HAS to be done, will be.  If you plan your time, then plan in your activities in order of importance, again assuring that you will complete the vital tasks.

Learning to love Cognitive Dissonance.

What the hell is cognitive dissonance?

'Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously.  The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance.  They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions', Wikipedia definition. (never question Wikipedia)

I hadn't heard of this theory until the other day when I was checking out some material from Eben Pagan (a man I'll end up talking about at some point).  He was referring to cognitive dissonance in respect to improving yourself as a person, but I'm going to look at it in a more business related context.  Regardless, the analogy he gave is still perfectly appropriate.

Imagine sitting at a table on your own.  On the table is a glass, it's about 4 feet away from you, and you want it to be right in front of you so you can easily reach it.  Cognitive dissonance is that little discomfort you feel as you figure out how to get that glass where you want it.  In this analogy, you may only feel it for a split second - but make no mistake, it's definitely there.

Kane and I find ourselves in a state of cognitive dissonance currently, as we have a large idea for a business and we know what we want it to be, but we're currently strategising how we plan to get there.  We are faced with many routes, many different ideas and they are all conflicting.  For a moment, we were getting stressed and starting to doubt ourselves and the idea because we were changing our minds on the best option for us on a daily basis.  As soon as I heard Eben Pagan talk about this theory, it all became clear.  We have to learn to love cognitive dissonance, appreciate that it is a part of the journey to success and accept it.  I think a lot of people give up whilst lost in the jungle that is cognitive dissonance.

So if you're working towards something and find yourself changing your route, or doubting that you are still heading in the right direction, stop - and consider what I've just spoke about.  You're most likely experiencing cognitive dissonance, and now that you know about it - appreciate it and keep going.

T.G.I. Mondays #2

Good morning everyone, it's that time again, time to get yourself fired up for another week.  Here's this weeks video to get you pumped, motivating words from the legend that is Michael Jordan.


If you have a long-term goal, what is it you're going to do this week that is going to bring you nearer to that goal?  By the end of this week are you going to be a percentage closer to achieving what you know you will? Whatever your goals are, start them today, don't wait until Tuesday or Wednesday.  Start today, make a big dent today.  As a side note, my business partner (Kane) pointed out something to me the other day that I'm guilty of myself.  He explained how productive people lose motivation because when they achieve goals, they're not taking a moment to celebrate that achievement.  It doesn't matter how small that goal is, perhaps you wanted to run 1 mile this morning, maybe you wanted to write 200 words of your book before you went to work, it doesn't matter.  Take that moment to celebrate what you've achieved, if the goal was written down - tick it!

'I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed'  - Michael Jordan

Keeping in with this weeks video, the quote is from the one and only Michael Jordan.  I hope you all have productive and awesome weeks.  Let me know what you plan to get up to!  I myself, will be working towards getting Kane and I's first site up on the web, and trust me you'll all be hearing about it!  More on that later...

Have a great week guys!

App Review: 'Schedule Planner'

I would be hopeless without my iPhone.  If you don't have one (or a smartphone), and you want to be successful, productive etc, I can't emphasize how useful they can be.  My iPhone runs my life for me, it guides me when I'm lost, it keeps me organised, it keeps my up to date with news wherever I am, it allows me to check my email anywhere, and it keeps me in touch with my shares portfolio.  It's proved to be priceless.

But not all apps are good, for the sake of this blog I'll be mostly looking at apps that relate to improving your lifestyle (as good as Angry Birds is, it's not going to enhance your life too dramatically).  Today's app is 'Schedule Planner' which is highly regarded as one of the best apps for productivity.  I downloaded the app because I was looking for an app that would allow me to plan every hour of my day so that I could maximize my productivity.  The app was free, but to use all it's features you need to upgrade it for 69p (a good marketing technique to consider if you're making an app).

The app does what it says, it has allowed me to plan my whole day by the minute, and I've been using it for the last couple of days to see how much of an improvement it's made on my life.  Without a doubt I've been perhaps 75% more productive than usual because it reminds you that you're supposed to be doing 'X' now.  My issue with the app is it's functionality, it is overly complicated to use and requires more effort that I think is necessary.  I'd like to be able create a list of goals for that day, how long each one would take, and then be able to drag that on to a day sheet on the time I wanted.  Instead you have to create each activity from scratch, and then remember when each finishes so that you don't overlap the next.  The biggest flaw for me is that instead of being able to just tick an activity once you've done it - you actually have to reprogram the event in the 'Actual' column, rather than just ticking the activity in the 'Planned' column.

Overall this app gives you what it says on the tin, but it's functionality frustrates me and will inevitably lead to me deleting it and searching for a better option.  If you are aware of better option, tell me in the comment box, thanks guys!

I'll give this app a 6/10.

My Inspirations: Chris Guillebeau

From time to time I'm going to write a post about a person who has inspired me.  I fully recommend that you investigate these people, look at their website, buy their book - just learn about them because they have all had a huge impact on my life and my direction.

Today I'm going to be talking about Chris Guillebeau.  I made the decision to purchase Chris' book late last year based purely on the title, 'The Art of Non-Conformity'.  I hadn't heard about him before this, I just liked the concept of his book.  I read his book whilst on a road trip to the south of Spain in January this year, and I was glued to his unconventional perspectives and theories.  His views are both refreshing and useful, and I've taken his views on board and carry most of them around with me at all times.

Chris is a world traveler, who is now a full-time writer.  His goal in life is to try and visit every country in the world before he is 35, and to teach his unconventional methods of living and generating income to anyone who is willing to listen.  His blog is extremely successful, and he has many products that are fantastically innovative (many of which are free).

I've just finished his '279 Days to Overnight Success' eBook (which he gives away for FREE, yes - so go get it right now, at http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/overnight-success).  I read the eBook in research for this blog, and aim to implement many of his theories in the next few weeks.  It documents how to use social media to become a full-time writer, I suggest you read it if you're interested in blogging or writing in general.

I've learnt from Chris' writings to think outside the box, and not just simply accept the conformist ways that govern 99% of people on this planet.  It's good to take the path less traveled, it's good to step out of the crowd and wonder off in a different direction.

T.G.I. Monday #1

It's Monday morning, and it's time to get excited about this week.  I'm going to be posting a TGI Mondays post every week from now on.  They'll always include a motivational video, and a quote to kick start your week.  All quotes come from my friend's awesome site, www.ultimatequote.co.uk - make sure to check it out and show him some love.  Each week I will be sharing with you a playlist of music that I'm listening to right now (see left), my music taste has always caused confusion for my friends because it so varied and odd - so I hope there is something in there for everyone.  BE WARNED - some of the music contains swearing, so if you're likely to be offended by naughty words please just do the smart thing and not listen to it, thanks.

So lets get on with this weeks TGI Monday.  The video above always psyches me up, whether it's for exercise, work or just getting on with my day - it always gets me going.  So enjoy it, and pass it on to your friends!

The playlist this week includes a proper mix of tunes with perhaps my favourite being 'Loca People' by Sak Noel - that song is destined to be huge and is already starting to be played in the club.  But on the other end of the spectrum,  I'm a little obsessed with Otis Redding at the moment.  I think it's because of the Kanye West and Jay-Z release entitled 'Otis' which includes a sample of 'Try a Little Tenderness'.  I feel so ashamed of liking that song, because it's essentially West and Jay-Z fuelling their egos over the top of a classic Redding track.  So I think I'm compensating for it by getting out my old definitive collection of the legend himself.  Enjoy 'I'm too late' on the playlist, which is also used for a Kanye West sample on another track.

'Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today' - James Dean

I thought this quote was appropriate for the first week of this blog because it sums up what this website is all about!

What have I achieved in the last week??  Well apart from starting this blog up, my business partner and I also had a meeting with a business advisor from Barclays.  She's a friend of my Mums (have to use your contacts) - which proved very productive.  She recommended some fantastic websites which are going to prove to be great resources in the coming weeks/months - I'll make sure to share them with you in a future post.

Now that you've had your TGI Monday dosage, start planning your goals for this week and get excited about them!  Go get it it guys.

Top 5 tips for Writing a Successful Blog

As you can see, I only started this blog yesterday - so please don't take this post as me saying that I am the expert on writing successful blogs!  I just thought I'd share with you the best five tips I read whilst researching writing a successful blog.

Why do people write blogs?  Some people write a blog simply as a kind of public diary, letting people read about what is going on their life.  Although this can be pleasant to write, and to read - it rarely leads to success financially.  If it is for finance reasons you are writing a blog, then you really have to be offering something to your readers, to give them a reason to keep coming back.  I personally believe that somewhere between these two styles would be a happy medium.

So without further ado, here (in no particular order) is my top 5 tips for writing a successful blog.

1)  Write catchy headlines which include the key words of what you're writing about.  This will attract more readers and help you get higher up on search engines when they search your topic.  For example, a reviewer of hip-hop music making a list of his favourite hip hop albums of all time could write his headline in many ways.  'Some hip-hop albums I like', could also be written as 'The best 10 hip-hop albums of all time' - which do you think will attract more attention and get more hits from search engines?

2)  Interact with your readers.  This helps you build a much closer connection between you and your followers and will lead to them being far more loyal to you.  So how can you interact with your readers?  There are many ways, but perhaps the most common are through the use of contests, polls, and asking them for feedback.

3)  Be extremely useful to all your readers.  If you are consistently giving your readers useful information which is helping them to have success in a particular area then you can expect far more followers to appear in no time!  Try not to stray too far from the main topic of your blog, as this could lead to people losing interest.  The people following you are doing so based on what you have written so far, so continue on that path.

4) Stamp your personality on your blog.  There is nothing more boring than reading a soulless piece of writing which has no personality or heart in it.  When you're writing make sure to be yourself, and give them personal information to help them feel rapport with you and your writing.  I'm not suggesting you detail each visit to the toilet, but I think you know what I mean!  A great way to take this to another level is to have an 'about me' section on your blog like I have.

5)  Give them a reason to keep coming back.  This can simply be consistently writing useful posts which help people, but another way to do this would be to have a weekly feature that people log in every week just to read.  You can also use regular contests or free giveaways to keep people coming back for more.

I hope this has helped you, these are the points that I found most useful when doing the prep work for this very blog.  But there is lots more out there on this topic so have a google.  If you've got any other tips for me or any other readers out there, then please leave it in the comment box - I may include them in a future post...

The Story So Far...

Only seems logical to bring you guys up to speed with what I'm doing and who I am before I start bombarding you with tips and experiences.

Did the whole school, college, uni thing - and still currently at university studying film.  Only one more year to go.  I'm sure many of you find yourself in similar predicaments, perhaps having come out the other side.  Would love to hear your opinions on whether you think university is worth all the money and time it demands.

I began reading personal development literature occasionally when I was about 16, and this inevitably led me to reading about 'the new rich', and how becoming the employer rather than the employee was the holy grail to financial freedom, and that is where I am now.  Have to start somewhere...

I'm currently in the process of trying to start up two businesses with a close friend (now business partner), and we're undoubtedly going to encounter many failures and the odd success here and there (hopefully).  I'd like to share this with you, and hope that you can learn from them.  I'm also here to learn from all you lovely internet people and share all the best knowledge and advice I find on my way.

I look forward to meeting lots of new people, and can't wait to start helping each other become rich both financially and mentally.

Is this thing on?

Welcome to my blog, I hope this is going to become a place of unlimited usefulness for all those looking to live their life to the full, and take control of their future.  That's where I am now, and it certainly seems like a daunting task as I try and imagine past my graduation which is only a year away!  I hope to make a whole load of new friends and exchange tips and ideas.

Thanks for stopping by...

Phil