School - Supertramp

Yesterday, I wrote that I’ve definitely had value for money from life so far and scrolling back through the years, I’ve certainly lived a full life. I haven’t filled up my time with things that I’m not good at or are not interested in. And if we wind my clock back to March 1976, I have only happy thoughts of that time and being 14 at school. Indeed, I wrote in my book ‘A Rebel and a Runner’ - 'My overwhelming memory of school life is one of happiness and fulfilment'. Only on reading my school report of that term, my teachers observations were quite different. In fact, in my last school report at 18, the headmaster’s comment was ‘He has never developed a serious attitude to his work’. Nice soundbite for seven years in one of the top Grammar Schools in the UK - and not one that reflects my current work ethic.

I was never highlighted as a child with a complete mental-block when processing written language(s) but on scanning a few of my reports – it’s clear where I was failing. Don’t get me wrong as this was the 70’s and the education process was more about exam preparation and university entrance than providing pastoral care. Learning how to find a route through the confusion of education, probably taught me more if I’m being honest and has given me a way of dealing with a complexity of adult life.

Told you it wasn't great...

Okay, I’m not the most literary of people as you’ll know if you are one of my regular blog readers’, but I do believe that the life-experience that I now broadcast has an in-built message that delivers both achievement and fulfilment.

Possibly my school years' taught me to be more pragmatic than anything else – putting my energies into knowing what I was good and where I could achieve - making a platform to bookmark my success perhaps. No wonder my marathon running and Guinness World Records etc. have been so fundamental in marking my success and investment into what I believe has been an important part of me becoming the present-day me.

I’m sure if I went back, I would invest more of my time and energy into my education and pass far more of my A and O Levels but what would it really achieve? Absolutely nothing. The 'School of Experience' offers much higher qualifications and I've achieved way beyond where predicted some 40-odd years on.

For this reports, I’m going to continue with my serious attitude to my work (that I’ve always had) and continue believing that I'm happy and fulfilled.

Are you happy and fulfilled too?

A* in 1,045 Marathons - 254 Ultras - 9 Guinness World Records - 15 Marathon des Sables

Choose Life - Underworld

Life is a matter of degrees. You see whenever I speak to a new client that is looking for an abstinence from alcohol, I always say that I’ve worked with folk that drink as much as four bottles of wine a day and are now living a life of sobriety. The reply is always, ‘Well I’m not that bad, it’s only drink one bottle!’ It’s the same for my dieters – as their being 100kgs is just as bad as 125kgs in my book.

I mean – just how bad is bad? Where is the point of no return - that person ‘Failsafe’ where nothing, and I mean nothing can save you from yourself.

We have a strange eating and drinking culture in the UK where 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath will make you a drunk driver but 34 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath means you are ‘technically’ sober. Only you’re not – you are simply 1 microgram less drunk. Food is seen as a leisure pursuit, a reward or even as TV entertainment (do you know how much I hate ‘Bake Off’). Anyway food - along with drinking it’s so much time wasted IMO that’s reflected by the size of your waistline.

There are so many other things that you can do that are far more rewarding, if you give them the time you currently choose not to give them.

What are you wasting your time on today?

1045 Marathons, 254 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Vera - The Pink Floyd

‘Where the hell are you Simon?’

It’s a line that features right at the start of the 1979 Pink Floyd track ‘Vera’ but in fact comes from the 1969 film ‘The Battle of Britain’ – One of the truly great British War Films IMO. Anyway, it’s a lyric that always gets me thinking - especially when times are tough or if I’m feeling a bit out of sorts like I have been lately.

You see, part of my recent dilemma has been whether fatigue is good old-fashioned wear and tear, old age or remnants of the Guillain-Barre Syndrome that makes some of my days grind to a dead halt. It’s crazy as some days it feels like I’m flying and back to the old Rory days, pre-body anaesthesia. And if I’m honest, yes it does cheese me off, but how much I can blame that feeling on to my ‘outside influences’ is debateable and actually irrelevant as I can only now work with what I’ve got and I accepted that, if with somewhat gritted teeth.

I reached my ‘acceptance’ in 2016.

Can’t say it’s been easy but looking back I’ve had to accept many things over the years. At an early age I ‘accepted’ I’d never be a professional footballer, a brain-surgeon or a cross-channel swimmer. My mother said she’d found my old school reports that made poor reading. Shucks eh? But in my favour, I have one big advantage - I know what I’m good at, what I really like doing and give things 100%. 

  

What has become of you?

And that’s been my ‘Modus Operandi’. It’s not always a good thing as it means that sometimes it’s hard to find the brakes when things are proceeding headlong in the wrong direction, but on the whole, it’s brought me a more than satisfying level of success. I can hardly look back and say I haven’t had value for money, can I? And from what I have done, I can easily say that I know exactly where and who I am.

The fascinating thing is that many people I meet haven’t got the same level of location or proprioception. They are lost. Maybe the Global Positioning System could crack people’s psychological predicament as well as their location – what an invention but imagine that, being told how you feel – I mean, how would you feel about that?

And yet, where are you today? Drowning in data, unsure of what to do for the best? Scared of making the wrong decision. Scared of making the right decision. It’s a complete minefield. Knowing what to ‘like’, ‘unlike’, ‘friend’, ‘unfriend’, ‘trust’ a lottery one you feel you can never win.

But you already have the winning ticket, if you find ‘acceptance’. It’s an instant win – 90% complete with just 10% needed to conquer anything you put your mind to. 

I do hope you understand where I’m coming from today. As even if today’s rubbish, it doesn’t matter as tomorrow will be slightly better and the day after hopefully better still – just give it a go and build on whatever solid foundation you can find however rocky it might feel as that’s what I’m doing… ’Does anybody else here feel the way I do?’

1,045 Marathons - 254 Ultras - 9 Guinness World Records - 15 Marathon des Sables

Change your Mind - The Horrors

'Mindset' is a concept that's been around since the early 1900's, according to Wiki. It's a word that's become part of my daily vocabulary when speaking with clients and I thought I'd investigate the philosophy behind the terms 'Fixed' and 'Growth' Mindsets, as I try and evaluate my own 'Mindset' traits.

However, I'm a bit confused to which 'Mindset' set I belong to. You see, I believe I'm in the intersecting part of a 'Venn Diagram of ‘Fixed’ and Growth Mindset' where the two circles intersect, if that makes sense.

To help clarify things, I looked to the expert in the 'Mindset' field - Professor Carol Dweck. Her primary research is in motivation, personality and development and speaks volumes - if I had the right 'Growth' Mindset, I could read all about it in her 2006 book 'Mindset: The New Psychology of Success' but as a ‘Fixed’ Mindset non-reader, I was a bit at a loss but luckily Wiki helped again...

Dweck states that there are two categories (Growth Mindset versus Fixed Mindset) that can group individuals based on their behaviour, specifically their reaction to failure. Those with a 'Fixed Mindset' believe that abilities are mostly innate and interpret failure as the lack of necessary basic abilities, while those with a ‘Growth Mindset’ believe that they can acquire any given ability provided they invest effort or study. Dweck argues that the ‘Growth Mindset’ will allow a person to live a less stressful and more successful life'.

Now, as soon as I see 'Failure', I immediately identify with the ‘Fixed Mindset” character trait as the 'F' word (Failure not ****) is like Kryptonite to my inner soul. Yet my ‘Mindset’ isn’t so myopic that I don’t believe that investing effort and study won’t bring results – well apart from swimming or triathlon as my mindset has been ‘Fixed’ by having the same buoyancy qualities as a house-brick. But then again, I’m pretty much stress-free and have had enjoyed many successes over the years which swings me back into the ‘Growth Mindset’ group.

So you can see why I’m confused. Or perhaps it’s how we like to label people nowadays and maybe I’m just someone that you can’t label. Or group, or even want to group. And maybe you are the same? No-one needs to be anything really – you just need to know who you are, where you are going and what’s needed to get you there.

And that’s all that matters…

1,044 Marathons, 244 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

I Surrender - Rainbow

Giving in is really not part of my DNA. Instilled at an early age, I’ve always thought that it’s a weakness. A weakness of mind. A weakness of personality. Pure Coleman-Kryptonite. Having been this way for 57 years’, and having lived life pretty close to the limit of human endurance with some personal and mental challenges that would have had most reaching for the white flag, I thought long and hard as I struggled for the first 20km of day two of Race to the Stones, last Sunday.

You see, post Guillian-Barre Syndrome, my legs are pretty much destroyed for a week following a fast Parkrun or Marathon as my leg muscles just aren’t strong enough anymore – it feels like I’ve already run the race-distance before I’ve even started you see. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not after sympathy or making excuses as I loved both days of Race to the Stones and that first 20km taught me once more that nothing of worth is ever given, and that if you want something enough, you have to work super-hard to achieve it.

I’ll admit I did question my sanity but after three hours of battling the GBS legacy, my legs finally started behaving and downhill it felt like they wouldn’t go from under me, which is what really plays with your mind at the time. The hardest and most frightening part for me – as it is for everyone that has to relearn how to stand and walk again. A sobering thought.

Sure, what I’m doing nowadays isn’t pretty and the times isn’t great but hey I’m out there still recovering. This year I’m a good two plus hours quicker over the 100kms and finished feeling like I’d given it my best – Well the best I can now give, if that makes sense.

Those days of learning to stand and walk seem a long time ago right now and maybe these days of weakened legs will also pass as my recovery continues. What I do know, is that I’m stronger mentally than ever and I’m going to push my recovery as far as possible. What form that takes, well watch this space as it’s just like when I started running. It’s a self-build-and-design-project that only people who’ve have had GBS and have gone on to run a further 66 marathons will understand.

You control your destiny – You design your future – No one does it for you – Fight – With everything you’ve got.

1,042 Marathons - 254 Ultras - 9 Guinness World Records - 15 Marathon des Sables

Who are YOU? - The Who

Today’s blog title is taken from the 1978 Who Classic album of the same title ‘Who are you’, the last album released by the group before Keith Moon's death in September 1978 - which feels a very, very long time ago.

Anyway, on listening very closely to the song, it got me thinking, ‘Who do we really think we really are’, ‘How do we project ourselves?’ and ‘How are we perceived by others?’. It’s something that became more and more apparent to me as I spoke to a fresh batch of clients this week. On hearing their stories, I learned how they fitted into their worlds. How they were perceived by their family, friends and colleagues – how unhappy they are. 

You see, it’s amazing how we come over to others, what it means and how limiting that can be on our progress for instance within the corporate world. Some people will hold out for years in a job ever hopeful for promotion or even a redundancy package only never to reach their goal because they just don’t ‘look’ the part or have a ‘perceived’ value – or don’t fit in.

The lyrics go, ‘I felt a little like a dying clown’. I’ve seen it many times as I’ve coached people that will joke and laugh their way through their day when inside they are literally ‘dying’ inside – crying later alone at their predicament.

They continue, ‘I know there's a place, where love falls from the trees’– and it’s such a sweet place. Feeling you’ve got there is one thing, getting there a whole different story as for many that journey is literally limited by their outlook and by what they project.

The person that knows it and feels it the most is you. And when you know it, the doubt sets in as the sing continues,‘How can I measure up to anyone now’. It sounds like a modern-day social media message reaching out, looking for reassurance and love from anyone that can be bothered to reply. For the record, self-worth doesn’t come in the form of a Facebook reply – it comes from within. 

From setting goals, sending out the right signals and cleaning up one’s act. And when you do that – you’ll find out who you really are – and you’ll find out it’s not as bad as you think and everyone else (well the majority anyway) will think you are okay too.

Have a think: ‘Who are You?’

1,040 Marathons, 252 ULTRAs, 9 Guinness World Records & 15 Marathon des Sables

Good Morning Beautiful - The The

I do love a dark song to start the day, and the 1989 classic ‘Good Morning Beautiful’ from The The, always searches deeply into my inner soul as I prepare for my day ahead. The amazing thing is, that you can never truly plan for what the day has in store. One moment you are sat relaxing on a sofa enjoying a fresh cup of breakfast tea - the next you are chatting to Richard Dreyfuss (him of American Graffiti, Jaws and Close Encounters to name-drop a few) as I waited to be interviewed by Chris Evans on his Virgin Radio Breakfast Show (he said name-dropping again).

An out of body experience if ever there was one and my fluent gibberish was in full flow. For the record both Chris and Richard are amazing, and it made me realise just how lucky I am as I’m constantly amazed by where my exploits have taken me and by who I meet along the way.

Maybe the song was telling me something - You see I first heard it when I was in the darkest period of my life, out of control in what felt like a ‘Living Hell’. The lyrics say that ‘The only path to heaven is via hell’ and maybe that’s the truth. If you’ve been there, you’ll know.

What does tomorrow have in store, well I’ve a good idea but no doubt there will be a few ‘Close Encounters’ along the way.

1,040 Marathons - 252 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records

Under Pressure - Queen and David Bowie

Many of people I meet say they are ‘Stressed Out’ or ‘Feeling Under Pressure’ for most of their waking hours. So I thought I’d do some research into ‘Stress’, the effects it can have and some of the ways to combat one of the silent conditions that’s slowly killing the nation.

It sounds serious but it is - especially for those that are having their lives ruined by their natural reaction being permanently on ‘Red-Alert’.

You see ‘Stress’ is your way of responding to demanding situations or threats. Us humans are ‘Hard-wired’ to sense danger - whether real or imagined - and under attack, our defences kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the ‘Fight-or-Flight’ reflex known as the ‘Stress Response.’

The ‘Stress Response’ is there to protect you and when working properly, it maintains focus, spikes energy levels and in general keeps you alert. In emergency situations, ‘Stress’ is actually a life-saver - giving you extra strength to defend yourself.

‘Stress’ can also help you rise to meet challenges. It’s what keeps you on your toes at work, sharpens concentration when playing sport, or drives you on in a marathon when you might want to DNF. However, beyond a certain level, stress causes major health issues - affecting your mood, productivity, relationships and quality of life.

Now you can see, why ‘Stress’ is a ‘Silent Killer’.

It can also be a ‘Silent’ emotion. I’m quite convinced or rather, I’ve convinced myself that I don’t suffer from ‘Stress’ too much. It might just be that subconsciously, I’ve found a way of handling ‘Stress’ that nullified my ‘Stress Reaction’. I do fell calm most of the time and very patient.

A kind-of-natural ‘State of Prozac’. The drug Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). The drug works by blocking the absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. BY regulating the amount of serotonin that helps our brain cells transmit messages to each other it results in a better and more stable mood - a state in my case of feeling ‘Less Stressed’ - Who knows? It sounds like a good theory though doesn’t it. 

My personality type says I should be stressed or fatigued due to an overload of sensory or emotional input - and I understand that I should be a more stressed person considering my lifestyle and job - however I’m just not. Don’t get me wrong, I can be just as adrenalised as the next person only not all the time and certainly not ‘Stressed’ by inheritance from anyone else’s predicament either.

I do believe my ‘Stress Response’ was supressed in my teenage years and that possibly surviving an all boys’ school taught me to compartmentalise different situations and tasks which I’ve simply carried on and used in adult-life. Life is processed like a production line one task at a time.

Anyway, it could be a system that you could use, especially if you are feeling ‘Stressed Out’ right now.

That’s if you are ‘Stressed Out’ or in fact just ‘Under Pressure’ from a number of personal issues or situations that are lining up like the planets creating a major cataclysmic life-problem coming over the horizon.

Everyone is under the cosh and driving the five miles across Cardiff this morning, made even my blood start to boil and for those doing this every day of their working life - well I can understand why it might take a couple of hours and a few coffees to clear the grey storm clouds that can gather in that nose-to-tail-traffic-jams.

Yet it could be avoided by people going to work earlier of later to avoid the situation -working from home or simply cycling/walking instead. For those that tell me that work really stresses them out, I always say, ‘Well, find another job’… Or speak to the powers that be as they want you to happy and productive in your work just as much as you do - try speaking to them when they’re not ‘Stressed Out’ too perhaps.

Now, rather than just go on and on about ‘Stress’ and ‘Stress you out’ further, I’ll offer you a solution. A form of ‘Stress Management’ - or rather ‘Stress Awareness’ so then you can fell ‘Stress Liberated’.

My task to you then, is to look at your levels of ‘Stress’ during the day. 0 being so laid back you are horizontal and 10 meaning you are on the edge ready to jump. Taking a reading three times a day gives a simple out of 30 score where we can see the peaks and troughs through the day and where the ‘Days of Stress’ occur in the week.

For a lot of folk, it’s just after work and just as they get home that the ‘Stress Factor’ will be hitting 10 - fatigued, hungry and emotionally drained - that’s the danger point where booze and food are used to lift the mood. We do know by regulating the amount of serotonin that brain cells use to transmit messages to each other - it results in a better and more stable mood and perhaps if better understood, we wouldn’t go on a journey of self-destruction in front of the fridge or head off to the off-licence.

Running, cycling, walking, making goals, being creative, listening to music, yoga - just being active can make your ‘Stress Response’ trip out and let reality return. 

Yes, putting it simply all you need to do to ‘De-Stress’ is to get active. If you haven’t tried, give it a go. Also ask yourself what’s really causing your ‘Stress’ - Wife/Husband, Kids, Money, Job, Lifestyle, Alcohol, Drugs, Addiction, whatever and just start being honest about what could be a ‘Life-Changer’ if left unchallenged.

I’m going to think on about what I can do to keep my ‘Stress-Reaction’ confined to when I’m under attack and can let my ‘Fight-or-Flight’ reflex kick in and save me.

I hope it will ‘Save’ you too - Amen

1,025 Marathons - 248 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records

The Eight Stages of Addiction Escape…

Breaking the ADDICTION Spell...

Addiction is always a hot topic and escape from its claws can be a lifelong trial for some if not most. Being somewhat of a former 'Addict' myself, I didn’t know that these stages existed at the time. I just did what most folk do when they are in ‘Addiction Peril’ - namely pack it up, mess it up and try again - only to fail.

Now, I’ve seen some very promising and talented individuals end up becoming all consumed by their dependence on a complete spectrum of booze, drugs and behavioural traits. Even the acknowledgement of their situation is too much for them to take on board, which takes me nicely onto Stage One.

1. Denia...l

We all know folk that are in ‘Denial’. Yes, acquaintances that have no idea that they are out of control or endangering themselves and or the lives of others. Their once a month occasional blow-out, has spiralled into daily need. It’s a process that happens all to quickly and It’s amazing that ‘a-once-in-every-28-days-kinda-thing’ can become an all-consuming ‘28-in-28’ necessity. I’ve been there myself, fingers in my ears, blocking out the observations of my nearest and dearest continuing my self-destructive behaviour. Putting it simply, some folk are quite happy killing themselves - it's such a waste.

2. Acknowledgment...

Becoming aware of an 'Addiction' takes time. It feels like the 'Addiction' has slowly crept up on you - sort of when you weren’t looking. The glass of wine after work to unwind has become two, three, a bottle, two bottles - every day. Every morning becomes a bit of a battle to get out of bed and the first few fuzzy hours are hastily coffee-filled as the day finally clears around lunchtime to start the whole process again after work. When I speak to daily one-bottlers about three and four bottlers, I always find it amusing how they say, ‘I’m not that bad’, but they are - they just haven’t ‘acknowledged their precarious position as it's far too easy to down another bottle whilst being drunk on the first.

3. Not Today...

You knowing it's time to change, well that’s when the ‘Dithering’ starts. Do you know an ‘Addiction Ditherer’? Yes, they’ve ‘fessed up. Come clean. Acknowledged their situation but are really nowhere nearer sorting it out in reality. This stage can last the longest and I’m sure we all know serial cigarette smokers for instance that say ‘I’d love to give up’ yet you know they never will as they love smoking too much or feel like they’ve smoked for so long that there wouldn’t be any health benefits to be gained. How wrong they are and at over £10 a pack - how much worse off they are too. I remember being at Stage Three for some time before plucking up the courage for Stage 4 as that - well it takes 'Balls'.

4. Next Week...

Yes 'Balls', picking YOUR day, the day that can change YOUR life forever. I remember mine most clearly - the 5th January 1994. It took a huge amount of strength and personal realisation that I needed to change. Realising my ‘Self-Failure’ and ‘Weakness of Character’ was a bitter pill to swallow. Admitting to myself was one thing, admitting it to someone else - well that would be another matter, so I spent a fair bit of time in the ‘Next Week’ stage and if you've been there, you'll know there’s nothing more frightening than standing on the edge of a new future minus your best friend - 'Addiction'.

5. Action...

But then you take a deep breath and jump, it’s exhilarating. It’s fun to be free. Adrenalin pumping with positive thoughts. Well for a few days anyway, until the cracks start to appear and the hunger pangs of 'Addiction' start eating away like worms into your brain - consuming your inner resolve and goodwill. Now don’t get me wrong, some folk grab Addiction' freedom at the first opportunity. One short, sharp shock is all that’s needed to reverse the 'Addiction' tailspin in a single dose. 

If only it happened like that for everyone - as without help, it rarely does.

6. Failure...

On average, it takes four times through the ‘Action-Failure-Cycle’ - an average. The ‘F’ word of 'Addiction' is so condemning. For those looking for eternal abstention we’ll say from booze - the day count is there as an incentive as well as a final condemnation of defeat as the clock resets to zero and the whole process starts over with just one drink. Food Addiction? Well, that’s more of a ‘Grey Area’ as even the mighty weightloss success stories I’ve helped to create, will admit to a few sins along the way. 

Some folk take 'Failure' as a given when setting out on achieving their goal - I’ve always been mindful that any hint of 'Failure' must be put out of mind for success to happen and the ‘F’ word to happily ‘F’ off. 

7. Action...

And back it’s back to Stage 5, well Stage 3 really if you really need a run up to tackle your 'Obsession' once again. I get the ‘Learning from Failure’ analogy and as a nation we love someone winning against the odds - succeeding after a making a complete balls-up the first time round. It sucks if you ask me. Only too often, this becomes the norm and folk become Yo-Yo Slimmers, Drinkers and worst of all Negative-Thinkers. My advice is always to look ahead with a blue-sky attitude - where the possibilities of life far outweigh the Kryptonite that’s attacking your innermost thoughts. Thinking about successfully completing the next 24hrs in your quest to become the ‘Real’ you is all that matters. 

8. Termination...

And when you are FREE, you’ll look back and wonder why you ever got so addicted. Why Booze, Drugs or Food became such an emotional crutch and such a problem. You might not even know you are a ‘Terminator’ - I didn’t. I set off on my journey just seeing if I could complete a day, a month and then a year. In truth my obsession to do something has become an obsession not to do it ever again - I never thought I'd say that. A positive outcome from a dark time that’s now hidden in the vaults right at the back of my mind that’s now covered in a layer of positivity and achievements that mask any notion of a Stage 6 Failure. These thoughts now encourage me to help those who find themselves in a similar predicament - you know who you are.

But of you are 'Addicted', let the battle begin. 'Addiction' or 'Compulsive Behaviour' of any kind eats away at the soul. Each morning, getting up with the best of intentions until things go wrong or having a shitty day at work. Well, staying strong in these moments, that’s the key to success as it’s easier to live life 'Addiction' free when things are going well. That's what makes you Strong, Resilient and a 'WINNER'.

And if any of the above rings true, well it’s time for 'Change'. Time to be free of the ‘Burden of Addiction’. Time to be AWESOME - Amen.

1,025 Marathons - 248 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records

Stairs - INXS

10 Shades of Grey

'Take one step, out the door'...

Martin Luther King, Jr. said 'Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase' - it’s a wonderful quote. One I often hear is ‘taking the first step is the hardest’ - no wonder Neil Armstrong called his, 'A giant leap for mankind'. 

I love a good quote and faith plays a great part in anything we do, as does commitment which I believe we can measure – I do this with my ‘Ten Levels of Commitment’.

Look around, for a whole lot more…

Let’s face it, more and more of us are out there looking around for the magical life-ingredient that will make our life simply perfect for ourselves and those around us. Our modern, ‘Trip-Adviser-World’ rates everything from a Holiday to a Toaster as a rating out of 10 so I’ve made my levels match with a reasoning to why I believe folk fail or succeed in their approach towards their goal.

We make decisions all day, every day. A simple series of ‘zeroes and ones’. We get an idea. Become obsessed and set off to varying degrees of success – So why is this?

0 – ‘Over my Dead Body’…

Hmm, no wonder it’s a BIG fat ZERO. To me it means there is no way on God’s Earth you could ever make or even encourage me to do something. Triathlons, eating Tuna and listening Barry Manilow immediately come to my mind but then as you know, I’m an all or nothing kinda guy and the ‘Zero’ for ‘Over my Dead Body’ reflects the whitest, snow-white, white you could ever imagine. On my shades of GREY – 0 is my WHITE (Grey being a mix of Black and White. White being 100% White 0% Black and Black vice versa if you get my drift).

1 – ‘I just can’t see myself doing that’…

Well if you can’t – no one else will. Having a clear picture of yourself undertaking a feat or crossing the finish line of a race is sometimes all the belief you’ll ever need to achieve the success you desire. But let’s face it, if you don’t believe you have what it takes, it’s very hard for anyone to ‘Project’ that feeling onto you. It’s nearly always only a marginal success that’s achieved when it happens and using a ‘Neil Armstrong’ analogy, he’d never have set off for the moon, let alone walked on it.

2 – ‘There’s nothing you could do to make me do that’…

Now to me that means that you could do whatever is tasked of you, but you simply don’t want to do it. It’s more of a kind of protest statement. And whenever I’ve heard it said, I’ve shut up shop and lowered my expectations of the 2/10 situation as let’s face it, making that kind of mindset remotely positive is extremely unlikely and will never reach the ‘Level of Commitment’ needed to achieve the success I’d be looking for.

3 – ‘My Partner, Husband/Wife doesn’t want me doing that’…

Now, that always sounds like an excuse to me or a case of avoiding a difficult conversation with the other half. In levels 9 & 10 this wouldn’t be an option but ‘Giving in’, is a simple way of undermining your own self-confidence by not wanting to ‘Rock-the-Boat’ and leads to frustration and a feeling of ‘Minority Mediocrity’. I believe everyone has a desire, even a need to achieve. Making a mark on the world and a leaving a personal legacy has always been something that I’ve had foremost in my mind and I now see this in a lot of the folk I meet and coach.

4 – Really?

That’s the answer I get a lot when I’m looking at people’s fitness stats and ability. An ‘Ability Disbelief’ we’ll call it. A simple case of someone not knowing what they are capable of. I love the Malcom Gladwell principle that says 10,000 hours of ‘deliberate practice’ are needed to become world-class in any field. When psychologists talk about deliberate practice, they mean practicing in a way that pushes your skill set as much as possible. I mean, are people that are superb musicians or artists, the best naturally or have they simple done the time? It’s an interesting and well-argued concept but it does highlight that we tend to concentrate on things we like or enjoy to become our obsession or lifestyle. I’m sure there are plenty more capable musicians, artists and athletes in this world - it’s just that these attributes have never been discovered perhaps. Really? Yes, Really.

5 – Maybe? Maybe Not…

50:50 is never a safe bet is it? A simple coin-toss. Heads or Tails? I’m never convinced folk have got what it takes when I hear such an ambivalent comment, it’s almost a double-negative in my book. A ‘Mid-Tone Grey’, dreary shade suggesting a state of complete indecisiveness of true commitment. It marks the point I find most frustrating in folk but maybe most folk also find it just as annoying in themselves – you be the judge.

6 – I’m on it…

Or are you? Okay we’ve reached that 60% ‘Level of Commitment’ but it’s still a long way from anything being signed, sealed and delivered. The ‘I’m on it’ comment speaks volumes to me. It usually means that the intention is there but the enthusiasm is lacking – along with any action on making it happen. I believe ‘I’m on it’ doesn’t mean happening in the present – it’s more of a future tense happening. A kind of ‘thanks for reminding me as I know I haven’t done anything about it yet’. I remember some School Summer Holiday homework having the ‘I’m on it’ appeal – don’t you?

7 – I’m giving it everything I’ve got…

Only you’re not. Even though you are attaining what I would call a high ‘Pass Mark’. And yes, your degree might say ‘First Class Honours’, it’s still a long way from being truly exceptional. I don’t think anyone would be happy buying a 7/10 rated TV or HiFi when there are 8, 9 or even 10/10 performers to choose from. I’d say 7/10 is ‘Good’ but not ‘Good Enough’ if you look at a 70% Grey – it’s still VERY Grey and not very Black. That says it all to me.

8 – There’s not a lot more I can do…

If there isn’t, well maybe you’ve misjudged your Level 10. I’m not sure anything is ever perfect and even when I thought I’d given things everything I’d ever got, there was always a niggling thought that I could have done more. Anyone that has ever done a VO2 Max test on a Treadmill, where it goes quicker and quicker and the gradient increases will have had the thought that they could have done a few more steps before hitting the emergency stop button. It tells me that there’s always something more you can do to get the most out of your inner-self.

9 – Nothing can stop me…

I love it! Nothing will stop you, if you’ve gone the extra mile – given it everything you’ve got and been ‘on it’ right from the start. 9/10 is pretty dark – a dark charcoal grey – a near black and for some it’s the ceiling of their ability and an extremely satisfying position to find yourself in. If you’re a gambler – it’s a ‘Dead Cert’ – a winning Lottery ticket. For those that follow one of my 12-Week Training Plans or ULTRAdiet, well you are going to succeed as it’s ‘Green Lights’ all the way. Nothing will stop you when you hit the ‘Nothing can stop me’ phase.

 10 – Whatever the Cost…

How Black is your Black? Just how dark can you make it? Is your Eclipse Full or only partial? As a young boy (Aged 7) I knew I’d see the Solar Eclipse at Land’s End in 1999 (Aged 37) – ‘Whatever the Cost’, and I did. It was Black too (but sadly cloudy boo-hoo) but I lived out a 30 year dream. A pledge made as a boy that if I was still alive when I was an old man, I kept. A most satisfying moment in my lifetime along with many, many more situations and achievements that have come my way.

They haven’t come from being anything less than an eight perhaps and I can think of many things that have had to suffer so that the ‘Nines and Tens’ have happened. Sure there are things I’ve given my all to and they’ve failed but I’m honest enough to own up to my own failings and ‘Levels of Commitment’. Maybe they weren’t all as high as I’d thought.

For you, take some time to see how you measure up and maybe reaffirm your ‘Level of Commitment’ to whatever is driving you on to succeed right now.

Are you a 5, 8, 9 or even 10 – I’d love to know?

1,024 Marathons - 248 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records

Begin Again - Knife Party

A Chocolate Box Viewpoint...

Knife Party are an Australian electronic music duo comprising Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen, two members of the drum and bass band Pendulum (One of my favourite bands if you know me well). 'Begin Again' is the stand-out track from their debut album, 'Abandon Ship'. Take a look and see if you get my vibe for today's blog about my thoughts about the creating your future-self.

‘Is there somewhere else to be, is there another way to feel’…

You see, for a lot of people they can’t see a future. Any change from their current situation is completely unthinkable and there’s no possible way out of their current ‘Life-Treacle’. Sure, we can find ourselves unhappily driven down a one way street without a hope of finding reverse but there is always a solution and a different viewpoint that can produce some positive vibes and a ‘Get out of Jail Free’ solution. Sometimes, we tend to go with the flow and act in the way we expect people would expect – especially in these days of social media, but I believe a more candid self-assessment works wonders in building a brighter future.

‘The lost pieces all over, getting closer’…

Oh, I do love a jigsaw reference in a blog and here goes – You see, I truly believe we try to live out life far too perfectly – trying to build the perfect ‘Chocolate Box’ jigsaw picture when in reality a lot of the pieces are missing or are jumbled up from other puzzles. To fix this in myself, I relate every day to being a piece of a life-long jigsaw of unlimited pieces that I’ve been slowly building these past 9,000 days - The ‘Ultimate 9,000 piece Jigsaw so far’

‘Hold up your hands and begin again, hold up your hands when you reach the end’…

Knowing when to start the rebuilding process, well there’s the rub. It’s far too easy to immediately say, ‘Right NOW’, ‘This is IT’ or ‘This is MY time’ – I believe it takes a proper in-depth thought process to grab the right time and approach to really make things happen – that’s when you hold your hands up and begin again. A positive, deep thought process on a ‘Not today decision’ always works wonders, making things up as you go along or going with the flow doesn’t produce good long-term results I’ve found.

‘We live and we work and we die for it, we know our path and we fight for it’…

And there’s the commitment, the die-hard approach. The knowledge that whatever happens, nothing and I mean NOTHING will ever challenge or change your thought process on whatever direction you are taking. I don’t know about you but I’m a fighter. I fight for what I believe. In my experience whatever happens, wherever we find ourselves, no matter how dire a situation is – you CAN ‘Begin Again’ – Amen.

1,024 Marathons - 248 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records