Merry Christmas! 

This week, I had the great pleasure of meeting with John Wilgar, the Chief Procurement Officer, and Marie Gresko, the Procurement Process Improvements Manager at NSG Pilkington Glass, to discuss 2024 and enjoy lunch together.
 
I have loved working with NSG both here and in Germany, and I look forward to even more involvement next year. John and Marie have been wonderful clients, and I have really enjoyed the relationship we have established.
 
 
Rolls Royce
 
It was a wonderful experience to meet with Steve Hendry, Manufacturing Executive, and Louise Clarke, Operations Planning Executive at Rotatives Rolls Royce, in Derby this week. I have loved working with Rolls Royce this year, and we discussed several opportunities in 2024.
 
I presented Mental Resilience Masterclass 1 to two of their teams a couple of weeks ago, and the feedback was excellent. On the back of that, we are discussing more opportunities to inspire and help their staff handle stress more effectively and build outstanding personal mental resilience.
 
It gives me immense pleasure to help people, so to be in a position in my work to do this is a dream come true. I don’t take this for granted, and I would love to continue to do this well into my 80’s.
 
 
So many great people
 
I didn’t have room to thank everyone in my last blog, so I would like to honour someone I have known for quite a few years, who has been a wonderful client and now a friend. I first met Dennis O’Connor when he saw me speak at a conference, and we instantly connected. He then booked me to deliver my Masterclass to his team in Dublin, and we have worked together many times since.
 
Another person who helped me in my early days is Kevin Kerley, who was the Chair of an Academy for Chief Executives group. He booked me to speak to his group several times and helped me improve my masterclass. He spent his time helping me without anything in return, and that is something I won’t forget.
 
 
Yet more!
 
Thanks also to Chrissie Draper from Derby College, who opened the door to many bookings for the College, where I continue to help staff and students. I also really appreciate the bookings I have received from Vistage Chair Nathan Farrugia in Malta and Dubai. I have really enjoyed the travel and the delivery of these sessions.  
 
I am grateful to Patrick Barnes from Monatgu in Gibraltar for the booking and to Brian Dawes, the Applus Executive Vice President of Middle East, Africa and India, for the booking in Dubai. Also, thanks to Matthew Hayes from the speaking agency Champions for the speaking engagements and the joy of working with your organisation.
 
Finally, I would like to thank Robin Wells, whom I met in Dubai a few years ago and someone I have kept in touch with. He is a successful man who has achieved much in life and is very humble and caring. His latest achievement is manufacturing an all-British sports car in the UK, fulfilling a long-held dream.
 
 
An end to a great year
 
I cannot believe that it’s already the end of 2023. It seems like yesterday when I created my Dream Board for 2023! Between Christmas and New Year, I will create my Dream Board for 2024. This is an exciting time for me as I take time to think about what I really want to appear in my life over the next 12 months.
 
I create a new Dream Board every year and every day; I visualise these amazing things on my Dream Board appearing in my life and how that feels. I do this every morning, and I love this start to the day when I relax, meditate, visualise and spend time reflecting and thinking about the day ahead.
 
What a great way to start each day where I take time to plan and ponder. This time allows me to think deeply, and I often think of things regarding my business or personal life that I wouldn’t otherwise think about. These thoughts often lead directly to actions which help me achieve extraordinary things.
 
 
What a great way to start each day!
 
This visualisation of my Dreams raises my motivation, and I can feel my energy levels increase because what we think about is what we feel. As I think about the fantastic things I am visualising, feel-good neurotransmitters Dopamine and Serotonin are released into my bloodstream, and like eating chocolate, I feel great.
 
Using this newfound motivation and energy, I start the day positively, leading to better results. This is a great way to start the day, and I recommend spending a bit of time first thing in the morning relaxing, thinking, visualising, planning and praying if you have faith.
 
I came across this motivational story of someone homeless and without hope, but something inside of him didn’t accept his situation, and slowly but surely, he dug himself out of the hole he found himself in.
 
 
Homeless and without hope
 
Eric Thomas, a renowned motivational speaker, is a living testament to the power of resilience and determination. Born and raised in Detroit, USA, Thomas faced immense challenges early in life, finding himself homeless on the unforgiving streets of the city.
 
However, it was within the shadows of adversity that Thomas discovered his inner strength and the potential for transformation. With an unwavering commitment to change his circumstances, Thomas began to harness the power of education.
 
He returned to school and earned his General Educational Development (GED) diploma, marking the initial steps in his journey towards a brighter future. Despite his daunting hurdles, Thomas’s tenacity and passion for learning led him to pursue higher education.
 
Driven by an insatiable hunger for knowledge and personal development, Eric Thomas embarked on the remarkable journey to obtain a PhD in Education. This achievement symbolised his academic prowess and his ability to transcend the limitations imposed by his early hardships.
 
Dr. Eric Thomas emerged as a living embodiment of the idea that one’s past does not define one’s future. Having conquered homelessness and academic pursuits, Thomas transitioned into a motivational powerhouse. His compelling life story, combined with his charismatic speaking style, resonates with audiences worldwide.
 
Through his electrifying speeches, Thomas imparts valuable life lessons, urging individuals to overcome their own challenges and embrace the limitless possibilities that lie within their grasp.
 
Today, as a sought-after motivational speaker, author, and educator, Dr. Eric Thomas continues to inspire millions with his story of triumph over adversity. His journey serves as a beacon of hope, encouraging others to believe in their potential and turn their dreams into reality, regardless of the obstacles they may encounter along the way.
 
 
It’s never too late
 
It is never too late to get it right. I thought my life was effectively over when I was 60 years of age, £40,000 in debt, single, unemployed and living with my mum. But my life wasn’t over, and bit by bit over the past nine years, I have used mental resilience and my faith to bounce back continually, and as a result, I have been blessed with a fantastic business and a wonderful wife.
 
Gratitude is very powerful, and if you create a habit of gratitude, you will find that your life starts to improve. Don’t wait until you have everything you want in life, but start being grateful for the few things you do have. As you do this, your life will improve on many levels. I know because this is precisely what I did, and my life continues to improve.
 
 
Thought for the week 

1. Who in your life are you grateful for?
2. Spend this week thinking back and see if anyone has blessed you in any way.
3. As you do this, you will experience warm and pleasant feelings because gratitude releases the feel-good Neurotransmitters Dopamine and Serotonin into your bloodstream.
4. Perhaps this last week of 2023, you can commit to developing a habit of gratitude in 2024 to experience for yourself the amazing transformative power this has. 

 
Well, that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful weekend, and Merry Christmas!
 
Warmest regards

John