Month: July 2019 Page 1 of 2

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” –  Sir Winston Churchill.

After watching a news bulletin last week, I concluded that there are lots of gloomy and negative stories around at the present time. I feel that watching news bulletins influences our mood and can lead to feelings of despondency and drain our energy.

It appears to me that many people are feeling pretty pessimistic and lacking positivity at the moment. I feel that the world needs a little more optimism and positive thinking and this will lift people’s spirits.

The quotation at the top of the blog sums up perfectly how sometimes two people can look at the same situation and see two different scenarios. One person can see a positive outcome and another see a negative conclusion.

Our perception of a situation depends upon and is shaped by the lens by which we choose to view the world. It has always been the case that some see the glass as half empty and others see it as half full.

It’s important that we pay attention to our dominant thoughts as these create our reality and what we experience in life. If we anticipate that we’ll encounter difficulty, struggle and challenge then it’s likely that’s what we will find.

Conversely, if we adopt an optimistic and positive outlook and visualise positive images and outcomes, it’s more likely that is what we find ourselves experiencing. Our imagination is powerful and can help create the world that we picture. What we believe and feel to be true is what will be our life.

It was Helen Keller who said “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

When we’re optimistic, life somehow seems brighter and easier and we feel happy, lighter and more energised.

It feels like we have an invisible force and power inside us guiding and directing us. It helps us to accomplish whatever we set our minds to do. We have a “can do” attitude and things just seem to flow effortlessly. In such circumstances we make things happen naturally.

Whilst we can’t control everything that happens in the world or the content of news bulletins, being optimistic is within our gift and control. Each day we have the opportunity to choose our attitude and outlook. If yesterday was tough and challenging, we can leave it where it is – in the past. We can’t change it, we can learn from it but we don’t have to let what happened in the past shape our future reality.

Every day truly is a new beginning and we can start it afresh and with a clean slate. If today is tough, tell yourself that tomorrow is another day. What we put out to the world is what we tend to attract, so if we want to have an amazing life, we have to start picturing ourselves doing so.

The world is full of possibility and unlimited potential. You can be whatever you want to be, do whatever you want to do and have whatever you want to have. However, first of all you have to be optimistic and believe that it’s possible and that you are deserving of whatever it is that you desire.

When you have clarity of what you would like to achieve, it’s important to take action to turn your dreams and desires into reality. When they are achieved it’s vital to count your blessings and adopt an attitude of gratitude.

There is a great story about two shoe sales people who were sent to Africa to assess if there was a market for their product. It illustrates how we can have an optimistic or pessimist outlook:

The first sales person reported back “I want to come home. This is a terrible business opportunity because no one wears shoes in this part of Africa.”

The company agreed that the sales person could return home and sent another sales person. Upon arrival, the second sales person reported back to the company. They said “There is massive potential and opportunity here as nobody wears shoes.”

The first sales person had been discouraged by what they saw and failed to see any opportunity. The second sales person looked at things in a different way. It was their view that if the villagers could be convinced of the merits and benefits of wearing shoes, there were massive sales to be made.

For me, this story simply but very powerfully illustrates that the attitude we adopt in life and the way that we view situations will ultimately shape the results that we achieve. As Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t you’re probably right.”

If we look for opportunities and solutions then we are likely to find them. On the other hand if we programme our mind to see challenges and problems then that is likely to be what we discover and encounter.

How optimistic are you in life?

This week why not pause for a few moments to reflect and ask yourself:

What situation(s) in my life would benefit from me being a little more optimistic?

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Lao Tzu.

There was a fantastic reminder last weekend from the world of sport that life is all about margins. Quite often there is often a small difference between winning and losing, success and failure, hitting or missing a target. I am sure that you can think of countless examples from your own life experiences.

Last weekend, England won the cricket world cup by beating New Zealand. After their allotted 50 overs each team tied on the same score of 241 runs. They then each had a super over and again the scores were tied with 15 runs each. A New Zealand batsman failed to complete the winning run by a matter of centimetres. The contest was settled by the number of boundaries that each team had scored (England had scored 26 against New Zealand’s 17).

So after 48 matches and over 6 weeks of competition the world cup was settled by extremely fine margins. This validated the need for constant practice to hone and perfect your skills. These skills ultimately hit the boundaries that made all the difference on that day and meant an England player’s throw prevented New Zealand completing what would have been the winning run.

On the same afternoon Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in the Men’s Wimbledon Singles tennis final. The match lasted 4 hours and 57 minutes and the two men could barely be separated. The match was decided by a tie break in the final set. Djokovic eventually won the final set 13-12.

Also on that day Lewis Hamilton won the British Motor Racing Grand Prix at Silverstone. After 52 laps of the circuit and a distance of 190 miles the winning margin was just 24.928 seconds.

There is a great example of how constant practice of skills can help give people an edge and can ultimately lead to victory and success by a fine margin. In 2003 the England Rugby team won the Rugby World Cup. They beat Australia in the final, snatching victory in the last few seconds of the game. The match was settled by a drop goal by England’s Johnnie Wilkinson.

What many people didn’t know on that day was that Wilkinson had spent the previous Christmas day practicing his kicking. Johnnie had figured that any opponent he faced in the finals would not be out practicing on Christmas Day. He figured that the little bit of extra practice and preparation may just give him the edge.

The match result proved that his theory was correct and validated his decision to do extra practice. Johnnie’s dedication to finely hone his kicking skills meant England were crowned world champions.

As all the above examples show, it can be the tiniest of margins that determine the outcome of a situation. We all sometimes mistakenly think that we have to keep taking massive action to get a result.

The fact is that small incremental steps towards a goal accumulate into massive progress when applied consistently.

One action per day applied every working day of the year, towards a specific goal amounts to 365 separate actions. Thirty minutes spent every day focused on a project or target amounts to 10,950 minutes or 182.5 hours! It somehow seems bigger when you look at it like that!

Imagine what you could achieve if you applied yourself for 182 hours, with total focus and without distraction.

You may be able to plan a new business, meet your fitness goals, complete some study, learn a new skill, write a book or complete a DIY project.

As I am writing this, I am reminded of that famous African Proverb, often attributed to Anita Roddick, Founder of Body Shop:-

‘If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito’.

This quote always reminds me to keep in mind the power of small! A small action is better than no action and you don’t achieve anything in life without some sort of action! Being “in action” is always better than “inaction.”

One per cent extra effort, action, or preparation could make all the difference to your results and life experience.

This week, why not pause for a moment to reflect and consider what small daily and weekly actions you can commit to in order to achieve a goal or dream that you may have.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” Colin Powell.

I have just returned from a holiday in Cornwall. A story from that county featured in my first book “Be First Class” which was published in 2016. It’s an excellent example of how you can turn a vision into a reality through hard work, determination and collaboration. For the blog this week, I have included the content from that chapter of the book.

During a visit to Cornwall I managed to squeeze in a visit to the Minack Theatre and watch a production. The Minack is an open-air theatre, constructed above a gully with a rocky granite outcrop jutting into the sea. It’s situated at Porthcurno which is 4 miles from Land’s End. It has inspiring and breath-taking views over the neighbouring coast line. If you’re lucky and it’s a clear night, a sunset provides a fabulous bonus to the production.

Many visitors who arrive at the Minack imagine that it was built by invading Romans but the truth is the theatre was the brainchild of Rowena Cade. Miss Cade had moved to Cornwall after the First World War and built a house for herself and her mother on land at Minack Point for £100.

The history of the theatre as stated on the theatre website is that in 1929, a local village group of players had staged Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a nearby meadow at Crean, repeating the production the next year. They decided that their next production would be The Tempest. While Rowena Cade did think of offering her garden to stage “The Tempest” there really was nowhere to seat an audience.

Always resourceful she prospected alternatives, one of which was on the opposite side of the bay. Then, looking into the gully above the Minack rock she said “I wonder if we could make a stage here?” With the benefit of decades of hindsight and with her remarkable theatre spread out below, the answer was clearly “Yes!”

Over the course of six months and during a harsh winter, Miss Cade and her gardener, Billy Rawlings, made a terrace and rough seating, hauling materials down from the house or up via the winding path from the beach below. In 1932, The Tempest was performed with the sea as a dramatic backdrop, to great success. Miss Cade resolved to improve the theatre, working over the course of the winter months each year throughout her life (with the help of Billy Rawlings and Charles Angove) so that others might perform each summer.

Over the next seven years there were many improvements and extensions. Then, with the coming of World War II, it seemed as though all the back-breaking work might have been wasted. When peace returned, Rowena looked out over a ravaged theatre. It had been reduced back to what it had been in 1932. However, with great determination Rowena slowly brought the Minack magic back to life, working on improving and developing the theatre for over 50 years.

Looking at pictures now, it’s remarkable what she and her two helpers achieved. Apparently she worked each winter in all weathers until she was in her mid-eighties. When she died, just short of her ninetieth birthday, she was still thinking of the future. She left elaborate sketches suggesting how the Theatre might be covered on the days when it rains.

This frail looking lady must have had tremendous strength and determination to achieve her vision. It’s quite remarkable what she managed to create and leave as a legacy.It’s a facility that has thousands of visitors each year and brings pleasure to many who are grateful for Rowena’s work and perseverance.

After visiting the theatre, a few things occurred to me about the power of having a personal vision and goal setting in general. I have shared these thoughts below:-

• When you set a goal or have a personal vision, you have no comprehension of the potential impact it can have on hundreds of thousands of people and the positive ripple it can create.
• It’s incredible what a few committed individuals with a common purpose (working without machinery) can achieve. Truly remarkable and inspiring.
• When you have a vision it require lots of determination and perseverance to help you overcome obstacles and set-backs that you encounter along the way.
• Your commitment and resolve will be tested but when you meet and conquer the adversity you emerge stronger and wiser for the experience. You can then look back with a sense of pride at your accomplishment.
• It’s possible to create something that outlasts you.

This week why not take a few moments out to reflect. Consider what one action step you could take to ignite or energise a personal goal that you have.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk