Biggest Ever Loser...

I'm so happy that I have a new Biggest Loser in my Coleman Coaching Clients Portfolio. Since June 2020, Miss D has lost a massive 48.1kgs (7.6st) so far. And with 15.4kgs (2.5st) still to go, I'm keeping Miss D's identity under wraps until she reaches her goal of losing 63.5kgs (10st) - That's when the world will hear how during lockdown someone took the opportunity of upping their game and changed their life forever.

As you can tell, I'm super impressed and already amazed at the transformation that Miss D has undertaken both physically and mentally , whilst many people in the UK have lost the plot and found the biscuit barrel, whilst working from home during Covid.

Miss D is one of many success stories and you might seen how recently, Mitchell and Richard also upped their game.

Mitchell

Richard

Now, if you've slacked and stacked in recent months and want to shape up please contact me and find out how I can help. 

Marathons 1,083  Ultras 255  9 Guinness World Records  15 Marathon des Sables

Ray of Light - Madonna

‘She's got herself a universe gone quickly, for the call of thunder threatens everyone’ – Ciccone, Curtiss, Leach & Maldoon.

I’ve always really connected with Madonna’s 1998 ‘Ray of Light’ album and especially, the title track of the same name. On a random playlist, I listened as I ran my hour of daily exercise near my home, earlier today. It seemed particularly apt as the sun was shining on a beautiful Spring Day in Cardiff. In any other time it would simply be the heralding in of a much needed Spring. Today it heralded the one thing that everyone the world over is hoping for – HOPE and a ‘Ray of Light’ that will get us through the dark times we all face ahead.

Let’s face it, with so much illness and death in the news, it can’t get much darker can it?… So what’s going to get us through?

I believe the ‘Ray of Light’ we will need has to come from within. The ability to adapt to change and the strength to keep fighting no matter what happens, combined with the flexibility of mind to new thoughts, ideas and routines will have to become a reality for anyone hoping to overcome the greatest threat to mankind in living memory.

Survival will not only depend on our state of health but also our state of mind. The desire to adapt to a new world as yet unknown will not only define us, it will challenge us to our limits as we try and rebuild our future past. A past that will never be the same. 

Things will be different. Things have already changed for instance, when this is over:-

• Will Pubs and Restaurants ever be the same? 
• Will Business meetings still need to be face-to-face?
• Will People continue to work from home?
• Will the NHS ever recover?

Sharp questions – but hand on heart I believe that things will change and slowly recover. I also believe that and any glimmer of an inner ‘Ray of Light’ will help us adapt to a better ‘Coronavirus Recovery’. Forgetting the politicians and endless newscasts - being ahead of the ‘Doom and Gloom Curve’ will make everyone’s day brighten up – and we can at last be #backstronger. Until then keep safe, stay healthy and be patient as  we all ‘wait for the time when Earth shall be as one’.

Amen.

1,052 Marathons - 255 Ultras - 9 Guinness World Records - 15 Marathon des Sables

& 26 Year's Dry

‘The Key to Success’ and where to get one?

Well, if only Google could point us in the right direction or Amazon deliver – then we’d all be fulfilled, wouldn’t we? But finding ‘The Key to Success’ just isn’t that simple is it? Every January, people think about the year that’s passed and think about one that lies ahead, often making New Year Resolutions that they hope will shape their future and deliver the right level of desired ‘Life-Success and Fulfilment’.

However, apparently 88% of those who set those New Year’s Resolutions fail. And judging by that statistic your 2020 resolutions are already just a speck in your rear-view mirror and it’s only January 5^th – what on earth happened? Were they even possible? Were they empty promises? Were you new to the concept?

You see, ‘The New Year Resolution’ isn’t a new concept as the Babylonians and Romans made then to used to make similar promises at the start of their New Year and I wonder if they had a better success rate than 12%. Who knows eh? – But I bet they did, don’t you?

So why are we so rubbish at sticking to our New Year Resolutions today? Maybe it’s a lack of:-

Desire

Well if there’s only a 12% pass rate that most people are aware of – why even bother? I mean who is going to gamble against that kind of odds? How many people can actually say they’ve made and kept to their promise of January 1 for a whole year or longer?

Ambition

It’s normally set astronomically high – to an impossible goal. Or one that’s so easy, that it’s not even a challenge. For instance, a non-swimmer pledging to swim the channel against a non-drinker pledging to do ‘Dry January’ is a perfect example of the dichotomy of the Resolution. FYI, Swimming the Channel missed my list this year again and I’m determined to keep it that way beyond 2020.

Determination

And talking of determination – I believe, People give in far too easily. I mean what’s the point if you are going to give up within a few days or even within a few hours of the New Year. Most resolutions are food, smoking or alcohol abstinence based and with a 22% going cold turkey pass rate on smoking alone at any time of the year – it’s not surprising that even January 2nd sees even the most determined on January 1st reach out for a crafty biscuit, beer or cigarette.

Peer Pressure

This is a real bugbear for me as determination isn’t usually projected from those around us – it’s usually the complete opposite. I’ve lost count over my years of sobriety at how many times I’ve been offered ‘just the one, as one won’t hurt’, when it’s been well known that I’ve been upholding a resolution since 1994.

Promise

You see, the promises that are made aren’t strong enough. There’s no retribution or punishment from caving into craving, just a brief feeling of self-failure – without the grief. And the quickly forgotten resolution, remains forgotten until the following January to be remembered and forgotten once again.

So, you ask, what’s the answer? Well the answer to ‘The Key to Success’, is YOU. But then I expect you’d already guessed I’d say that. If you want to get one, well that’s down to how much you want whatever it is you desire or however much you want to change – It’s kinda Easy when it’s put that way. Yes, easy to say but downright impossible if you don’t have all the ingredients of success to hand and have the right recipe. 

An impossible task when the ingredients and the recipe aren’t known.

But it’d not all gloom here. Tom Hanks made it up the beach against all odds in Saving Private Ryan and we have a 12% success rate here, so it’s not impossible to achieve your dreams. You just need to want it more than anything else in the world. A lot more. And as one of the people that can hand on heart, shout out a story of a New Year Resolution Story of Success, then I can only say that it’s my greatest achievement to date in all of my 57 years and it will continue being that way to the grave as I’m never, ever going to break my 26 years (9496 days) today, clean run of alcohol abstinence.

Looking at the New Year with a fresh 2020 vision and with Desire, Ambition and Determination all at record levels, I’m going to continue with my Resolution of 1994 and would love to hear of your plans both for the year ahead and for your continued Resolution Success. 

And if you are planning for some changes to your current behavioural process and need some help in keeping to your new Resolution, then I’m here to help as I’m pretty good at doing that.

Become a 12% Winner this Year!

1,050 Marathons, 255 Ultras, 9 Guinness World Records, 15 Marathon des Sables

25 Years' of Marathon Running & 26 Years' Nicotine and Alcohol-Free 

Selling England by the Pound...

I find it fascinating that folk believe they can actually BUY a Brighter Future. In my experience and in the lives of those I meet, it’s a frustratingly unrealistic and a totally impossible and implausible realistic goal. 

It’s pure fantasy…

You see Brighter Futures are CREATED. Not overnight, as some kind of ‘Black Friday Deal’, (you know the ones that don’t actually exist and are actually there all year round but that we are led to believe will only be there today, by Amazon etc. to boost sales and empty our pre-Christmas pockets thinking we’ve bought a bargain). – When we haven’t).

Well, that’s how I see trying to BUY a brighter future. As some kind of ‘Black Friday Deal’ where consistent hard work over an extended period of time that delivers long-term success and true satisfaction is replaced by trying to achieve the same results using money as the prime driver and not the sheer power of determination.

Who can honestly say that having a House/Car/Holiday bought for them is satisfying as saving up and buying it themselves? That first House/Car/Holiday purchase I found to be far sweeter…

Sure, get some guidance, help and encouragement along the way but a Brighter Future has to be earned and can’t be bought. It’s there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. You don’t have to go online or wait for 29^th November or the Boxing Day Sales to get a bargain. It’s there EVERY day - you just need to reach out, decide for yourself and make it happen.

There’s no need to read endless customer reviews and you won’t find it searching Google - it’s already there between your ears - without a subscription, with a Life-Time Guarantee of 100% Satisfaction.

So, what’s stopping you? – Stop reading this and get your Brighter Future right now. 

It’s just a thought away.

Amen

1,049 Marathons - 255 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records

Gold - Spandau Ballet

Sporting Greatness...

Watching this video brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye and I’ll be honest and say I watched it a couple of times – a great soundtrack from M83 to accompany it too. You see, sport provides an amazing platform where people can perform and as spectators we’re lucky to be able to watch every second as it happens. Witness every bead of sweat in hi-res. Watch the highs, the lows and the simple joy of life-long dedication being realised in a split second.

My favourite sporting event, the Olympics are just 246 days away in Tokyo – where for some it will present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to succeed. An opportunity to become a household name, a role models and a national treasure or an also ran if it all goes wrong. Success and Failure on a knife-edge, hanging by a thread – that’s why I love it so much.

A proper life-moment to savour for the those who will be standing on the podium for sure…

But for the mere mortal that will certainly never compete at such a level, what can we take from the efforts of those taking gold, silver or bronze? Or for that matter anyone we see or know that is outstanding in their field of relativity. Sure it takes commitment, devotion and single-mindedness but it also takes 'Ingredient X' - the desire to WIN. We tell our children to share and that it's the taking part that matters - hmm I wonder what Usain Bolt might say about that? - I know what Sir Ranulph would say.

David Coleman's famous commentary at the 1968 Olympics went as follows - 'Hemery takes the gold, in second place Hennige and who cares who's third?' - John Sherwood might as he was the bronze medallist, that day? Anyway, Crammy certainly won't get away with that kind of comment next year - yet life just isn't like that is it?

Or is it for you?

Are you just taking part? Making up the numbers? Well for the record I'm not. I'm out there going for Gold every day in everything I do - making the most out of every opportunity. Making my own 'YouTube' highlights package of life-moments I can look back on in years to come and feel proud of - but then I've been probably hard-wired that way. 

Being surrounded by high-achievers at an early age spring-boarded my path for sure. Being the best at something really helped with my education from 1973-80 I can tell you - everyday was an Olympic challenge and I loved it.

So are you winning Gold today? Will you be adding to your own ''YouTube' highlights package' over the next 24hrs, 7 days or even in the year ahead... It's worth a thought.

1,048 Marathons - 255 Ultras - 15 Marathon des Sables - 9 Guinness World Records