Jurassic World my take

I have seen and heard various film critics wax lyrical about various films having a hidden meaning and what those meanings are. Some of these are actually confirmed by the director but most appear to be opinions.

Now sometimes these are fairly obvious and I must admit that if this not the case I tend not to worry about it. For me films are about entertainment.

Spoiler Alert! If you haven't already seen the film there are some significant spoilers below. You have been warned.

I have just finished watching Jurassic World and was hit by the allegory that appeared to me in that film. Now I have not seen any commentary about this work so this is my take on this and should not be taken as what the makers were trying to get at.

This logo is copyright of the appropriate parties, Jurassic world is available from Amazon
Play.com,HMV and other retailers.

I was unable to see the film at the cinema so had to wait until it came out on DVD release. Well I watched it and enjoyed it, probably not as much as Jurassic Park but it was worth it. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. I've not written anything like this before so comments and questions are welcome.

To me this is an allegory of current employment practices. The Director of the park (upper management) sees and refers to the dinosaur exhibit as resources, things to be used which is true today of many employees.

These resources are not living things but numbers on a spreadsheet and this is mentioned in the film. The ultimate resource is a new genetically created dinosaur which is a metaphor for new but adverse working conditions. This resource creates chaos and requires those with special training - the raptors (human resources) to take the beastie down.

The trainer of the raptors immediately realises that this new beastie is not a good thing, he represents company policy, the rules and regulations that dictate how employer deals with employee and vice versa.

But if you notice, the raptors are only just under control, this refers to interpretation of policy and will turn on you given the slightest opportunity. They then join in with the beastie having realised that they have something in common. It is not until they again meet up with the trainer that they realise that there is something wrong and turn on the big beastie and get a good hiding.

It isn't until the old work force (T-Rex) is brought in that the tide turns and the big beastie is fed to the shark eating big alligator (namely the lawyers, though of course some would see this as a mixed metaphor but hey I didn't write the film).

The two children represent the effects that this has on the workforce, and those effects are not initially apparent when the beastie gets loose.

So what do you think. Have I interpreted the underlying theme of the film or am I way out? Seriously I'd love to hear your comments.

Thanks for reading

Kind regards
St.John

1k

This is a brief one.

Just a heartfelt post to thank everyone that has read my blog. My last post sent the figures over 1000 views. Thank you.

St.John

Books part one

Having time on my hands and to take my mind off a few things I have been reading. There are various books that I have on the go and they are all of different subjects. I am even writing or continuing to write a book and a screen play. The writing is a form of therapy, I am told that being creative can help me.

I have always been a big reader. I think nothing of reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and have done so several times. That is generally my preferred genre, namely fantasy but I do enjoy science fiction as well. I have also been known to read biographies, usually looking for inspiration for life and these include Sir Clive Woodward and Ben Carson. Then there are books about business including Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, Leading an Life by Jim Rohn amongst many others. I also enjoy history and this includes folk-lore, anything from the Anglo Saxons, Vikings and Celtic peoples and the myths and legends that surround them. Cosmology and astronomy (not to be confused with astrology which I do not believe in) are also on my reading list but I do admit that the maths behind the former baffles me. Last but not least is spirituality, this can be anything from Catholicism to Shinto. I tend not to read about things like Satanism, it does not interest me and to be honest I don't get it.

The following is the brief thoughts about the books that I am currently reading and from the title you will note that this is part one, there will be more exactly when is anybodies guess.

The first book I am reading is a fantasy book. Unless you have been hiding under a rock you will have heard of the TV series Game of Thrones this is based on a series of books by George R. R. Martin. I finished the first book back in the Spring of this year (2015) and in preparation bought the second instalment called "A Clash of Kings." I started reading this in April and just about managed to get past page 100 by the end of November. I just could not get into it and that really and I mean really irritates me. So having time on my hands (and a serious need for escapism) I set to reading this book. I am now over half way through and while I would not describe it as one of those books you aren't able to put down it is marvellous how one person can imagine something this complex and keep the story going without any mistakes in the plot. In reading about the books on line it is also apparent that there is even more complexity that I have missed and will need to read them again. Very impressive. I'd give it an 8 out of ten.

Number two is "The Book of English Magic" by Philip Carr-Gomm and Richard Heygate. I live in England and there is a conceit held by many English and even British people that there is something uniquely special about these islands. This book explores some of the history behind this sense by looking at the mysterious and uncanny beliefs that people here have held. It even tells you how to do things like dowsing and carving runes. It is easy to read but not a page turner, I read this occasionally. I'd give this one a 7 out of ten.

The last book I am currently reading is a business book called "GoPro" by Eric Worre. Unless you are in a Network Marketing business then this book is not for you. It is basically an instruction manual that gives the reader tips on how to build their business. It is also generic, and by that I mean not tied to any particular company so the tips and strategies can be used by anyone in any multi-level marketing business. This one I score a 9 out of 10.

The books above can be found at your local independent book store (if you can find one), Waterstones, Amazon and if you are in MLM/Network Marketing and are looking for business books or material about personal development then Knowledge is King is a good source of those books.

I really appreciate you reading this blog. Please feel free to comment.

Kind regards
St.John

What a difference a decade (or two) doesn't make.

In the car yesterday afternoon listening to the radio. A track that had meaning for me back in the 80's came on and I started singing along. The track was Alone by Heart. It was one of those songs from a time when I was all hormones - frothing desire and lust! The barely caged animal of reproductive need. Here's the track on Youtube

It is odd that at the time I would have moved the Earth for female companionship, if only I could have overcome my overwhelming shyness. Being alone with someone - that would have been heaven.

Now the song has new meaning.

Blessed with children it is now difficult to get time alone with my wife. Yes I would move heaven and Earth for a date night.

The more things change the more they stay the same!

Thank you for reading.

Kind regards
St.John

General update

Hello everyone. I haven't posted anything for a while. Sorry about that.

It isn't that I haven't been writing, I have written a couple of blogs but due to their nature I have felt the need to keep them private. There are simply some things that I do not want on the internet.

So here's an update.
I am off work and have been since the end of October. I am not going into details but it is due to illness. I am on the mend but have to admit that I am contemplating my future with the NHS. This is no small thing, I have worked in that institution for over 20 years and to leave would be a big step. Not one that I have made as yet. The job has changed in the years I have been doing it and I simply do not get the satisfaction in doing it any more. There is also the working conditions which seem to be deteriorating. Oh enough! I have some thinking to do.

Due to this I haven't been active with my business. Mainly as my employer would not be amused to find me doing my business while I am off ill and I am not at the point that I would be able to rely on my income from the business. This has cost me, cost me a lot.

Ok I'm getting political now so hold onto your hat (storm Desmond has divested me of mine a few times this weekend!) Yes I'm going to write about the situation in Syria. Let's do it in bullet points -

• We need to learn from history. Look at Iraq and Afghanistan. Are these notable successes?
• We can ruin the infrastructure with bombs which we will then have to pay for to rebuild!
• Innocents are going to die.
• More people are going to become refugees, increasing the exodus from that country.
• Do the government really think that the Daesh forces are going to just sit there and be bombed?
• There are groups that the government have identified as being undesirable, what if it is these groups that will fill the power vacuum?
• Oh and innocents are likely to die causing more people to be radicalised!

I am delighted that my MP voted against this madness.

Let me finish on a brighter note. The new Star Wars film is out in two weeks
SQUEEEE!

Thank you for reading
Kind regards
St.John

I know you don't get it.

I know you do not get it.

On the surface I look ok. I do not have a fever, I walk and interact pretty much as normal. The problem is inside, unseen hidden from the world. You see that bed? The one you sleep in every night? Many people have the feeling that they need to stay in bed longer but are finally driven to get up, they have a family, a job, a life. Try and imagine that you have lost that motivation, that there is no point in getting up, that your contribution is pathetic, worthless in all your existence is pointless that everything you touch goes wrong or will do eventually.

Can you imagine that?

The sad thing is that I have felt like this. Not all the while it's a bit like the picture below.

You can feel pretty good, be having a good day and the slightest thing can crash your mood into a well of despair. Times like this I simply want to find a dark room and hide.

But I know you don't get it. It isn't your fault, I understand. The problem I have is that you are treating me as someone that is distracted or simply idle. You are trying to motivate me with what I could have. Where I could be if only I did ....

I wish that that was the answer but the reality is that my self esteem is non-existent. I do not even feel worthy of what you describe. I am also trying to protect myself against feeling any worse than I am at the present. You see me functioning and relatively normal but that is because I am feeling able to face the world. What you do not see is the times when I simply cannot face other people, because in those times I simply would not be there. If I am there then it is because that place is safe for me, it is lifting me.

I am not looking for sympathy. Just understanding. I am getting better but it will take some time. Please be patient.

Kind regards
St.John

Looking for Insight

Ah a clearish day. I am unhappy to say that the old demons are back. Work got too much and snap, I broke.

This was a few weeks ago and I have had some insight as to what happened.

For some days now I have noticed that my mood went from very low to normal. It was like a wave or a tsunami. Imagine if you will a stick in the water. it is supported in such a way that it is upright. A force acts on the top of the stick forcing it down into the water occasionally making ripples. But if that force is constant and holds the stick down the ripples do not happen and water overflows out of the container. But eventually when that force is released the stick shoots up, gravity brings it down and this action on the water creates violent ripples across the surface of the water. Again this can have the effect of pushing water over the side of the container.

The water indicates the surface of emotional well being. As ripples flow across the surface these indicate if a mood is high or low. The level of the water in the container is the level of the individuals ability to cope with any given situation. Should the stick hit the base of the container then the ability to cope with a situation becomes purely a matter of will, and severe issues can result. The waves can become more violent and the changes in mood more extreme.

The interesting bit with this is that the stick is not acted upon by one thing at a time but by all life's stressors. So if one stress is released but another takes over more violent ripples occur.

That's my insight on this. I would really appreciate anyone's opinion or insight.

Kind regards
St.John

The Low Point

I was going to call this post Humpty Dumpty. My positive mind set has taken a beating again and has robbed me of my motivation.I'm not going to talk about what triggered it, I know what it was and there was it seemed precious little I could do about it. I can however endeavour to sort my thinking out and challenge the negativity. Not an easy task.

The build up of this I should have seen coming, it is one of the reasons these posts were absent in October. But it is pointless beating myself up over such things.

One exercise I have done with success in the past is to be aware of what is in my life that I am grateful for. I sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and write out a list. That list is currently very short and centres on my family.

The temtation is there to vent my dispair in full on here. There is a lot of anger that this has happened again but past experience is that the anger becomes directed inwards and makes it all worse. Going into detail about the problem concentrates the mind on the underlying mental state. You have to be ready for that, it is the only way through and the danger is that if you do it before you are ready it makes things a lot worse. You need that mental fortitude to be able to push through to get you out of the dark well of the negative thouhts.

So I absent myself from the trigger while I rebuild my defences and contemplate actions that may ultimately spare me this ugly experience.

Kind regards
St.John

Halloween / Samhain

Initially I thought to make this post a poem. However, if you have ever seen any of my poetry you will realise that poetry is not my forte. I am going through a rough patch at the moment and as part of my climb out of it is to do something creative every day. This blog post is my creative bit for Halloween or as it is also known from Celtic times as Samhain.

The Honoured Dead

The past belongs to you, on your shoulders I stand. You may have passed in war and conflict and may have died in courage or cowardice. Your passing my have been peaceful for which I am glad, I have seen suffering and pain as people have passed and wish that on nobody. You were there before. You are my ancestor.

I am not responsible for the person that you were, your actions or your attitudes may be used by others to give a picture of who I am. This is not true, I am responsible for my own actions, my own attitudes and beliefs. What is important is that you were there and contributed to me being here.

For today I celebrate that you existed. That by being there I am here. For this I am grateful.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you celebrate Samhain many blessings to you. If you are enjoying Halloween raise a glass to your ancestors in the midst of your revelry.

Kind regards
St.John

People Will be True to Their Nature

There is a story about a frog and a scorpion.

A frog is on the bank of a river about to jump in to cross to the other side. A scorpion sees the frog and says to him, "Hey frog! I see you are going to cross the river. Would you please take me?"
"You must be kidding," says the frog. "If I take you across on my back, you will sting me part way and I will die."
"No I won't," replied the scorpion. "If I did that I would go into the water and drown because I  cannot swim."
The frog thinks about this for a moment and decides that it would be safe to take the scorpion. The scorpion climbs onto the frog's back and they set off across the river.
Just over half way across the scorpion stings the frog.
Incredulously the frog turns to the scorpion just before going under the water. "Why would you do this? Now we will both die!"
"Because," replied the scorpion. "I am a scorpion. It is my nature."

This rather cold tale tells us that we need to be aware of people's nature. Though there are those that will talk their way into your company eventually their true nature will be revealed. Now often this will not be detrimental to you but other times their nature could be devastating.

Kind regards
St.John

Support for your home based business

One of the issues that people face when they start up their own home-based business is the reaction of their friends and family. These are the people that we expect to be the most supportive, these are the people that we know and trust. They are the ones that know and trust us. It's going to be simple, we waft the business idea in front of them and they fall over themselves to buy your product or join you in your endeavour to become financially and time free.

But what really happens?

So you approach lets call them Bob. You speak to them and tell them a bit about the business you have joined. Usually you avoid using the scripts - these are friends, they want the best for you and you don't want to use these super sales techniques.

Then you get their reaction. Those who are being polite will give you the look. The look is characteristic, they do not look at you head on, their nose doesn't point in your direction it's just off to one side and the head is tilted slightly back, but their eyes through slightly closed lids look at you with a profound sadness or disbelief. Now if you are new you do not know what this means but you do experience a sense of disquiet as they look at you. This disquiet is that you really do not know what they think. Do they need more information or do they think that you have jumped off the deep end.

Those that are not polite are a bit more direct, and will either laugh at you or tell you that you have lost your reason, joined a cult, build pyramids etc.! This is a good thing - at least you know without a doubt where you stand.

Neither of these two reactions or many others that you may come across are very supportive. But these are your friends, your family, they want the best for you and no doubt do not wish to see you hurt. Now this is not the reaction you sought or indeed want. These reactions are based on fear, ignorance for you but also the fear that you will suck them to their doom in your business.

Real support comes from those rare, and I mean rocking horse droppings rare, people that will sit you down and ask questions about your business. They will find out what it is all about, and give you an honest opinion good or bad. They will not judge until they have heard you out, this does not mean that they are not motivated by the same feelings of fear that the others are. But these people trust your judgement and will be there for you either way. These are the people that will either join you sooner or later depending on your level of success or the quality of the product or service.

The sorry point of this is that on the whole your immediate friends and family are generally speaking not going to be supportive of you. Even your wives and mothers. The people that you will get the most effective and continuous support from are your colleagues in the business you have joined. They will have gone through this and have the experience and fortitude to push through. Now the people on the outside will view this as a threat. You will be turning away from their advice, and as you do so will become successful.

Kind regards
St.John

An Unpleasant Experience. A learning experience.

I have been thinking about putting this particular experience on here for a few weeks now. I was reluctant as at the time it was a very difficult experience for me, but it does form part of my journey and growth in my business. One of the main reasons for this blog is to share my experiences. It is not meant to be a pity fest! I am not looking for {hugs} in the comments, or commiseration or anything like that. This happened years ago. I'm still in business and I have gained promotion since this.

Jim Rohn in his audio Building your Network Marketing Business, states that there are only nine or ten nasty horrible people in the world. He then goes on to say that they move around a lot and occasionally you will come across one. I guess this could be one of those experiences. I would guess that what he means is that normal people like you and I can have a bad day, we get stressed, frustrated, tired even, and when someone comes along out of the blue with something that is trivial it can trigger a release of all that pent up tension. In other words you get both barrels!.

So this is what happened. I had shown my business to a family friend, and they had become customers and like a good Network Marketer I'd asked for referrals. They gave me two and I respectfully asked my new customer to contact these people and expect my call. I even asked when they would be able to do this and would they have done this by the same time the following week.

Now all you experienced people stop it! I know I should have asked this person to do it there and then. What can I say? I was in the first few months of doing this business, I was excited that I'd signed a customer and I didn't want to impose!

I waited the full week, and then a day or so more. This was my first experience with a referral, the first time I had contacted someone I didn't know. I dialled the first number. I was shaking a bit and pacing up and down the room.

There was no answer. The anti-climax hit me like a truck!

I dialled the second number.

It connected. "Hello is this name? My name is St.John I was at name's house the other day talking about saving money. Did name call you to let you know I'd be phoning?"

"No, but I have been busy. Name probably called when I was out."

Me, "Oh!" I was flustered at this point and I do not recall what I said next but it must have been right because the referral made an appointment with me. I was overjoyed, did a little dance and tried the first number again.

This one did not go so well. I do think that if I had got through on the first attempt with this referral I would not have made the second phone call. I called this other person. I do not remember the exact conversation, it started off as the one above but when this person said no to my question if they had been contacted by my customer things got ugly. This person began to rant down the phone at me stating that they were not interested and would never do anything like that, or words to that effect. It was the sort of reaction that you would expect if someone came up to you and asked you to drown a box of cute puppies or kittens. If I was flustered on the previous call this floored me. I did have the awareness to apologise for disturbing them before hanging up. I felt emotionally shredded.

If any of you have read Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander (a truly witty entertaining read that contains a lot of decent instruction along with it) this was one hell of a torpedo! It was one of those instances where I wanted to "Turn the TV on and my mind off," - Eric Worre but I had this appointment and that kept me going.

I also did the right thing by contacting my sponsor and talked over the experience. This kept me going, but I would be lying if I said that this did not effect me to this day. There is always the chance of being in contact with someone at the wrong moment or one of those people that are not very sociable. However I have more experience now and would not be as blown away as I was on that occasion. If you dear reader experience something like this then talk to your sponsor. Ninety nine percent of people are going to be polite even if they say no. But do not be frightened to make sure that the person that has given you the referral has contacted those they are referring and make sure they have the option to decline your call.

Kind regards
St.John

The journey

I came across a post on Facebook the other day and it made me think. The author of the post seemed to be belittling people who post about their experiences in their business but have few or no team members to read what they write. It is fair to say that my team is a lot smaller than the author of this particular comment and initially I was fairly ticked off.

This comment I would imagine is a thoughtless passing remark, the like of which litter Facebook. However, in Network Marketing or if you prefer Multi-Layer Marketing we pride ourselves on being able to support individuals no matter at what level. The public comment that was posted simply fails in this respect.

There is however another issue. By belittling the experiences of those going through their growing pains is actually detrimental. The implication is that the experiences of those higher up the compensation plan is worth more than those further down. This does not take into consideration that everyone's experiences, environment and circumstances may be wildly different from those higher up and by posting different experiences and how different people cope with them may help someone in a similar situation overcome that challenge. For some people putting their thoughts and experiences in writing is their journal, something that the late Jim Rohn encouraged everyone to do.

Now fair enough it is not expected that those in more advanced positions read and comment on every blog, Facebook or Twitter post. But by leaving a record of the journey that an individual is travelling, one that is permanent (unlike Periscope) when new members are recruited to a team then the information is already there.

Kind regards
St.John

Personality colours - an introduction

Have you ever wondered why people are the way they are? Why one person demands all the details and another thrives on being challenged? Why some put everyone else before themselves and others just want to live their lives and enjoy themselves?

Being one of those individuals that enjoys finding out how things work this confused me for many years. Initially I came across an answer to this in a book that was given to me a number of years ago. This book was full of, by normal standards anyway, some wild and outlandish ideas along the lines of New Age philosophy but this one very brief snippet lodged itself in the back of my mind. This explanation of how people "worked" or rather their view of the world included words like sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric and melancholic words that were meaningless to me at the time. It wasn't until later that I discovered that these personality traits had been recognised by the ancient Greek philosopher

When I began my journey into business, I came across this idea again initially via a seminar with Tom "Big Al Schreiter" and then as my reading continued in various other books that touched on the subject. It was in this area that the idea of colours came to the fore. The colours, namely Red, Green, Blue and Yellow had been applied to the four personality types. This has nothing to do with which colour you like most! Colours were used basically because people can relate to them better than the terms sanguine etc. which I listed above.

I do have to point out that this colour system is the one that I am familiar with. There are others out there along with other systems. Personally I find the other systems overly complex, and the one I am talking about here gives a general outline of a persons outlook. I also need to point out that people are a mixture of these colours and it is the dominant trait that is being explored here, we can all be selfless, overbearing, get stuck in the detail and ignore the important things in life in order to have a little fun.

So what are these traits?

Reds

The reds, no they are not predominantly commies. These are the people that you cannot tell. Know someone like that? Their view and belief in themselves is their overwhelming trait. They know, well just about anything if you talk to them. They are focussed and will not be diverted from a course of action unless they decide that that is what is going to happen. If they say they are going to do something you can take it as read that it will get done. You will find Reds in positions of authority, or as business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Examples

These are people with a presence, you notice when they are in a room, they are probably charismatic or argumentative. They will try and take over in any given situation, they will listen to you but do not expect them to follow what you say unless they know and trust you and know that you have knowledge and experience in the subject. Even then they are likely to do it their way.
In Network Marketing these people will either be successful or not. That success will be down to whether they find the correct formula to make it work and that depends how convinced they are by the training or the person that introduced them. Once they find that formula stand back because these people will go to the top.
In Karate you will find these people at the tournaments, they will want to win, and keep winning, they have to be the best, but humility or the lack of it may be the one thing that will get in their way. Once they know what they are doing expect them to be running a dojo.

Blues

No they are not permanently sad. These are the people that are a joy to be around, you won't get any work done necessarily but you will have fun doing it! Blues are all about life experience. They wake up in the morning and their day will be made if they meet new people or do new things. Do not expect a lot of focus from them, there is simply too much going on in the world and they can be easily distracted.

Examples

One thing with Blues, expect a party. Walk into a room and you will find people swarming around a Blue, they are the life and soul of the event. They are the people that others want to be around. Want to find a Blue? Follow the laughter.
In Network Marketing the promotions will drive the Blue. They will need a goal, usually something fun like a fast car or a holiday in Vegas. You will also find these people eager to walk across the stage at the large conventions, they will try to appear embarrassed or self-effacing but you will see that twinkle in their eye that betrays the fact that they are loving the experience.
In Karate a blue will only stay as long as they see it to be fun and the social side of things is well developed. But they are the people that will talk to others and encourage them to join pointing out the fun to be had.

Greens

Greens are not all concerned with the environment and global warming! Many are engineers, scientists, and accountants. Beware, these people can bore at an Olympic level! Details are the lifeblood of the Green. Give them a problem and they are happy. They will analyse everything, change without justification is to be resisted at all costs. The world may be crumbling around them but that is secondary if they are working on a problem.

Examples

Greens do not lack focus. Why something works is as important as working it. These are the people that will single out an individual in a room and talk to them with laser like focus. The tell tale sign that a Green is in full flow watch for their victim's rolling eyes.
In Network Marketing the Green will need all of the information. How they are paid, why they may not be paid and how to get to the top. They will then go away and design a system, or plug into the system if one is available. Once the focus hits the business they will work out what they want and go for it.
In Karate the Green will look at technique. The importance of this and the pursuit of perfection is the watchword.

Yellows

Yellows are the lovely people. They are not cowards in fact they will put others before themselves in almost every situation. Yellows are the carers, the nurses, teachers the fundraisers. If you feel bad they feel bad and if you are crying expect a wet shoulder.

Examples

Yellows are only fulfilled when they are helping others. They empathise with people and in so doing are very social. When you meet a Yellow you aren't going to get away without a hug! If you let them a Yellow will feed you to death!
In Network Marketing the Yellow will build a massive team, if you can demonstrate that in providing the service or product you are helping people. With their empathy they will attract people and nurture them.
In Karate the Yellow is likely to be showing people how to defend themselves and helping others with their technique.

So this is an introduction to personality colours They are not the be all and end all of personality traits, and it is easy to miss pointers. For example a nurse may not be a Yellow, they could be a green that has planned a career or a Blue that wants to meet people or a Red that wants to be the Director of Nursing. The way to fine tune your perception is to listen to people.

Thank you for reading.
Kind Regards
St.John

Rest and aspiration

Last week didn't go to plan. I had it in mind to use my first week away from the "Job" and build up my business. I had planned my activity and was all set to go. But a lethargy came over me and it soon became apparent that a different type of week was in store.

My children like most of the other children in the UK are off school until September and there is the almost constant, "Where are we going today," type of question. Then there is the last couple of weeks at the "Job" that have taken it's toll. I guess I should have planned a total down time for any activity that would be remotely called work. The result a complete lack of motivation.

All this despite my adherence to reading instructional and inspirational material. I awoke feeling tired and lacking in motivation. I began to be concerned about what was going on in my head and started throwing myself into positive thinking. Yesterday was time for the big push. I read the book and acted upon it and listened to the company conference call.

I guess this must have been a blip or my work in the above mentioned activities has had a good effect as this morning I awoke feeling refreshed and positive. It was accompanied with a big scary plan to improve my business as a whole.

I cannot tell you how relieved I am that this low mood has lifted. Given past history any prolonged period of low mood causes me a lot of concern. Honestly last week scared me but now I am over it and working to stay that way.

On another note I saw a post on Facebook with regards to the Huffington Post. This was a couple of weeks ago but it did make an impression. The post was moaning about motivational posts on Facebook, it is interesting that a relatively new News source thinks that all we need in life is the constant stream of negative information that they decide to throw at us. Sorry but I can say from the bottom of my heart that this is not the case. If we simply accept that the world is a bad place and have no aspiration to make it and ourselves better then the world will become what we think it to be. Just look at the way in which anti-depressants are given out today the prevalence of young people ending their lives in desperation.

There is a different way rather than the constant diet of fear, tragedy and general negativity. That way involves turning away from the constant drip feed of the media and concentrating with creativity and imagination on the world in which we want to live in.

Kind Regards
St.John

Sometimes you need a nudge

A couple of days ago I saw a post on Facebook and I got caught out. This particular post espoused the supposed immorality of offering housing to refugees rather than our own (UK) wounded soldiers. Well I got sucked in didn't I!

It took an old friend two words to make me look at it again.

Now after a bit of thought I had a realisation. It may not be the one that my friend was so subtly trying to get me to look at but it did make me look at the issue with a lot more consideration.

On the surface this seems to be purely about the issue of housing. There is apparently a housing shortage - I am no expert on this so I may be wrong in this. We are also being bombarded by the media that Britain is being flooded with immigrants, the current focus being on the situation in Calais. So even if this is taken as true then it does seem reasonable that people born here should take preference over others coming into the country. The impression given is that these people coming into the country are scroungers when in reality those coming into the country as a refugee are initially prevented by the government from working even those that have professional qualifications!

However, this is not an issue about housing as it seems.

The real issue is the piss poor treatment that is being given to those returning from active service. Especially those injured or traumatised. These people should be being looked after rather than being turfed out of the Armed Forces and cast away to rot on the streets. But why is there no public outcry about this? Well look at what is on the news tonight. It will be full of things that will make you fear, things that are intended to scare. If too much is made of the plight of those being abandoned by the Army, Air Force etc. then there will be public outrage. Against whom...?

Oh damn! I had promised myself not to be political. Oh well as long as this isn't a regular thing. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Regards
St.John

Little steps

My exile from the Company Opportunity meeting is over. I am here sitting in the room waiting for it to start. It has been two years since I was able to come due to not having a car. Public transport while possible was impractical.
As I sit waiting for it to start there is a strip light flickering on the ceiling. The metaphor immediately springs to mind. My business is like that flickering light. Bright one moment then dark the next, action one day, then nothing the next. A sobering thought. This must change the light needs to stay on.

Regards
St.John

Voluntary paralysis

My kitchen sink has needed a good clean. This has been true I'm afraid for longer than I care to admit. It took some time to scub it back to cleanliness and while I got to work I thought about why it had taken me so long to do it.

Thinking back I noticed that it needed sorting on several occasions but I did nothing. Why? It seemed like a big job, it was going to take some time to complete, I didn't know what was going to be effective. The result I was paralysed, I had talked myself into voluntary paralysis. This is true in many areas of life.

How many times have you seen something that needs to be done, the first couple of times an excuse is given and this is the onset of the paralysis eventually the job seems too big and so is not done. We have convinced ourselves that it is too hard!

The antidote to this is to take action! Just start and deal with any difficulties as they arise, tweak your performance. Then momentum will kick in and before you know it the job is done. It's complete and you feel accomplished.

Kind regards
St.John

Decisions

I am conflicted.

I had a message from the great guy that introduced me to my business. There is a training session on Saturday, is there anything stopping me from going. Erm well yes there is. Saturday is the day I take my three youngest children to Karate.

Oh damn!

My business is important to me however there is no point having a business if it gets in the way of living the life you want. I already have a full time job that gets in the way of the lifestyle I desire. The kids are great but I think that only one of them would go to Karate without me at the moment. It is something we do together. On the other hand my business needs a boost at the moment and that will ultimately give me the lifestyle I want.

So do I sacrifice Karate or business this Saturday?

Jim Rohn is on record saying that in the early days he would not have sacrificed some of the time he would have spent in other areas of his life on his business. Darren Hardy also is a proponent of balancing your life. In his goal setting book Living Your Best Year Ever by Darren Hardy 2012 ISBN-13:978-0-9819512-0-1 he describes a system for building goals that are holistic, or based on you living life and setting goals for the entirety of that life not just one aspect. In line with this one of my goals is to become fitter, shed some excess body weight. This is really important to me.

On the other hand I could go to Karate on the following Monday. It's a tight squeeze and will only work if I can have the car. The Karate session begins two hours after work and if I am on the bus - well you know how reliable public transport is. Have tried this before and it all went belly up due to buses not being there when they were supposed to be.

So what is the worst that could happen. There are two areas to look at, Karate and Business.

If I miss the business training then nothing will happen. It will not improve and if it continues in the current vein will disappear. Not good.

If I miss Karate the children will be disappointed but there is always another class. Not ideal.

Looks like time for the lesser of two evils then.

Looking forwards

St.John

Personal development

Some times things happen in a weird synchronicity. This morning happened a bit like this.

On my way into work a friend asked a group of us on Whatsap what we are reading to aid our personal development. I replied that I am reading Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn. He then asked how this is helping me with my business. I took a while to think about this. The book isn't a short pamphlet but is set out in short chapters which are "bite-sized". It is easy to take a chapter every day and think about it. Some chapters are longer than others.

Now for those of you that do not know, Jim Rohn was one of the foremost writers and speakers in the field of personal development. Many business leaders read him, watch his videos and listen to his audio programmes, along with many who are following in his footsteps in the field of personal development. Search for him on YouTube. While I do not agree with everything he writes about on the whole he was a genius.

Once I got into work, as usual I was there early so that I do not have to rush and can get settled into the idea of working in that place, I sat back and took out my copy of Shimbun. No don't worry I am not going to go into full flow about Karate - see the post Karate - business - personal development crossover. I turned to the page I had got to. Lo and behold it was an article about Goal setting. In this I came across ten questions that I have not come across before that can help to clarify your goals and keep them attainable. These are the ten questions -

1. Is my goal really my goal?
2. Do I clearly see my goal?
3. Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my goal?
4. Does my goal compel me to accomplish it?
5. Do I have a strategy to reach my goal?
6. Have I included the people I need to realise my goal?
7. Am I willing to pay the price to attain my goal?
8. Am I moving closer to my goal?
9. Does working toward my goal bring satisfaction?
10. Does my goal benefit others?

I will be using these to help me tweak my written goals for the next 12 months.

I was surprised to see such an in-depth yet succinct piece of writing on the subject. It is odd to me now that the answer I gave when my colleague asked about personal development should have been the magazine Shimbun.

Looking forwards
St.John

Frustration, inaction and how to deal with it.

Following on from my one day off this weekend and preparing to go to work. Yes "work" is a four letter word, sorry for swearing! I realise that I am really frustrated. I have reviewed my business activity this week and I am disgusted and frustrated with myself.

To be fair with me, I have had a lot on this week. The excitement of having a new car, my eldest daughter's eighteenth birthday party and the sorrow that marked the passing of our second eldest child fifteen years ago. Maybe I am being a little hard on myself.

But it is difficult to look back on a fruitless week especially when you see others achieving and being promoted. At this point it would be easy to give up, just walk away. But I am stubborn, thanks Dad. I do not give up easily and I have read a fair few personal development books and CD's. The one quote haunts me, it is burned into my mind and in the moments that I consider throwing in the towel it has a habit of rearing its head and remind me that if I am to change my life then I am going to have to do things that are different to what I am doing currently. Here's the quote - I'll add the author when I remember/find out who it is. Feel free to add the author in the comments.

If you always do what you always did
You will always get what you always got!

So I am forgiving myself for this last week. I'm not going to berate myself any-more. Today is a new day and though Last week was fruitless this moment on is open to new possibilities. So I am going to plan my week, check my diary daily and associate with my colleagues. Oh and renew my driving license!

Looking forwards
St.John

Association

Association is one of the cornerstones of a Network Marketing business. The five people that you associate with most will dictate your income. So looking at the current group of people that you are currently associating with at the moment, if you take the average of their income your income is likely to be close to that mean.

This currently worries me as the people I associate with most at the moment have an income that is lower than mine. These are the people at work and my family. That may sound harsh but I am not criticising them, just stating what is true. For two years I have had a limited association with my business colleagues. This was enforced by the fact that I relied on public transport and lifts and in regards to the latter I did not want to be seen as dependent on other people. This situation has now changed and next week will have access to a car I will be able to get to the three meetings held every month and talk to and network with successful people.

But what has been the effect of this lack of contact with like minded people?

In short my business has been shrinking. Fortunately my own activity has led me personally to tread water but the signs are there that unless I do something the business will fail. I am not about to let that happen!

Does this mean that the people I currently associate with will be shoved aside? No - I'm sure my wife will be glad to hear this. But what is going to happen is that my mind will be fed by the association with people in a positive way. My focus will shift under this influence and my belief in the business will increase. All of this along with action will lead my business to grow.

All of this will be supported by my continued reading and watching of videos that will positively feed my mind.

Edited because blogger app will not let me put in html code!

A Hard One - feel free to skip.

The 23rd of July is always a difficult day. It is the day that my second eldest daughter was born and then died seven hours later. She was born at twenty four weeks. She would have been fifteen years old this year.

This isn't the first time I have written about her. The truth is I feel her with me cheering me on or putting a consoling arm around me in my triumphs and failures. I feel her presence, I choose to acknowledge her it helps abate the feeling of loss, though I do have to be careful not to become morose.

On this day though I give it over to her. My thoughts, my loss. When the Doctors told us that she could not survive it was a hammer blow. I felt like someone had ripped out a part of me and left an empty space. Looking back it almost seems that that part of me exists in that time, part of me that I have left behind in order to compensate for the experiences, the joy and the tears that have been lost in the intervening years.

I remember one very important thing that I needed to do before she passed. My wife's family have always been religious and they were able to ask a pastor to come to the hospital. He blessed our little girl but before this I called upon the ancestors of our families to witness her being named and welcome her into our family. This is something I have done will all of my children. This may seem a little strange but I take the opinion that we are all here by the grace of everyone who has gone before us.

"Lo there do I see my father;
Lo there do I see my mother, my sisters and my brothers;
Lo there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning.
Lo, they do call me, they bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever."

This is a quote from the 13th Warrior and was traced to an actual Viking burial. Pretty much sums up my feelings about this.

One last thing that I need to say. There were some awesome people around me at the time. Most I have lost touch with but not all. I just want to say that I am forever grateful for the support that was given at that time.

For Dannielle daughter.
For Joseph nephew.
For the other children lost to our family.

I only lost it once today. Don't think I'm going to find it 'till tomorrow.

Karate - business - personal development crossover

I knew this would happen. Karate is fundamentally about developing the self. The body may be fit but if the mental attitude is not behind it then defeat is always likely.
The club I train with puts out a magazine around twice a year. I have just started to read the latest one, my first since returning to training. The first article really hits the spot.
The article is writen by one of the top instructors with the club called Stacey Karetsian and the article is titled "The Way of the Inner Warrior."
Stacey writes that the mind is the driving force, that it is the fortitude of the will that enables us to develop beyond our self imposed boundaries. These boundaries are our conditioned responses and attitudes developed to prevent us experiencing loss which he referrs to as "The pain of failure." He goes on to say and I quote
We are on our own journey. We are all on our own path and we will progress at our own pace.
The key is not to compare ourselves to others. Sure we can be inspired by others and choose
to modelon their attitude and behaviour, but we must not judge ourselves against them.
He finishes by saying that by accepting this we build our self-worth.
I find that this speaks to me in all areas if life.

The article The Way of the Inner Warrior by Shihan Stacey Karetsian found in Shimbun the in house magazine of GKR Karate Volume 22 Number 1

No!

It is truly remarkable that some people are terrified of saying the word no. They concoct all manner of ways to get out of saying that one syllable word. In fact on many occasions this leads to them being down-right rude. Surely a simple "No thank you," is better than putting the phone down on someone or not turning up to an appointment. Then there are those that just become simply nasty.

I remember when I started my business I was eager, full of energy and completely ignorant of the ways that some go to to get out of saying no. So when one person cancelled an appointment via voice mail I followed up to try and re-make the appointment. I was confused that they weren't returning my calls until eventually it dawned on me that they weren't interested. Looking back on the then situation they must have been annoyed that I was constantly calling them but this entire situation could have been avoided if they had simply said no.

Very interesting human behaviour.

Karate + learning difficulties

My son was diagnosed with delayed development - a learning difficulty at around the age of three. He had been suffering with glue ear and had been profoundly deaf for a number of years, now that problem is resolved. He is a fantastic little man and I love him to bits.

He understands everything that is said to him but is unable to express himself very well. He is frightened of making a mistake.

I want the best for him and so took the decision to enrol him along with his sisters into GKR Karate. He has now done four classes and is doing well. I was worried a couple of trainings ago when he sat out and refused to train. I left him at home the next time but he has since been to two more trainings and has participated fully and even enjoyed himself.

I hope that this will build his confidence and aid him in his coordination.

Journey to a Black Belt

2.11.2006

I graded to 7th Kyu – Orange belt with GKR. That was pretty much the last serious session of Karate that I went to. Due to my wife being pregnant with twins I was unable to continue, we were to and fro from the hospital a lot and by November had a 13 month old baby as well. My eldest daughter continued for a time also achieving 7th Kyu but due to an increase in living costs we were unable to send her too after a while.

2012 still missing karate I went and checked out a local Shotokan dojo. I went along for a couple of lessons but found the venue not to be conducive to training. It wasn’t that the Sensei was a poor instructor on the contrary he was obviously well versed in Karate. It was literally the place. It was a large school hall that echoed and I found it almost impossible to hear instructions from across the hall.

This year with a brightening financial situation I decided that it was time to return. I found a dojo, sadly the previous location that I had regularly trained in was no longer operating and the new venue close by met on a night I could not make. So the next closest was an eye watering 4.5miles away. This was accessible via public transport as we didn’t have a car. So an hours journey there and back and a hour and a half training.

This wasn’t easy and a couple of times we missed a training session due to my work and not being able to get to the dojo on time.

Now we once again have a car. My children are approaching their first point of recognition with the club and I am working towards 6th Kyu. I am a long way away from a black belt but I am now again moving towards it.