Personal Coaching Blog

The New Year is one of the most popular times of year for people to set goals – New Year’s Resolutions… This quote puts it all in perspective doesn’t it?

If you want a second chance at THIS year’s New Year’s Resolutions <- Click here.

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“I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations
with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is
because escape is easier than change.”
- Jim Rohn

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This quote was provided to me by the Gourmet Guardian, Gavin Buckett.

If you’ve created a Fantasy board / dream board / Vision Board… Then you might want to cut and paste this photo. It’s one of the many techniques I teach clients to help them reach their goals and live their dream. It all starts in the mind – whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve… That’s classic Norman Vincent Peale positive thinking. If you come across anything else like this, of course PLEASE SHARE!

Today’s blog post was sent to me by Toni Fitzgerald of Purpose Marketing. It’s an inspirational and motivational message that is worth sharing. Download it now and share it with friends and family! If you come across anything like this, please share it with me. I have thousands of blog readers and subscribers who love to get access to stuff like this!

Click Here to download the New Year New Destiny Message in PDF format

The new year is a great time to do – New Year’s Resolutions. In fact, I have a 52-week program that can help you achieve your New Year’s Resolutions more easily, but that’s not the purpose of today’s post. As author Bryce Courtenay explains in his bestseller, The Power Of One, it’s all about “One idea, one heart, one mind, one plan, one determination.”

Furthermore, “The power of one is above all things the power to believe in yourself, often well beyond any latent ability you may have previously demonstrated. The mind is the athlete; the body is simply the means it uses to run faster or longer, jump higher, shoot straighter, kick better, swim harder, hit further, or box better. First with the head, then with the heart, you’ll be ahead from the start was more than simply mixing brains with guts. It meant thinking well beyond the powers of normal concentration and then daring your courage to follow your thoughts.”

That should be powerful enough to get you motivated to start writing your New Year’s Resolutions right now, or if you’ve already written them down, review them and take ONE action to making them a reality. Get to it!

New Year’s Resolutions… they are aspirational, yet often vague and almost always corrective. People promise to spend more time with family, get fit, lose weight, quit smoking, reduce debt, consume less alcohol… yet just end up cataloguing the failings of the past year. As with most customs, New Year’s Resolutions are observed in gesture only, not followed up nor followed through. It’s a reflexive act rather than one of resolution or commitment.

People have been making New Year’s Resolutions since the time of ancient Rome, when the Julian Calendar was adopted in 45 BC. January 1 was introduced as the first day of the year after the Roman God, Janus (pictured left). Janus was the God of beginnings and endings, represented with two faces looking toward the future as well as the past.

Romans, believing that the gods witnessed the failures and shortcomings of the past year made promises to rectify the situation in the next year ahead.

Not surprisingly, 88 percent of New Year’s Resolutions fail. One of the reasons is that people tend to make the same ones over and over and over again without conviction or belief they can really change. Statistically, it takes up to 10 attempts to change which is well beyond most people’s attention span let alone level of discipline to make the change a reality.

Alarmingly, research shows that 25% of 1 out of every 4 people give up in the first WEEK.

So why is the prognosis so poor? One reason is that success is limited, yet most people (wrongly) believe it is achievable (when statistically it’s not – only 1 person can win a Gold Medal amongst hundreds of competitors).

Take quitting smoking as an example: It takes 6 to 12 attempts to stop smoking. One survey in 2008 reported that only 11%, 1 out of 9, people who set that as a New Year’s Resolution achieved their goal and stopped smoking.

There is hope – people who did achieve their New Year’s Resolutions did so, on average after 6 attempts.

To achieve your New Year’s Resolutions, you need a plan, simple as that. Ideally, you write a PLEDGE to yourself and you marshall help from others close to you who can help you. For example, if you want to get fit, get a buddy to walk or run with you, play a sport… If you want to lose weight, have family members help by reducing fatty or high calorie foods.

Without a plan, it’s simple – put your list away because nothing’s going to change. The odds are stacked against you.

Of course as you’d expect, there is a way to stack the odds in your favour… CLICK HERE -> To Make Next Year Your Best Year Ever.

This is one of the many emails I get that illustrates how the strategies I teach are so simple, yet so effective.

Hi Marc,

Just had to share with you.

The RPM/Gap Management session we did on Wed has got me so focused.  And those plastic files, so simple BUT what a difference – I’m just dying to cross everything off my lists!

Off I went to my hairdressers appointment files in hand.  In between hair colouring, setting, washing, trimming and blow-waving I literally crossed off 6 things from my list that have been waiting months and occupying mindspace. They were some outstanding appointments, claims and follow-ups.  Man – how free do I feel!?!?!

The only thing I didn’t do which would’ve been so cool was to get them to take a photo of me… Next time.

Thanks!
Lina

I’ve blogged about Dr Simons on numerous occasions quoting motivational stories his view on following your destiny and passion, his groundbreaking research on Cell Language Theory and of course some of his many Words OF Wisdom. Today’s post is an email I received from him this week…

I’m excited to show you Ann’s second art work titled “More than One Wisdom” that is hung in the Lobby of the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center  (SYSUCC) in Guangzhou, China.

Some of you have seen the “Pillar of Life” triptych that Ann created in July with two Guangzhou artists which extends over two floors below ground level in the Radiation Center of the Cancer Center. The work can be viewed at Ann’s website, ‘Gallery’-(top right, then) ‘China Collaborative’ – 40 images and at
http://www.sysucc.org.cn/news.asp?selectclassid=001004&id=1564 and
http://www.lifeofguangzhou.com/node_10/node_31/node_557/2010/07/30/128047313878895.shtml.

Since completion of “Pillar of Life”, a plaque has been erected, a picture of which I have attached.  The words are:

“This painting combines Western and Chinese styles.  The vine represents the interconnectedness of all life, reaching up towards the sun.  The branches consist of torn small pieces of DNA sequence paper; the code of life that is written in the genes of all living things.  Like the blue torn paper at the edge of the vine our lives can feel ragged and torn when we experience any change including the diagnosis of cancer which affects the lives of patients, their families and friends.  No matter how challenging, our lives are what we create out of whatever is in front of us. So we create whatever we can, looking for ways to contribute to the world during the brief time that we have on planet earth.  Ann dedicated this art work to her husband, Malcolm Simons, a cancer patient and a Professor at this Cancer Center, and to all other cancer patients. Ann and the local artists hope that this painting will contribute to the creation of a healing environment by bringing calm and comfort to patients, dedicated doctors, nurses and support staff, and helping to create a sense of hope in all who come here.”

Ann and I have just returned from a third visit to Guangzhou.  A photo taken on a Pearl River Cruise will remind some of you how young one of us remains, and how the other is so happy to be aging, just by still being here!

At her meeting with SYSUCC President Professor Zeng Yi-Xin on this last visit, Ann came up with the idea of “More Than One Wisdom” when talking about my Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment that she prepares for me.  The idea is that modern western medicine is a development from natural products having medicinal qualities.  Using materials from both Pharmacies (natural products, pill boxes, capsules, tablets, rice) and DNA paper, Ann created the work over five days that is shown in two attachments – one showing her manager assisting with erection, and the second a close up of the work.

Thank you for those of you who kindly ask how I’m travelling, now 8 years since diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma.  While Ann and I were in Guangzhou in September my myeloma broke out from a 15-month long ‘remission’ of wellness, the first hint of which was fracturing a rib by a seemingly innocuous cough.  Now, back home in Geelong, I’m reviewing experimental drugs under trial since there are no drugs remaining with proven clinical efficacy.  I’m very fortunate to have the choices that medical science continues to reveal, the privilege of which sustains my spirit.  If circumstances change for the worse, either I or Ann will notify you.  Otherwise, assume that every second of life is a joy, and any departure from complete wellness is being managed by the realisation that the alternative doesn’t bear contemplation!

Love from us both

Malcolm and Ann

Professor Malcolm Simons
MB.ChB(NZ),MD(Hons-NZ),DMedSci(UnivTokyo),FACA,FRCPA
Department of Experimental Research
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China
Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center
651 Dongfeng Road East,
Guangzhou 510060, Guangdong Province, PR CHINA
Tel: (+86)-13711316374

Corporate
Simons Haplomics Limited
Founder/Chief Scientific Officer
Room A, 7/F, China Overseas Building
139 Hennessy Road, Wanchai
Hong Kong SAR,  PR CHINA
www.haplomictechnologies.com

This is probably the best I have ever heard life explained, it’s from Daniel Doiron in Montreal, Canada.

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

“One is Evil -  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

“The other is Good -  It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Earlier this year, I spent 2 full days with squash legend, former World #1 and current world #8 David Palmer… What I learned from him has added 1-2 points to my squash game ALREADY.

We ALL need coaches, advisors, mentors, but most people focus on LACK rather than opportunity and ABUNDANCE.

The ABUNDANCE they want.

The ABUNDANCE they can create.

The ABUNDANCE that is within reach.

The ABUNDANCE that is right there, but out of sight because the focus is on something else.

The ABUNDANCE that is literally UNLIMITED and BOUNDLESS.

The ABUNDANCE that turns work into play and a life into a lifestyle.

The ABUNDANCE that is ultimate freedom and independence.

The ABUNDANCE that is the foundation of peace and serenity.

The ABUNDANCE they will never have – UNLESS they shift their focus and mindset.

You get what you focus on… So choose your target carefully!

As the story goes, when an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri.

The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? .. . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . .. . . . when you’re looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . .. not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food . .. . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . . . .. . ‘I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice .. .. . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . .. . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding .. . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking? . . .. . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am. .. . . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . . as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten .. .. .. . .. with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . who love one another.
A young boy of Sixteen . .. . . with wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . .. . . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . .. . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . .. .. . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . .. . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . .. . .. My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . .. . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. . . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman’s beside me .. . . .. … to see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children .. . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . .. . . . my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . .. . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . .. . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . and the love that I’ve known
I’m now an old man . . . .. . and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age .. . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . .. . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . .. . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . . . .. .. a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . .. . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . .. . . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few .. . . . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . .. open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer .. . . see ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too! The best and most beautiful things of this world can’t be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart.

Please note: The story about the crabby old man (in some versions described as 100 years old) is a fabrication.

The poem, titled “Too Soon Old”, was written by Dave Griffith of Fort Worth, Texas.

Griffith told TruthOrFiction.com that he wrote the poem more than 20 years ago and that he meant for it to be simple, and too the point, from youth through old age in his own personal life, high school football, Marines, marriage, the ravages of his own disabilities. Someone took the poem from his site, created a false story about it, and started it circulating on the Internet. Griffith is the author of more than 500 poems, which are posted on his personal website (Which I have not linked to since there was a notice about malware active on it – according to Google.)