In 1928, a young nursing student called Isabel Smith received news that would change her life. She was diagnosed with tuberculosis. At the time, tuberculosis was one of the most feared diseases in the world. For many people, the diagnosis was effectively
Over the years, I have studied hundreds of famous people who have overcome enormous difficulties and setbacks. Sportspeople. Business leaders. Explorers. Entrepreneurs. Their stories are inspirational, and I have always been fascinated by how they found the mental resilience to keep going
In 2010, aged 56, I thought my life had fallen apart. I lived in Sheffield in a house that was worth less than I owed on it. For years, I had lived by a simple philosophy without even realising it: Pleasure first. Pain
This week, I had the privilege of delivering my Mental Resilience Masterclass to students at Derby College as part of their Higher Education Induction. The students were beginning Foundation Degrees and BA (Hons) Top-Up programmes across a wide range of subjects,
This week, I received an email from one of my coaching clients that really touched me. It made me stop and think. And it confirmed something I have been feeling for some time. Making coaching a bigger part of my business is absolutely
At 25, I became a professional basketball player. I left Nottingham and moved to Sunderland, where the club had a large house that I shared with three American players. I was living my dream. The Americans trained with weights every day at the
My wife Julie came across this amazing story and said, “This would make a great blog.” She was right. Sometimes the greatest lessons in resilience come from the most unlikely places. This one comes from a pigeon. His name was Cher Ami. AN UNLIKELY WARTIME
Sometimes the biggest opportunities in life come from the most unexpected relationships. And sometimes, when you make a mistake, you have to go the extra mile to put it right. I first met Category Director Energy Marcel Devereaux in 2017 when he
Last week, I had the great pleasure of delivering my Productivity Masterclass to a Vistage group led by Chair Chris Charnock for the first time. It was one of the hottest days of the year, but thankfully both my hotel and
Sometimes the person we underestimate is simply doing things differently from how we would. I regularly work on my business for a few hours at a time in a local café. It has recently been refurbished, it’s air-conditioned and, particularly in the
Some things become more valuable because they have been broken. That may be true of people as well. I had the privilege of delivering two Mental Resilience Masterclasses at Tattershall Lakes Resort, thanks to Resort Director David Little, whom I first met
There are some phone calls you never forget. This was one of them. Around seven years ago, I was delivering Mental Resilience Masterclasses around the UK for a training company. We’d built a great relationship over several years, and everything was going
Last week, I travelled to deliver my Productivity Masterclass to a fantastic group of business leaders. The evening before the event, I met with the Chair over dinner. We chatted about business, leadership and the plans for the following day. Then, almost
Last week, a cancelled train taught me one of the biggest lessons in productivity I’ve experienced in years. Unexpectedly, I discovered it while travelling to deliver my Productivity Masterclass to a fantastic Vistage group in London, led by Chair Laura Gordon. The
At 72 years of age, I’m still learning. I’m still changing. And I’m still improving. Perhaps the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that no matter how experienced we become, there is always room to grow. Recently, I had the privilege of delivering my Mental
Last week, I had the privilege of delivering my new “Thriving Under Pressure” Mental Resilience Masterclass to the leadership team at Lake District Estates. It was one of those days that reminded me that resilience isn’t just about overcoming adversity yourself.
Last week, I had the pleasure of delivering two Mental Resilience Masterclasses for the Rolls-Royce team led by Programme and Portfolio Executive Dan Sanders. The sessions focused on helping people develop the mindset and practical tools needed to cope with change,
Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the Rothera Bray LLP Annual Conference, held at the beautiful Nottingham Arts Theatre. The event brought together colleagues from across the business to celebrate the firm’s continued growth, recognise achievements, and look
In life, we often think it is the big decisions that shape our future. Yet sometimes a simple introduction to another person can change everything. Back in 2007, I was introduced to Dave Clarke by a mutual friend, Chris Payne. Dave was
This week, I had the privilege of delivering my new Confidence for Presentations Masterclass to 15 Partners at Rothera Bray Solicitors in Nottingham. It was an engaging, thought-provoking session that generated some wonderful discussion, reflection, and personal breakthroughs. Public speaking remains
Complaining is something most of us do without even realising it. We complain about traffic, work pressure, difficult people, technology, lack of time, and everyday frustrations. Yet the more we complain, the more negative our thinking becomes. I once read a powerful
Around four years ago, I had the pleasure of delivering my Mental Resilience Masterclass to one of Vistage Chair Peter Hills’ groups. That was where I first met David Little. David was a member of the group at the time
This week, I had the privilege of delivering my Productivity Breakthrough Masterclass to a CEO Vistage group led by the outstanding Vistage Chair, Peter Hills. It was a special experience for many reasons. I had delivered this session to another of Peter’s
Last weekend, over the Early May Bank Holiday, I had the privilege of spending four unforgettable days with Kevin Kerley at his beautiful villa in Spain. It was one of those experiences that reminds you just how important people are in