Monday, December 18, 2006

Issue 397 - Are Those Melons Down Your Top?

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.
Last issue of the year, and whereas last week I talked about motivation, this week I want to touch on goal achievement.

As I type this a chap called Christer Fuglesang is in space, aboard the Discovery shuttle docked to the International Space Station.
He's in a crew of 7, and one of 5 who is on their first trip to space, so why single him out?

Because he's Swedish, that's why.

Zap back in time several decades and imagine the hoo-ha over the first man in space (Russian), the first man on the moon (American) and so on.

Fuglesang is the first Swede in space.
Sweden is a small European country, with a population of 9 million.
Compare that to the US, which has recently crept over *300* million.
Fuglesang has been waiting 14 years to get into space - now that needs motivation for sure!

In press conferences he has been saying how much he enjoys it.
Let's face it, after 14 years, he's not likely to say 'it's crap' is he, but what a superb reward for all that effort.
However many Swedes follow him into space, he will always be the first, so a big fat well done to him.

The European curling championships finished this weekend.
Whereas the game in Scotland is in good shape, in fact the men are current World Champions, in England it is still struggling to get a foothold.
As you know I am really into it, having discovered the one and only rink in England last season, about 45 mins drive.
I checked out how someone gets to the Europeans, Worlds and Olympics, and it goes something like this...

The top 8 finishers at the Europeans get into the Worlds, and the Olympic qualification depends on results at the Worlds.
The European Champs are split into A & B divisions, with the top 2 in the B division getting promoted.
Also, the winner of the B gets to challenge the 8th place in the A for a place at the Worlds.

Following along?

The English men and women are in the B division, and the women came 3rd, just missing out on promotion.
In order to get to the Europeans in the first place, you have to win the English National Champs.
They are held in January at my local rink.
I'm not sure about the men, but in the women, it was uncontested last year - there was only one team!
This year, a team from my club wants to put together a challenge, but get this, the team of 4 consists of 3 Scots and a Canadian!

If you've lived here in England for 2 years you quaify to play for England.
Pish posh in my book!

Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against the Scottish or the Canadians, but come on!
If you asked any of the 4 if they were English, they would say 'no', so how can they call themselves an English team?
They can because the rules allow it of course, so good luck to them, but it shows the game in England struggles to get 4 women together as a team!
I wonder if I wore a wig and shoved a couple of potatoes down my jumper, maybe I could sneak in?

Hmm, maybe pears instead of potatoes.
Hmm, maybe pomegranates instead of pears.
Hmm, maybe melons instead of pomegranates.
I can often be heard remarking that you can't beat a good melon or two.

Next year I aim to be in a team at the English mens, that's all I can say.

Ok, that's it for this week, and for this year as well.
I've hope you've enjoyed reading my wafflings in 2006, I'm nudging Issue 400, so look forward to having you along for the ride in 2007.

If you celebrate Christmas, have a good one, if you don't, have a good couple of weeks, and I'll see you on the other side, (Christmas Schmistmas)

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, December 11, 2006

Issue 396 - A Right Kick In The Peculiars

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

It's a motivation issue this week.
I found out at the end of last week that I hadn't got into the London Marathon.

I knew the chances of me getting in were fairly small, so I made plans about what to do if I didn't, basically doing my own marathon on the local streets at the same time on the same date.
I was surprised to find that in fact my motivation took a huge blow.

It was like a kick in the you-know-wheres.
A kick in the never-you-minds.
A kick in the ne'er-do-wells.
Do you get the picture?

In fact, get your imagination working on this one.
I want you to imagine you and me, standing facing each other, like 2 cowboys ready for a duel.
Legs akimbo, arms by our side.

Now I want you to change your image to a construction worker.
We're getting into Village People territiry here, but stick with me on it...

So, you are a construction worker, in a hard hat, overalls, and steel toe-capped boots.
I'm in a cowboy outfit, and there's plenty of sequins around (Village People).

Ok, now imagine you run towards me, as fast as you can, take a full swing with your leg, and your steel toe-capped foot lands smack in the middle of my peculiars.
Now *that's* how my motivation feels!

At the moment it feels lke the only reason to carry on training for another 4 months is just because I said I would.
One feature of long distance running which may sound obvious, bur doesn't really hit home until you do it, is that after a certain distance, it hurts to carry on!
You have to push yourself past the point at which your body is saying 'enough'.

What I'm going to do is take a few days off training, and use one of my goal achievement tricks.
It's a good one, has worked for me many times, and I'm sure will work again, and it's this...

When you go through a bad patch, or hit an obstacle, do *not* take negative action.
What I mean by that is to not take any backward decisions during this period.
Knocks are inevitable when trying to achieve something and motivation will ebb and flow.
When motivation is high, put things in action which will bear long term fruit.
When motivation is low, it can be easy to put things in action which you may regret when your motivation returns.

Is it possible that your motivation doesn't return?
Yes, and that's an indication that you didn't have the desire you thought you had for the goal.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, at least you won't look back and wonder what if.

If you desire the goal enough, your motivation will return, probably more than before, and when it does, you'll be glad you took no negative decision when motivation waned.

Ok, that's it for this week, remember my trick for any lulls you get in motivation.

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, December 04, 2006

Issue 395 - Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.

So we've lurched into December, and as I walk around the shops I can now grudgingly accept the shops being full of Chrstmas stuff.

Regular readers will know that I get driven to distraction when the Christmas products start appearing in mid-September.
In my view it implies that the last 3 months of the year are not worth anything, they are little more than waiting months until Christmas, which is complete baloney maloney.
I can understand the market forces behind it - if shop A stocks Christmas stuff, then shop B has to, or they will be losing custom.

Last year, I bought some Christmas fruit cake slices which had a best before date of mid November!
This year I decided to ask the shop about it, (not that I held a bitter and twisted 12 month grudge of course!)
At the end of September I took a deep breath and ventured into the Christmas aisle, and sure enough, individual Christmas fruit cake slices, best before date of November 11th.
I had to smile, and since they were buy one get one free, my smile was that bit larger as I shoveled a couple of boxes into my wonky-wheeled trolley.

After the 11th Nov had passed, I went to Tesco's website, where rather bizarrely there isn't an email contact to be seen!
I decided to write snail mail, asking for an explanation as to how Christmas cakes could have a best before date of 11th Nov, meaning you either had to eat them 6 weeks before Christmas, or eat them at Christmas 6 weeks out of date.
I still havn't had a reply, and let's be honest, my letter is still probably flying around the Tesco's internal email system, or has been filed in the 'nutcase' draw.

So I decided to ring them up.
I got a stonewall answer, the chap kept saying that they were definitely Christmas cakes, but obviously still had a best before date.
I realised fairly early on in the conversation that -

a) He wasn't going to grasp the 'Christmas not being 11th November' concept
b) Tesco's were not about to send me a year's supply of fruit cake, which had been my main goal all along.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like Tesco, remember earlier this year when I lost my keys on an early marathon training session, it was Tesco's that found my address from my keyfob and sent them back to me, but in this case they have got it wrong.

To me it doesn't make any difference, I can see the funny side, but I can well imagine some old duffer who bought their cake slices nice and early, only to find them tasting a bit peculiar come Christmas.

It brings up one of my favourite life sayings, and it's this -
'Say what you mean, and mean what you say.'

I'm a big fan of acting with integrity, and if you follow the 'say what you mean' mantra, you won't go far wrong.
There is nothing better than having friends and colleagues, dare I say it loved ones, know that when you say something, you mean it.
It makes you a rock that can be relied on, and also means that whenever you need help, people will be all the more willing to give it.

Ok, that's it for today, if you got your Christmas goodies early, get the cupboard open and check those best before dates!

Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, November 27, 2006

Issue 394 - Big Girls Playing Rugby

Hi,
I hope all is well where you are, and that if you celebrate it, your Thanksgiving is/was good.
I've been giving thanks that I have stopped being sick.

I was out running on Thursday when I suddenly had a feeling in my stomach which didn't feel quite right.
'Hello,' I thought, 'that doesn't feel quite right.'

I ploughed on, and felt like I had recovered, but as the day wore on I felt worse and worse.
Going to bed early didn't help, and it wasn't long before the first technicolour yawn.
In fact, technicolour yawn doesn't quite do it, it was more of technicolour speech.
In fact, more of a technicolour lecture.
In fact, more of a technicolour seminar, are you with me?

I'm still feeling a bit fragile today, but I won't complain, lest I come across as a big girl's blouse.

Speaking of big girls, there was a petty incident over the weekend, and I suspect it was a case of men acting like big girls.

New Zealand were playing rugby against Wales.
It's a fixture with a long tradition, and an equally long tradition is the haka, the tribal chant which New Zealand teams perform before games.

On Saturday though it was nowhere to be seen.
The anticipation of the crowd was there, but the players just lined up in their normal playing positions and the game started.

It turns out that the haka was not performed because of an argument about protocol, i.e. who would go last in the preliminaries.

Hmm...
I must do some investigating to find out more about it, but why do I get the feeling that it was men having little power play arguments with each other?

It's easy to let the petty seem more significant than it really is, but as in this case, it can overwhelm and ruin something which is bigger and should have taken preference.
The sporting spectacle of the haka should not have been lost to petty arguments, but it was.

Ok, it's a quickie this week, but the point is a good'un - don't lose sight of what's really important amidst the petty.

Have a good week.'
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, November 20, 2006

Issue 393 - Blistered To Buggery

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

I think I'll call this week's issue 'Blistered to Buggery'.
I'm sure the good old filters may not like it, but let's face it, 'Blistered Quite A Bit' doesn't quite have the same ring to it does it!!

There's a little tip in itself about article titles.
If you're not using articles to generate free targeted traffic, firstly I ask you why not, and secondly I would suggest you use titles which use the most descriptive words you can , and if they start with the same letter, even better!

Members of my Grab A Grand Club can have me go through any article they write, and I'll come up with titles for your article all day long if you want!

Ok, so where was I.. oh yes, blistered to buggery...
Both my hands and feet are suffering on the blister front at the moment.
Although getting hand blisters from drumming is not unusual. I seem, to have them badly at the moment, some real whoppers.
If you imagine typing with a water balloon stuck to your thumb, you won't be far away from where I am!

In my marathon training I havn't had real foot blisters so far, but as with my hands I noticed a worsening this week.

I wondered what was causing it, and lay awake for, oooh it must have been several minutes pondering.
Then the penny dropped... it's the curling!

All that friction of broom against hand when you sweep has pushed my fingers over the edge, and my questions about why some curlers wear special gloves is being answered!
Also, when you sweep, you tend to hop and shuffle along the ice, your concentration is centred on where you put the broom, not your feet.

At the weekend I was sitting in on drums for Shameful Behaviour, and the drumming has intensified the friction on my hands, the running has intensified the blisters on my feet, and with all the extra puss I must have put on a few pounds in weight!

Of course I could stop doing one or all three of those activities, and the blisters would be better.

I won't though.
I enjoy doing all three, they are vital to my rest and recuperation.
If I stopped just because of a bit of blistering, my quality of life would suffer.

Not hugely, but nevertheless, if you start cutting out your pleasures in life, you can find yourself on a slippery slope towards hermitude.
Hmm, hermitude, does that work - being a hermit, hermitude?
Good word anyway.

Right then, that's it for today, what niggles do you put up with for your vital r & r?
Have a good week.'

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Join my Grab A Grand Club at:
http://www.thegrabagrandclub.com

Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, November 13, 2006

Issue 392 - Do You Know How To Skweeze Me?

Hi,
I hope everything is well where you are.

So, why am I calling today's issue 'Blah blah Skweeze me?'
Well, I had a busy day yesterday.

I went to a curling event, called a 'bonspiel', where people come for 3 days from anywhere in the world to play curling and socialise. It's a real community feel, but as a newbie I still have to work hard to get to know people.

One chap lost his footing and fell on top of a stone.
'Ooh, that's gotta hurt' was the general opinion, and since he had landed with his back right on top of 42 lbs of granite with a big handle on top, it did hurt, and he cracked a couple of ribs.

Apart from that, it's a nice peaceful game, played with smiling faces and fierce etiquettes.
I suspect my skill level may never get much higher than 'poor', but not everything has to lead to an end product, this is an end product in itself, enjoyment and recreation - vital parts of life improvement!

When I got home I opened my emails, and found I had been asked to step in on drums for a band next week.
It's a full make up band, and I will be getting out my sequinnned jacket for sure, and more fun will be had I'm sure.

The band, Shameful Behaviour, has an unashamed Kiss influence, and Kiss themselves were influence by the likes of the British glam rockers Slade.
One of Slade's hits was called 'Skweeze Me Pleeze Me.'

Another of the emails I got was about video squeeze pages.
A squeeze page is where you simply get the visitor to sign up to an email list.
The ease of putting videos online has led to many marketers employing the video squeeze page, as it has better conversion rates.
This particular video squeeze page offer was for $50 a month!

Hmm, interesting...

I still only charge $49 a month for my Grab A Grand Club, and something I will be covering this wek, is putting video on your site.
I'll be handing over the software I recently got.
I'm sure it does the same thing, and of course members get tutorials from my 4+ years of absorbing info on how to market online, plus specific help if you want it.
You can see it at:
http://www.thegrabagrandclub.com

Ok, that's it for today, remember to include enjoyment and recreation into your schedule, it's a necessity not a luxury, and I'll close by asking again 'Do You Know How To Skweeze Me?'

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, November 06, 2006

Issue 391 - The Insignificant Fingernail

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

In my book 'Transform Your Life in 21 Days!' I wrote about perspective.
I had some great prompts over the weekend, so I want to mention the subject again today.

In the paper over the weekend, there was a surprisingly uplifting double page spread.
Newspapers as a rule tend to focus on the bad things, but this was a double page of photos showing some gorgeous bronw orange and gold autumnul scenes around Britain, aiming to remind us that those of us living here live in a beautiful country.

That put a little smile on my face.

Later in the same paper there was a picture from the Cassini spacecraft which is currently clicking away at Saturn.
Through the famous rings, you could see a little white blob, and the little white blob is us lot.
Earth.

Pictures like that always remind me that we are of tiny significance in the universal scheme of things, (and that's assuming there's only the one universe, but don't get me started on that!)
Although when I break a finger nail it feels significant, and my yelling of 'Bugger me I've broken a fingernail! is loud enough. it really isn't significant, and life becomes a lot less stressful when you simply put small petty incidents in their rightful place.

Also over the weekend, a great natural history programme began a new series on TV.
The BBC has always been good at this sort of thing, and on eword springs to mind to describe the Planet Earth programme - spectacular.
It really is awe inspiring to see the environments and some of the creatures living in them.

A polar bear swimming 100km to find food, getting ever more desperate as his only hope of food is a walrus he cannot kill.
Penguins waddling 100 miles to breed, and the male penguins huddling together in a huge scrum to keep warm, while the females do the 200 mile round trip to bring food. It's stunning.

What I like is that at the end of each show they have a segment showing how the camera crews managed to get such amazing shots.
This week for instance, the ice worlds of the arctic and antarctic were featured, and we saw crews living in that icy world for a whole year!
Just to get us some nice shots to watch with a cup of tea (and a biscuit).

Of course these crews are following their passion without a doubt, which is a another key to a happy life, but this issue is about perspective, so I'll sign off by suggesting you soak in the visual treats of autumn.
Remember that was all carrying on before we came, and will be carrying on after we've gone, so get that broken nail into perspective!

Have a good week.'
'Til Next Time,

Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, October 30, 2006

Issue 390 - Can Bumble Bees Fly?

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.

I saw a great quote the other day at the TotalLifeSuccess.com forum.
It goes like this...

The bumble bee is aerodynamically incapable of flight, but because no-one told it, it persists in flying anyway.

What a great thought, think of the motivational follow ons - don't let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do, keep going to overcome the odds, etc, etc.
It's the kind of thing you expect to see on a poster.

There's just one problem...

It's not true.
It's complete baloney.
In fact, it might even be a non sequitur, if I was 100% sure what non sequitur meant. (Good word though)

So let's investigate this story.
Apart from the obvious fact that bumble bees clearly *can* fly, where did the story originate?

I did some research, and the story is easy to find on the web, there have been books and poems using it for a title.

Blimey, I knew my upbringing was sheltered, but as I turn 40 I still discover just how sheltered it must have been, I had never heard the story before.

Anyhoo, the most common story is that in the 1930s an aerodynamisist and a biologist were having the discussion, and the aerodynamisist did a quick calculation on his knapkin, and came to the conclusion that the wings were too small to prived the required lift for the body weight.

The story then took hold, and despite the clear falsehood of the story, it entered the world of the urban myth.

The calculation was wrong because it was based on aircraft with a smooth fixed wing.

Insects actually create upward thrust by forcing the air downwards when they flap, which causes an updraft into the space vacated by the wing - apparently!

So, it's a mutli-tiered affair, this story.
First you get the original story, which is great for a motivational goal achievement twist, and then you get another important point which is that you shouldn't trust everything just because someone says so.

There is a difference in science between theory and practice, and it's the same in life - people may come up with theories, but nothing beats getting out and doing it yourself!

Ok, that's it for this week, I'm off to see if I can work the story into my Rock & Roll Town song, and remember next time you see a bumble bee fly, to remind yourself that they can't/can/can't!

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, October 23, 2006

Issue 389 - A Firmer Buttock?

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

I had 2 strokes of luck last week.
Firstly, the head gasket went on my car, which considering the state of my car, was a terminal issue.

Doesn't sound so lucky does it?

The luck was that I got a clue about it just as I turned the corner to get back home.
I have been doing many long mileage journeys to jams, and just this week the new curling season started, which means a long journey down narrow pitch black country lanes.
Had the car given up on me then, I would have been unamused to say the least, so although having to get another car is a pain in the derriere, the circumstances were lucky.

Speaking of a pain in the derriere, and the start of curling, blimey it's a good workout!
I'd forgotten how strenuous it can be, and it provides a good alternative to compliment my marathon training - I'm just hoping that a firmer buttock is helpful for a marathon...

Also, it's only firmer on one side, so will that give me a limp?
Maybe I could wear fancy dress as an upside-down Quasimodo.

Here's the 2nd piece of luck...
In the off season we had been asked to send in our playing intentions for the season as they were starting various leagues.
I duly sent mine back in, only to notice that when the fixtures came out, my name was nowhere to be seen.
I asked why not, and it seems that my intentions form had not been passed on.

I wasn't happy, and had to work quite hard to resist the strong temptation to throw the toys out of my pram and sulk, telling them to shove their curling where the sun doesn't shine.
Resist it I did though, and when I went this week for a non-league session, they asked me if I had dates available as one of the team members had dropped out leaving a space for me.

I duly accepted, and made a mental note to pass on that little story.
It's often said that luck is when opportunity meets preparation.
Well, had my preparation been a sulk and a strop, the opportunoty would have meant nothing when it came, but good preparation on my part had allowed me to enjoy the 'luck'.

I've been working hard on my Grab A Grand Club.
Remember that the idea is for me to pass on the knowledge I have learnt about internet marketing, and also give you specific hands on help with any of it that you may get stuck on.
The more work I've been doing on it, the more I have realised that the $19 a month launch price is ludicrously low.

There are only so many hours in the day, and since I offer the hands on help, it's actually a bad way for me to leverage my time.
As such, instead of raising the price to $27 a month on Nov 1st, I'm raising it to $47.

That means you still have a week to take up the launch price of $19 a month, which is a locked in price once you join.

There is no commitment, you can stop whenever you want.
If you've ever been stopped from internet marketing because you think you don't know how to make a website, or set up an autoresponder, or research a market, or create a product, or write articles, etc, etc, etc, I will give you specific help on any/all of it.

Go and take a look at the site, which also has a 50% paying affiliate programme:
http://www.thegrabagrandclub.com

Ok, that's it for this week, remember to prepare properly for the 'lucky' opportunities that may be around the corner...

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Support your own favourite cause at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, October 16, 2006

Issue 388 - More Speed Less Haste

Hi,
I hope everything is well where you are.

I had an interesting week with my marathon training.
For my long run last week, 9 miles, I didn't feel quite on top if it right from the beginning.
My thighs felt heavy for some reason, and despite imagining it would feel better as I got into the run, I just didn't seem to get into it.

There were many times when I thought 'Ohh I could just stop', but I gave myself a stern talking to, and decided to get to the end, no matter what the time, as I could tell my lethargy wasn't an injury type strain.
In the end I did 6 minutes outside my schedule.

I had a think about what the cause might have been , but just put it down to an off day.
'Off days' occur to us all in whatever line, and it's important not to give them more importance than they deserve!

During the week I thought I would try something different in my 3 mile sessions.
For the first one, I put short sprints in.
I guess they must have been about 200 metres at a time.
It felt good to be flying, er ok, make that trundling along at full pelt.
At the end of 3 miles though, my overall time was only slightly faster, but had needed a huge increase in effort...

Hmm, my quest for an easy life kicked in, and it occured to me that if a huge increase in effort results in only a small time benefit, then logically I could make a noticable reduction in effort, and the time loss would only be small!

So for the 2nd 3 mile session I deliberately went slower in the running stints than I ever had before, lower leg lift, shorter stride.
Sure enough, I felt better for it, and only lost a small amount of time.

Ah Ha!

So for yesterday's 10 miler, I decided I would stick to this plan rigidly, and see what happened.
My target time was 2 hours dead, and when I go to the end, my time was 1 hour 58!

More haste, less speed as my mother would say.
Hang on, was it more speed less haste?

Anyway you get the idea, the goal can often be achieved quicker by going at a more sensible sustainable pace.

Regarding my marathon, all this effort I'm putting in is for one event 6 months away, and since it's now 6 months to the race this week, Apr 22nd 2007, I'm relaunching the sponsorship site.

There are 2 main points to note.
The first is that 100% of your donation goes to charity.
I'm not seeking to make a penny profit from it.

The second thing, is that you get to choose the charity!
When I previously chose MIND, the UK mental health charity, people told me they didn't know enough about the charity.
So here's the thing, if I asked you what your favourite charity was, what would you say?
It could be a domestic charity for you country, or a local charity for your town.
It could be an international charity.
It could to do with animals, children, mentally ill, homeless, etc, etc.
It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's an officially registered charity, it'll do!

Then just decided how much you would sponsor me for my marathon, to go towards that charity - then you just hit the donate button!

If you run a newsletter or support a particular charity, get your readers to sponsor me, and tell them to pick the charity you are helping!

Hopefully you can see the appeal - you get to support me in my marathon to mark turning 40, plus support your favourtite charity at the same time.

If you can't decide on a charity, or aren't bothered, then say so, and it will go to my personal choice, MIND.

Go and look at the site, you can download my free book!
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Ok, that's it for today, could you do with more speed, less haste (possibly less speed, more haste)
Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
I'll help grab a grand a month at:
http://www.thegrabagrandclub.com

Monday, October 09, 2006

Issue 387 - Would A Grand A Month Help You?

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

It's time to tell you about another new product of mine.

The other day I got an email offering me a no cost report on how to make $1000 in 15 days online.
I downloaded it out of curiousity, and found it to contain bland unspecific advice which helped neither the newbie or the experienced.
Disappointing.

Then I got an offer offering me a 'clone' of a membership site which had 5000 members at $29 a month.
Again I looked (it's always an education to look at how these offers are presented).
It was presented well, but at the price of $4000 I didn't stay for long, not with my tight arse.

Also in the last couple of weeks I had people at jam nights asking me exactly what I did.
I normally say I have a 'couple of online businesses', but they wanted to know more details.

So, I decided to offer a membership club, where I would spill the beans on all I have learnt in the past 4 + years about how to market online.
I've spent a lot of dollars buying information, and although it would be naughty, (er, illegal) for me to give you these books, I am perfectly allowed to relay the information in them!

Take for example 2 products released this year - Tag & Ping by Sean Wu, and Adsense Videos by Michael Cheney.
Combined they have a price of $244, and that's what I paid.

I will pass on the info inside them to members of my club, along with everything else.

How much?
$19 a month.
That means you could be a member for a full year and still not have paid as much as buying just those 2 products, along with all the other content, which is listed on my site.

I decided to call it The Great Gordino's Grab A Grand Club, and here's why -
The idea is that if I can teach you, and give you hands on help to get to earning $1000 a month online, you will have the tools and knowledge to repeat the process.

I originally decided to set a launch date of Nov 1st.
However, I noticed another product launching, callled Affiliate Project X, and having bought it at $77, I decided to bring my launch forward, because the info in Project X will be included in the club, as it's now info in my head!

I spent many hours rushing to get it all done earlier than planned, and had many nights working through the small hours.
That's one of the joys of working for myself, from home, I can just choose to do it.

When I say I give hands on help, that's just what I mean - if you have problems with any part of the process, ask me, and I'll guide you through it, it's included in the cost.

What's more the club has an affiiate programme paying 50%, meaning if you sell a membership, you get 50% of that fee every month they remain a member!

That price of $19 is way too low, I'm really starting with that to give readers and buddies the early start, but after 50 members are in, or the 1st Nov, whichever is earlier, the price will go up to $27.

Go and have a look, note all the knowledge I will be passing on that I have paid for, tell me what you think.
Ask any questions!
I'll be interested to hear what have to say!

Here's the link:
http://www.thegrabagrandclub.com

Ok, that's it for today, what would an extra grand a month do for you?

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get my self-improvement book at:
http://www.transformyourlifenow.com

Monday, October 02, 2006

Issue 386 - Mon 2nd Oct 2006

Hi,
I hope everything is well where you are.

As we lurch into October, it's time to address the urgent issue of the day - have you written your letter to Santa yet?

October is the signal for swathes of high street retail space to be taken over with Christmas stuff, so quick - hurry!
Christmas must be only just around the corner!

It's 3 sodding months away!
That's a full quarter of the year!

Don't let this marketing ploy lull you into thinking that the next 3 months are simply a waiting period up to Christmas.
You can achieve a bucket load in that time - life changing things if you want!
Let's leave Christmas 'til December at least!

I did a nice 8 miles training yesterday in 1 hour 36, right in line with my 12 min mile pace.
I have no tweaks or twangs to report, and with my new shoes and extra grass running, I feel back in full flow for my training.

You may remember a few weeks ago I wrote about how the prisons here in Britain were close to being full up.
If you don't remember (shame on you), it was Issue 378, you can see it in the archive.

Anyhoo, that state of full prisons may happen this week.
There are around 320 places left, with 370 being jailed last week.
When they do get full, prisoners then have to be put in the cells at police stations, which costs £360 per prisoner per night!
That's a lot of moolah!

The last time this happened was in 2002, and the final bill was around £10.5 million.
This government had been power for 5 years by then, but hey, it's good to see they have the sorted the problem in the 4 years since!

This bit might make you giggle, it's one of the government's suggested solutions to the overcrowding of prisons - make some offences liable for an on the spot fine.
Hmm, ok, maybe less court time, and less jailing, but also less criminal records for the, er, criminals.
And what are 3 of these suggested offences?
Mugging, assault, and assaulting a police officer!.

I think I may take up a new career, here's the scenario...
I mug you, and pinch your mobile phone.
I get caught, and am given an on the spot fine of £100, and no criminal record.
I pay the £100 out of the £150 I sold your phone for.
You have no other recourse against me available, so vent your frustration by smacking me around the head.
I report you ( believe me, as a criminal I want the full protection of the law when it's my turn!)
You then get an on the spot fine of £100.
Net result - the government is £200 better off.
You are £100 plus your phone out of pocket.
I am £50 to the good, and free to carry on mugging with no more than a minor bruise on my head.

When this kind of thing was pointed out to the government, they did a usual about turn, saying it was drafted by a junior official.
That's not a jibe at this particular government, the other lot would probably be just as bad.
It's one of the reasons I stood in the election last year.

Truly, our trip to hell in a handbasket is gathering pace...

I must leave on a positive note, and it's this, if I get my Christmas chocolates in now, I may get a discount!

Hmm, that's brought back a memory from last year - individual slices of Christmas cake, ideal for a singleton like me, but with a 'best before' date of mid-November!
If I see that again this year, I'm a-writing to Mr. Tesco just to see what happens!

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get my self-improvement book at:
http://www.transformyourlifenow.com

Monday, September 25, 2006

Issue 385 - Mon 25th Sep 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

After last week's issue I got some emails telling me that I had given enough coverage to my groin adventures.
One of them was quite succint, a simple 'Groin Groin, Groan'!
Another one I got within a couple of hours of it going out...

'It is disappointing to see you use so many 'groin' jokes as a 'crutch' on an otherwise interesting 'tasty handful' of ideas. You always manage to throw a 'sac of balls' up into the air - so that we, your many readers can 'grope' amongst them on their descent - to find our own 'support' in life. We all envy you, your amazing 'testicular fortitude' in searching for a new girl friend, and pray that you can for evermore hold 'hernear'. It will happen 'trussed' me.'

That made me smile good and proper, written by my buddy Les Miserable from the BluesMothers.
You can see his site here: http://www.bluesmother.com

Right, today I want to talk about one of my favourite words, it's one of what I like to call the 4 magic words beginning with 'A'.
In fact I wrote about it in my 'Transform Your Life in 21 Days' book.

The word is 'ASK', and it can bring amazing results, I like to use the theory as much as I can.

A while ago I had toyed with the idea of making videos (and no, not THAT kind) to sell online.
The trouble was that the resulting file was of such a massive size ( no jokes) that I didn't know how to handle it (sorry).
It suddenly occured to me that someone I knew from the music jam sessions had put a video on disc for someone else, so he seemed a good bet to ask.

I asked him, and he gave me 2 tips that I could use, the 2nd one being maybe the most useful - 'you're are using a dvd instead of cd aren't you?'

I wasn't.
A simple answer, and all I had to do to get it was ask!

Last week I was trying to record some audio onto my old pc.
I couldn't use my laptop, becauase what I wanted to record was something I was getting online *from* the laptop.
Anyhoo, the input socket on the pc didn't seem to work, so I gave up, assuming it was just old, and therefore knackered (much like myself).

When I mentioned it to a friend, he said he knew what the answer was - that the factory default was to mute the input, so I would have to go and unmute it.
I went and looked, and sure enough, all I had to do was unmute it!
That must be the most absurd default setting I've heard of.

That's a design meeting I'd love to have been at...
'Hey, I know, let's make the default setting for the line in to mute'
'But why, that doesn't seem to make sense' (good question)
'I know it doesn't make sense'.
'Ok then, let's do it.'

So despite the fact that the surreal exchange above actually must have taken place, the answer to my problem was simple, and all I had to do was ask.

Ask - a magic word.
If you want to read about the other 3 magic 'A' words, you can get my book here:
http://www.transformyourlifenow.com

Ok, that's it for today - talking to people about your plans and goals can lead to some huge information coming your way.

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get my self-improvement book at:
http://www.transformyourlifenow.com

Monday, September 18, 2006

Issue 384 - Mon 18th Sep 2006

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.

My return to marathon training after my strain has brought up material for 2 articles, but I can't decide whether to make them into one or not.

Last week saw me suffering with shin splints for the first time, and some quick online research showed me that there are plenty of searches done for that subject, 3-6 keyword phrases.
This means it shouldn't be that hard to optimise a page for those phrases, and rank well.
The visitors would then get the helpful content, created by myself, and bingo, free traffic.

That traffic can then be monetised in a few ways.
Sometimes it can be as simple as that.
I think I'll call the article 'Shocking Shin Splints'.

Today though, I'll use the material for an article called 'The Groin Groin Grass of Home.'
I was going to call it 'From One Groin to Another', but the Groin Groin Grass title is a more pleasing way to feature 2 groins.

Regular readers will know that I strained my right groin, and I took a few weeks off training to let it recover.
I'm still not 100% sure that it wasn't my arsing around when playing bass that did it instead of the running, but there we are.

Speaking of 100%, I also wasn't sure that the injury had totally gone when I resumed training.
I took the first couple of sessions very gingerly, and was pleasantly surprised that my right groin felt fine.

Here's the thing - after a couple of sessions, I started to feel a twinge in my *left* groin.
'Interesting,' I thought, which was just about all I could do until I got home, as I 've mentioned before, groin fondling in public is not to be advised.

I quite enjoyed the twinge, because it made me consider the way the brain works, bringing a smile to my face.

The concept of pain is the brain interpreting the messages it is fed from the rest of the body.
The original pain in my right groin told me that something was wrong, and allowed me to address the problem before it became much worse.
When I got the pain in my left groin, which may have been psychosomatic, my brain concentrated on that, and stopped looking for a pain message about my right groin.

Can you see where I'm going with this?
Our brain interpretations can be a wonderful tool to help us, but it is easy to get our brain used to these messages, so much so that body messages can then be misinterpreted.

So it was pain from another part of my body that broke the cycle of waiting for pain messages about my right groin.

As I say, now I am in the midst of shin pain, but that's another story.
With habit and practice, we can build solid pathways in our brain's message network, embedding ways to act and ways to think.

We can use this to develop good habits, and break down old ones.
In fact we use this process all the time, we just don't do it consciously, so we need to be careful not to develop bad habits!

Ok, that's it for this week, have a think about what bad messages you may be ingraining into your brain, and to help break out of it, just consider my groins!

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get my self-improvement book at:
http://www.transformyourlifenow.com

Monday, September 11, 2006

Issue 383 - Mon 11th Sep 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

Today's date really dictates what I write about today.
Most newslettersr around this time, particularly those today will talk about 9/11, so I could deliberately *not* mention it, but that would just be churlish.

When I write, I focus on 3 areas - goal achievement, self-improvement and wealth creation.
I have done for coming up to 4 years, and I'll continue to do so.

Today, as the space shuttle Atlantis docks to the International Space Station, we can see a spectacular example of our goal achievement and self improvement as humans.
5 years ago when the towers were hit, there were so many tales of people who maybe didn't lead as spectacular a life as an astronaut, but they contributed to society.

Think of the rescue services, who find their fulfilment and self improvement, by helping others to live.
They risk their lives to often achieve amazing goals, and faced with an impossible situation that day, they still pressed forward, and it cost hundreds of them their life.

On days like this when we remember events like the ones 5 years ago, the raft of documentaries bring back the human tales of what happened, and I like to look out of the window.

I like to look at something natural - it may be a tree, or the grass.
Then I close my eyes.

I imagine it all taken away.
Then I open my eyes again, and take another look.

The wealth creation I talk about doesn't have to be financial wealth - how about the wealth of abundance?
This doesn't even need to be created, it just needs to be appreciated!

Do I have wealth of abundance that I can look at the grass and trees, open the window and smell the fresh air?
It's a window to a flat which keeps a roof over my head, where I lie down with a healthy body.
Anyone telling me that isn't abundance is reading the wrong newsletter!

It's a simple point today.
It's also very obvious.

That doesn't make it any less valid.

Yes, the little things can get on our nerves and irritations are easy to find, but today is as good a day as any to step back and appreciate what we really have.

That's it for this week.
Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, September 04, 2006

Issue 382 - Mon 3rd Sep 2006

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.

A new series of 'The Apprentice USA' started over here in the UK.
I say 'new', it is new for us, but it's only series 3, and I think they are up to series 5 or more in the US?

After the first series aired here, it was such a success, the makers decided to do a version with a UK business mogul.
It was so popular that the US version was reduced to the backwaters of our schedules.
I like them both, our version is very British, and the Donald Trump original is very, er, American.
If anyone fancies telling me the result, then please don't!

For this run, Trump put a twist on the 2 teams.
Both teams had the same average age, and the same average IQ, but one team went to college/university, and on team got no more than a high school pass out.
One team has 3 times the income of the other.

'Boring,' you may well mutter.
'Not boring,' I'd reply, because it's the high school team with the higher income!

Nice twist, and further evidence of one of my favourite topics - education.

As adults, there is almost no limit as to what we can teach ourselves, we just need to choose to do it.
It's too easy to say that when our 'official' education ends, that's as far as we will go, and we'll have to make do - wrong!

We learn every day, it's just that it is unfocused learning.
With the rise of the internet there is a huge array of learning materials around, much of it no cost, and before that there were, (and still are) good old fashioned books.

As well as academic study, you can't really replace action.
The high school grads didn't get where they are today by just reading a few extra books - they took action.
They learnt what worked, and learnt what didn't work.
Then they carried on, and the fact that they are on the show means that they are still taking action!

Would it have been possible to get a team of college/university grads that earnt 3 times the school leavers?
Of course, but it woudn't have driven the point home.

Higher education is not to be poo-pooed.
For all the success stories with only a high school education, there are plenty more drop outs and criminals.
A higher education often means that when your time comes to act in the 'real' world, you are directed less by trial and error, and more by established theory.

Both sides of the coin have their value, it's up to the individual to analyse where they are in life, where they want to get to, and what kind of education they need to get as an adult to bridge the gap.

I've made this point over and over in the 4 and half years I've been writing this newsletter.
I made it for sure in my book 'Transform Your Life In 21 Days!'
http://www.gordonbryan.com/transform

There's a reason for that.
It's a fundamental of goal achievement and self improvement.

Ok, that's it for today, what education do you need?
Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, August 28, 2006

Issue 381 - Mon 28th Aug 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

I started back with my marathon training this week just gone.
I'd had a 4 week break.
I had intended to start again after 3 weeks, and the reason I didn't is my point today.

After 3 weeks, when it came to start again on the Monday, it was pouring with rain, and I just couldn't be bothered.
I was down for a walking session anyway, so figured it wouldn't make much difference if I skipped it.

Then the next day, my first running session, I spent time with my mates Les Miserable and Slick Valentine doing the demo for my 'Rock & Roll Town' song.
The session involved a good deal of chatting, and by the time I had got home and got the song uploaded to the site, it was late, and I didn't feel like a run.

Wednesday it was raining, and then I decided since I had missed a lot of the week, I would go for a full 4 week break.

Hmm...

Easy to justify, eh!

When I first stopped due to my groin tweak, I had spent 11 weeks solid, 6 days a week, I had seen the improvement, and felt good for it.
I was in the habit, so stopping was quite a wrench, I really noticed it.
After just 3 weeks though, I had chnaged that habit, and replaced it with one of not running!
That's why after the gap I had to almost force myself to pick it up again.
In fact all through the week I could feel a nagging sense of 'can't be bothered', but I forced myself through that because I have sufficient desire to achieve my final outcome, the marathon next April.

I called my book 'Transform Your Life in 21 Days!' for a reason.
3 weeks is enough time to replace a bad habit with a good one.
At the time it may seem like a long time, when you are forcing yourself everyday, but in the long scheme of things, it's no time at all.
Just apply the new habit every day, and you'll be amazed at what you can change!
Be careful that you aren't re-inforcing bad habits though!

It's a shortish issue this week I guess, but that doesn't make the point any less valid.
Of course, if you want, you can read my 'Transform' book, which was described as 'motivational magic', and a 'must read', here:
http://www.gordonbryan.com/transform

Ok, that's it for today, have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, August 21, 2006

Issue 380 - Mon 21st Aug 2006

Hi,
I hope all is well where you are.

Today I want to mention my latest site.
As usual it's on the silly side, but it makes me smile.

First though, I want to quickly mention a point which is lingering from a couple of weeks ago, about not trying to please people all the time.

As usual, the TV schedule is awash with talent shows, and one has caught my eye in particular.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, or Lord Lloyd Webber to be more precise, is one of musical theatre's biggest successes, all over the world.
He has often taken risks, and like to use unknowns to launch his shows.
He is producing an upcoming version of The Sound of Music, so instead of doing the usual industry trawl for an unknown to play Maria, he's got on the talent show bandwagon, with a show called 'How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?'

Nifty title.

As usual it's the public which will have the final choice, and with a 12 week run, it's great publicity for the show.
Andrew is notorious for doing everything himself, and this was in clear evidence during the first auditions.
The people he had asked to do the original auditions had left out 4 girls that he liked, so he just decided to include them in the next stage anyway!
It just goes to show that although those 4 had not impressed the initial 3 judges, they *had* impressed Lloyd Webber.
As it turned out they were later eliminated, but it's a good point about trying to please everybody.

I've done auditions where I knew I was good for the part, but didn't get it after what I knew was a good audition.

Did I worry about why not?
No, because if I had changed something to try and get the part, I could have failed on something else.
All I could do was make sure I doing the best I could, and move on to the next one, because believe it or not, there are plenty of 'Great Gordino' shaped holes in the entertainment biz!

You have to set your own parameters.

Ok, my new site.
To celebrate me passing 40, I wrote a song, called 'Rock & Roll Town.'
It's about, er, a town, where rock & roll rules.

Rockers often have a reputation as being offensive and closed minded, but in fact rockers are usually some of the most open minded people you can meet.
Sure, you get plenty of buffoons, but generally they are a good bunch.

After I'd written the song, I decided it called for a website, and an idea to match.
The idea is to get as many bands as possible to record the song.
Then rock fans can become a 'citizen' of the rock & roll town by buying one of the many versions, or mercandise, maybe a tshirt.
So I can monetize the site a couple of ways, the bands should like it, and rock fans should like it.

See, it's a silly idea isn't it?
I like it though, and there are 2 places to see the project.
The first is the myspace site, which is a great site for networking, particularly in music:
http://www.myspace.com/rocknrolltown

Then there's the main site:
http://www.rocknrolltown.com

See if it makes you smile, 'cos that's the idea!

Ok, that's it for today - are your self-set parameters the best for you?

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, August 14, 2006

Issue 379 - Mon 14th Aug 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

Today I want to carry on with the a point I made last week, but to start with I want to tell you about something at the weekend which shows in a nutshell why I think sport can teach so much about life.

In the European Athletics Championships, the women's high jump was in full flow.
One of the athletes was a Bulgarian, Venelina Veneva.
If you ask my that's a bit like me calling a daughter of mine Bryony, but there we go.

Venelina was going along holding her own in a stiff competition.
As she approached the bar on one of her jumps, she put her full weight on her ankle, and it buckled underneath her.
She collapsed in a heap on the mat, in a lot of pain.
10 minutes later though, she tried the height again, with a heavily strapped ankle, and cleared it, going to claim the silver medal.

To me that's impressive.
She could have given up, blaming her ankle, but she sucked it up battled through the difficulty, and came through.
Most athletes compete with some injury or other, and it shows that in life, when we come across the barriers in our way, we are not the only one it happens to, and although giving up may be the easy short term option, the better long term action is to fight through.

Ok, back to my point from last week.
This week we only have *510 places* left in our prisons, and something I read in the paper leads me to think about the difference between offering help and being a doormat.

As a country, the UK is welcoming and accomodating to those seeking asylum from other countries.
Not all asylum seekers seem to think it fit to live by our laws in exchange for that help.

One asylum seeker constantly drove his car without insurance and while banned.
As he was continually caught, he was punished with... another ban for him to ignore.
When driving while under such a ban, he knocked down a 12 year old girl.
He got out, saw what he had done, and ran off.
The girl died.
He was put in prison for just 4 months, and banned for 3 years.

Out of prison, he ignored his ban and was caught again.
As an asylum seeker, he has been refused right to stay here, as his claim is not deemed real, but he can't be deported because his particular country is deemed 'unstable'.

So, guess what punishment he received?
Another ban.
I'm sure he'll stick to it, aren't you?

If you ask me, when you ask someone for help, which he did, and you are looked after, which is what this country did, you'd damn well better show respect, and if you break the rules, you should expect to be sent packing.
Is that too much to ask?

It isn't politically correct to say things like that.
I'm not a racist in any way, never have been, but since it's my taxes that pay for people like this, I'm entitled to my opinion.

It comes back to one of the simplest, truest life mottos you an adopt -
'Treat others as you would be treated yourself.'

Ok, that's it for today, I'll see you next week for the launch of my new website.
Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, August 07, 2006

Issue 378 - Mon 7th Aug 2006

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.

I fairly regularly get emails from people saying they don't always get the newsletter in their email.
That's simply down to the filters that all emails have to navigate, thanks to the all the j u nk stuff.
In my view, the filters don't work, the negatives outweigh the positives.
I put the newsletter online every week too at the blog, which you're reading now.

I often think about just posting to the blog and not sending a newsletter at all.
Some weeks, like this one, I have bits and bobs I want to say which will spread over 2 issues, whereas if I blog in the traditional way, I could just post when I want.
What do you think?
Do you visit blogs regularly?
Would you visit mine?
I'd love to gather a few opinions.

As I said, this week I have 4 points which came to mind.
2 of them concern how I think a society could maybe work better, and 2 of them concern not trying to please all the people all the time.
Maybe I'll go for one of each today, and maybe put the other 2 on the blog!!

Ok, first up, prison.
I read over the weekend that here in the UK, there were only 680 spaces left in our prisons.
Another 680 criminals, and all our jails will be full up!
Then the prisoners will have to be kept in cells at police stations.
They are meant to be used for holding purposes only, and the police charges the government for it.

The cost of a prison cell for one night to the government is £66.
The cost of a night in the police cells to the government is £362!
Of course when I say 'to the government', what I mean is to honest tax payers like me.

I've never been to prison, and have no intention of ever going there.
I don't know anyone who has either, but from the documentaries I've seen, it isn't a nice place.
'Good,' you may well say, 'it's supposed to be a punishment.'
I agree with that point, but it's not the point I'm making.

The point I want to make is that sometimes people are jailed when they don't need to be.
I only say that due to this overcrowding problem.
For the prisoners themselves, if they don't like it, I say don't break the law in the first place, but for the non-violent one off offender, is prison the best place for them?

Maybe some people go from non violent to violent precisely because they have been in prison.
Maybe the non violent one off criminal could be punished within society?
Impose a curfew on them, punish them financially, how about making them pay the £66 a night prison costs?
That way they are punished and the financial burden is taken off the rest of us.
Hmm... can't see it happening, but I think it would help society. What do you think?

Ok, I was watching a new series on TV of Dragon's Den, where would be entrepreneurs pitch their idea to potential investors.
It 's the kind of thing that happens all the time in business, but not usually on tv, and to spice it up, the programme makers put a fair old share of nutters on the show who would never have a chance of getting the money.

I thought I was watching one of those when a man came on who had invented a water free egg boiler.
His little contraption didn't really excite the dragons, and one of them asked for a demonstration of a 4 minute boiled egg.
They asked him more questions while the 4 minutes went, and when he opened the lid...
He had forgotten to put the egg in.

D'oh!
So, he tried again while the investors rolled their eyes and sniggered.
After another 4 minutes, he took out the egg, cracked the shell and a non-cooked egg ran all over the table.

Double D'oh!
Despite the fact that most of the investors clearly thought this was a bad idea, that didn't even work, he had a 3rd go.

Once again, the result was a raw egg.
Then to my amazement, 2 of the investors said they would give him all the money he asked for because they thought it would sell millions.

It just goes to show that you can't always tell what people will want.
I would have thought a 3-time failed demonstration would be a disaster, and for the majority of the investors it was, but 2 of them snapped up the idea, based on the potential.

In life as well, you can't try and please everyone, because you can't know what they want, so stick to being yourself!

Ok, that's it for today.
Let me know what you think about me blogging, and if you happen to be reading this from jail, let me know wat you think about my non-jail idea!

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, July 31, 2006

Issue 377 - Mon 31st Jul 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

Today I want to talk about discipline.
Self-discipline.
In general life it will get you a long way, doing the right thing just because you know it's the right thing to do, but in particular, discipline is vital when it comes to goal achievement.

I did some more research on my groin muscle this week, and it seems that I should do no training for 3 weeks!
That's really frustrating, I want to be out there getting myself ever more ready for the race, but I need to be disciplined.
If I aggravate the muscle more now, the 3 week lay off will turn into a 3 month lay off, and the end of that road would be surgery.
Sticking to the 3 week lay off now will hopefully lead to a quick recovery and return to training.

I've been trying to think how I caused it.
I certainly didn't feel any distinct twangs or pains, but I suspect it may be a *lack* of discipline which caused it.
When following an established plan, it's important to apply all the tasks.
That includes stopping when required.

There have been a couple of weeks when I exceeded the distance on my Sunday long run.
In fact I can think of at least 3 times when I did that, and it could be those small extra steps which strained the muscle - I know I won't be doing it again when I resume!

The entry forms for the 2007 marathon came out today.
I have alreedy sent mine off.
The facts say that I only have a 2 in 10 chance of getting in.
I'm not surprised.
There are around 35,000 places avaialable.
If you have been rejected for the previous 5 times, you are guaranteed a place.
Then there are the many thousands of places reserved for charities.
That doesn't leave many left for the first timer like me.
Still, that 20% chance goes down to 0% if I don't apply!

The charity I chose, MIND, has already filled up its' places, so I need to rethink.
There are loads of charities which have guaranteed places, although loooking down the list I have never heard of most of them!
That doesn't really appeal, I need to guarantee raising at least £1000 for a place, although it would get me in the race!
Hmm...

Or, I could just go with my 20% chance in the general ballot, and if I don't get in, just do my own marathon around the local streets?
What I could then do is donate (mmm, sounds like doughnut, mmm) to whichever charity the donater prefers.

Still, I guess I have plenty of time to think about it!

Talking about self-discipline, I had to laugh yesterday when I was doing my shopping.
I'm not a big fan of shopping, unless a superb special offer jumps out at me, but I remembered how recently I had been wandering around the supermarket, and saw a new flavour of crisps being advertised - lamb and mint sauce.
'Ooh, I wonder what they taste like?' I thought, and picked up a couple of (special price) multi bags.

I got home, and launched into a bag.
They did in fact taste very much like lamb and mint sauce.
It was at that point that I remembered - I don't even like lamb and mint sauce, and never had done!

Why would I possibly buy crisps in a flavour of something I've never liked?
Lack of self discipline, that's why!
They must have seen me coming in that shop!

Ok, that's it for today, consider if you are applying enough self discipline this week.
Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, July 24, 2006

Issue 376 - Mon 24 Jul 2006

Hi,
I hope all is well where you are.

Thanks for all your emails about my groin, I can't remember the last time it generated so much interest!

I did some research in the week about groin strains, and it seems there are many varieties!
The common remedy I found is, unsurprisingly, resting it until it is better.
How do you know it's better?
By testing it, to see if it still hurts.

Seems reasonable to someone like me who doesn't have a running coach to guide me, and with the fact that we had all-time record high July weather here in the UK, I did walking sessions instead of running this week, apart from a 6 mile tester yesterday.
I could still feel it more than I ought, so this Sunday's 15 miler is looking doubtful.
Looks like my decision to start training months ahead of schedule is paying off - this is time I can afford to lose with no worries.
Don't forget you can download my no cost marathon book via the link at the bottom.

Today I want to talk about mental attitude, featuring 2 multi-billion pound industries.
If you're thinking 'here we go, music and sport,' well you'd be wrong this time.
Er, no hang on, you'd be right actually, but I defy you to tell me at the end that you can't use the point in your life today.

The sport story is the quicker, so let's start...
There are 4 major golf tournaments every year, and yesterday, the oldest and most prestigious, The Open, was won by Tiger Woods.

It's his 11th major, and only one man has won more, Jack Nicklaus with 18.
It's a comment Nicklaus made years ago that caught my ears.

One of the most difficult shots in golf is the 4 foot putt.
I'm talking about the elite professionals here, for a klutz like me they are all the most difficult, but in a game which relies hugely on mental strength, the 4 foot putt has ruined many careers.

Jack Nicklaus once said the he had never missed a 4 footer.
By that he meant that he knew his preparation and stroke were fine every time.
Sometimes the ball didn't go in, but that wasn't his fault.
I'm not sure that can literally be true, but consider his iron-strong confidence in what he did and how he did it!

Ok, onto the music story, featuring Tony Blair.
Yes, *that* Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Britain.

He wasn't always interested in politics, in fact when he was 18, he fiercely wanted to be a rock star.
He arrived in London, and people found that his undeniable charm had them giving him free food and board when they hardly knew him.
One of these became a friend, and told Tony that he should maybe try promoting as a way into the business.

Tony jumped at it, and soon declared himself the promoter of a local band.
He found a church hall to rent, and went out and sold, sold, sold, turning the night into a huge success.

He then wanted to step up a gear, and took the huge step of hiring a 4,000 seater hall in London.
To fill it he decided to get a big band, and simply rang up the management of Free, one of Britain's biggest bands at the time.
When he was told the band wanted £25,000 upfront (remember this was 1971, that was a big lump of money), he realised that it wasn't as easy as he thought.
On the night the 4,000 seater had around 60 people turn up, and Tony was counting his losses.

Did he give up?
I should say not, he carried on selling and talking to people, putting his people skills to great use, eventually putting on 4 successful shows, making a clear profit of £600, again a lot of money then.

In 1972 he went off to University, where he spotted a band auditioning for a singer.
He got the job, (he was the only one that showed up).
The drum kit collapsed on the first gig, and the band only played 6 times.
Within 3 months Tony had joined the Labour party, and the rest is history.

Think of what you do and how you do it.

Do you have the steely confidence of 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus, or do you have the unquenchable ambition and drive of Tony Blair.
He tried it in rock, it didn't work, but when he turned to something else, he became the youngest Prime Minister for nearly 200 years.

Ok, that's it for today,
Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, July 17, 2006

Issue 375 - Mon 17th Jul 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

You may remember that last week I mentioned how astronaut Mike Fossum had to take a surprising detour on his path to achieve his goal of going to space.
Fossum is today breathing the same air as me, as he and the rest of the crew landed a short while ago, and I'll carry on today a bit about the detour factor.
It's not unusual to have to change and adapt your plans and routes as you take action towards your goal.
In fact, it would be more unusual *not* to have to adapt.

My marathon training has once again come up with a good demonstration.
A fortnight ago when I did 13 miles, I found myself getting a touch bored as I went round and round a 3 mile lap I had worked out.
So before yesterday's 14 miler, I went out and worked out a different route.
I know that's a fairly literal example of changing my route, but it sort of works.
I hadn't realised that boredom would set in on the route.

On the actual London marathon there isn't muh repetition, so actually it is a good thing for me to do different routes.
I set out with a target time of 2 hours 48, and finished in 2 hours 48.
I was chuffed, although it wasn't without problems.

During this last week I had noticed some aching in a muscle which I'm fairly sure is the groin.
As I got settled into my walks and runs though, the ache eased, so I thought I'd carry on, but keep an eye on it.
(Not literally of course, running around constantly looking at your groin is not advised).

Yesterday after about 9 miles I was really feeling this muscle a lot, and considered stopping at my next route mark of 13 miles.
My feet were also aching as much as they had last time, and it was this which made me decide not to stop at 13 miles, as I didn't want it to become a mental block of any sort.
So I got to 14 miles, and felt the same as I did after 13 - no better, no worse, and it began to occur to me that maybe it always feels like that from that point right to the end!

Gulp.
If that's the case, it's the first time that I can begin to see why it is such a challenge!

This week I will research a lot into my muscle ache.
Lord knows my groin has precious little else use, but even so I don't want to set myself back!

Hmm, as I write, and you know I like to just whack the newsletter out as I feel, I'm not sure boredom is the right word for when I'm running.
I have no problem keeping myself occupied with thoughts, so I think it's the onset of aches which makes further 3-mile laps seem less than appealing!
In fact, my recent runs have led me to write a new song, and finish and old half-finished one, which hopefully I'll be able to unveil soon!

Ok, that's it for today, don't be worried about route changes!

Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, July 10, 2006

Issue 374 - Mon 10th Jul 2006

Hi,
I hope everything is ok where you are.

Thanks for all your birthday wishes last week.
It fair warmed my cockles I can tell you.

Long time readers may remember way back in the summer of 2003, I wrote about how big achievement it was to be the first from your country to achieve things, in particular when Roger Federer became the first Swiss male to win Wimbledon.
Yesterday he won it for the 4th time running!
Impressive, eh?

Last week I was saying how I shouldn't be surprised to now be able to do a half marathon, because I was following an established plan which specifically got me to that stage.
Well yesterday the plan had me doing a 6 miler.
It was tempting to carry on increasing the mileage, but because the plan didn't just say 'this works', but actually explained, I understood.

Now I am at a certain milegae, alternating with shorter runs gives my body more time to recover.
Makes sense to me, and next week I can up it to 14 miles.
It also beds in my mind that I can do 12 minute miles as my standard now - my comfort zone has been pushed!

Today I also want to talk about Mike Fossum.
You might not know who he is, I didn't until a week ago.

He's an astronaut, and as I write, he is currently on a space walk with Briton Peirs Sellers, tethered to the International Space Station 220 miles up.

Incidentally, did you know that the first Briton didn't go to space until 1991?
It was a woman, Helen Sharman, who answered an ad in the paper!

Ok, back to Mike Fossum...
His father was always interested in the space program, so it was no surprise that Mike had the same ambition as most kids, to be an astronaut.
Also like most kids, he dismissed it as a silly idea, something that 'other people' do.

He joined the Air Force, and found himself posted to Nasa of all places, working as an engineer.
He got to know the astronauts, and the realisation that they were just normal people reignited his astronaut dream.
He got to know a Japanese astronaut in particular, who gave him some advice he didn't really want to hear.

He told him to leave Nasa.
He told Mike that a common route to becoming an astronaut was to go to test pilot school, and it was something that he himself had done.
Fossum didn't want to leave Nasa, but accepted that it was an established route to achieving the goal.

Guess what he did?

Yep, he left Nasa to join the pilot test school, and it was another 8 years odd before he rejoined Nasa.
In 1998 he was accepted into the astronaut program, leading to him being on his first space flight in 2006.

It's a goal achievement classic.
He learnt of an established plan, and although it seemed to take him away from where he wanted to be, he took it, enjoyed the experience fully, and found that as predicted, it got him to where he wanted to be.

I found out in my research that he is 49, and got onto the space program early in his 40s.
Hmm... Gordino in space maybe?

Maybe not, that would have to be one hell of a sick bag.

Ok, that's it for today, how much are you prepared to give for your goal?

Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon Milllion at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, July 03, 2006

Issue 373 - Mon 3rd Jul 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

As for me, I find myself creaking into my 40s today.

I enjoyed the last day of my 30s.
It was blisteringly 'country about to grind to a halt' hot day yesterday, so I set off for my run nice and early.
My target was 13 miles in 2 hours 36, and I did it in 2 hours 37.
So that's a half marathon done already!
Because I've built up slowly to that level, the main problem I had was just my feet, as there is little you can do to get away from the fact that my poor little tootsies do take a pounding.
That explains the creaking today!

Then in the afternoon I was at a jam session.
I had a little play on the drums, a little bit of bass geetar, and a jolly good time all round.

You have plenty of time to think when you are doing a 2 and half hour run, and I was thinking about my last 10 years.

I can clearly remember my 30th, as it was in the middle of one of, if not *the* best time of my life.
It wasn't long though before it all went wrong, the worst time of my life, and I spent many years getting
myself back on an even keel.

I've lived at many different addresses, currently at my 9th in 10 years.

I've done plenty of different jobs, from entertaining to office work, to greasy factory work to my current self-employment from home.

I resurrected my drumming, took up the bass guitar.

I found out I'm no good at the pole vault, twanged a hamstring when I tried the long jump.

I've spent time on my own, and had a few (short) relationships!

Wrap all that lot together, throw in the frightening amount of chocolate I must have had over the decade, and there's a word for what you get.

Life.

When I was 30 I had no idea I had all that ahead of me (except for maybe the chocolate).
What will I have in the next 10 years before I'm 50, apart from more chocolate?
Who knows, but I'll try and view it all as an adventure, and if I think of anything I want to try, hopefully I will just get on with it.
I might be married with kids, I might still be single.

To be continued...

Something else I thought of when running, was when I was gasping for breath.
This only happened for about the first 20/30 mins.
After that I can feel a change in my body.

What happens, is that instead of the body scrabbling around for instant energy for the first few minutes, it settles into tapping into my stored reserves.
That's why it's important to build those reserves, so I can simply accept the first few minutes without worry.

I thought of it as a pinball machine, once the ball has slipped off the flipper, and while you are still cursing, the ball wobbles about the hole before finally falling in.
Does that work, applying that to my body and the energy stores?
Hmm, not sure...

Anyhoo, show me an athlete that doesnt warm up and do the wobbly bits first, and I'll show you a twanged muscle.
Show me a musician that doesn't do the wobbly bits first, I'll show you some bum notes.
In fact, with anything in life, you have to go through the wobbly bits.
Recognise what they are, put in the preparation for what comes after, or you may be heading for problems.

Ok, that's it for today.

I'm off to do what most new 40 yr-olds do, buy a Harley-Davidson or something like that.

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with my Marathon Milllion at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, June 26, 2006

Issue 372 - Mon 26th Jun 2006

Hi,

I hope everything is ok where you are.

I can tell you in advance, I'm not sure if there'll be an issue next Monday.
I'll be lurching into my 41st year on that day, I'm not sure what I'll be doing, so we'll have to wait and see.

As for my plan to run the London Marathon to celebrate it, it's all going well.
Yesterday I did 11 miles in 2 hours 10 minutes, which is still bang on schedule.
Next Sunday the target is 12 miles, although with the way it's going I can see myself doing 13, and that's a half marathon!

So that's going from *very* unfit to an on-target half marathon in 2 hours 36.
I can't say I'm surprised at that progress, because I'm following an established plan to achieve, it but there have been no glitches or hiccups, which is always a bonus!

A few weeks ago I asked for your opinions on what I should do with my new book.
I've decided now, and this is the plan...

I'm giving the book away for free.

There are no catches, I'm not even asking for email addresses.

You can get it at:
http://www.gordonbryan.com/cat/mm.pdf

If you read it and enjoy it, it would be great if you could pass it on to people, via your mailing list, your site, whatever.
If you want, I can brand it for you, meaning that your website link is on the front page, and all mentions of my 'Transform Your Life in 21 Days!' book will be your affiliate link.
Then if you give it away, and the people you give it to pass it on, who knows who it may bring to your site, who knows who may buy my first book and earn you commission!

So, why am I giving it away for nothing?
Well, as with a lot of internet projects, it was quick and fairly easy to set up, it might have worked, it might not.
As a profit making exercise, it hasn't worked.

Now what I want to do is concentrate on raising the sponsorship money for the charity.
So, in the book, I ask that if you were to send me a birthday card, or buy me a birthday drink, then spend that money on sponsoring me instead!

You can sponsor me at the site:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Or, just enjoy the book with my compliments.

Ok, that's it for today.
Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon
Get involved with The Great Gordino Marathon at:
http://www.thegreatgordinomarathon.com

Monday, June 19, 2006

Issue - 371 Mon 19th Jun

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

You may remember a few weeks ago I lost my house keys on one of my first training runs, and that because they had a store loyalty card on them, someone had handed them in, and the store had sent them to me.

Often with these loyalty cards, the amount of money you save is so small that it's hardly worth the effort, but I keep using mine, simply because it's no effort to do so.
All the mail offers I get from them usually get a quick once over before I turf them into the bin.

Last week though, I got a set of coupons through, £6 off when you spend over £40.
Now for a tight-arse like me, that's like a red rag to a bull.

All I have to do is my normal shop, plus a load of non-perishables that don't usually come under special offer, and it's money in my pocket for nothing!
The warm weather is continuing yesterday, so I thought that on a Sunday morning it would be nice and quiet, that people would be out and about enjoying the summer.

I was wrong - it was heaving!

I had been out my run earlier (10 non-chafing miles in 1hour 59 mins), so maybe there had been an announcement of the 4 minute-warning and I had missed it.
After all, if ever there was a 4-minute warning, I'm sure I too would think 'hmm, just enough time to get to Tesco, they have teabags on special offer.'

Having mentioned before how doing simple things like sending my keys back to me enhances a reputation, a fact which seems to escape so many businesses, I got an email which reminded me of another simple thing.

It was from an online buddy who had ordered a CD of harp music from a company called Baby CDs.
Here's the confirmation email they sent her...

Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.
A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.
Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell overthe crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.
We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Wednesday, June 7th.
I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby.
We sure did.
Your picture is on our wall as 'Customer of the Year'.
We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!
Thank you once again,

How about that!!
Do you think someone woud want to order from them again or not?
Brilliant, simple, feel-good marketing!

I think I've been quite restrained so far in my coverage of the World Cup.
I know not everyone is a fan of sport, let alone football, so I try not to overdo it, but sport can give such obvious lessons to take forward into life.
It's one of the reasons why it should be a fundamental ingredient in schooling, (it is becoming less so here in the UK), and since I write about self-improvement and the like, I can't help but be drawn to it.

A lot of countries use football to assert their indentity, to state their importance on the world stage.
2 countries that have done this particularly well are Brazil and Argentina.
Nowadays it is the African countries that use the World Cup as a staging post of their progress, coming through poverty and civil war.

Take Angola for instance.
They are only recently out of over 25 years of civil war.
A lot of the squad had to flee their own country as children.
Not all the players even play for a club - the goalkeeper has trained himself alone for the past 3 years to keep in shape!
When they played Mexico, who are ranked 4th in the world rankings, everyone expected them to get thrashed.
The self-training goalkeeper made several great saves, and the game ended 0-0.
The result was celebrated as if they had won the whole tournament, it was such a step for them.

Now *that's* the kind of reason I like my sport!

Ok, that's it for today, what could you achieve in your life that would be an equivalent of Angola drawing with Mexico?

Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon

Monday, June 12, 2006

Issue 370 - Mon 12th Jun 2006

Hi,

I hope everything is ok where you are.

Today I want to talk about how talking to people can bring results your way, and how easy it can be to become an 'expert.'
These are positive thoughts, and I'll get to them in a sec, but let me get a couple of negatives out of the way first.

The Football World Cup has started in Germany.
I noticed that one of the games over the weekend was played in what used to be East Germany.
The stadium was built specifically for the tournament.
It was finished early, and came in under budget.

One of the most famous football stadiums (probably should be 'stadia' but I don't care) used to be Wembley stadium in London.
It was knocked down years ago to be replaced by a new one.

At present it is almost double the budget, is nowhere near ready, and there are real concerns about the safety of the foundations.

Hmm...

The second story I noticed came from the newly appointed Home Secretary here in the UK.

This one's a corker.
Having admitted that a lot of his department was not in a fit enough state to do the job, over the weekend, he announced an initiative where the public should 'stop moaning' about anti-social behaviour, and take action.

I've never heard anything quite like it.
I can assure you that if you tackle anti-social behaviour in this country, the worst case scenario would see you dead.
It has happened too many times.
Other cases would be a physical assault, a brick through your window, bullying, etc etc, and the protection you'd get from the law would be 'thin' to say the least.
The most unlikely scenario would be for the yobs to say sorry and go away.

I was staggered to see this policy, but unfortunately I *wasn't* staggered to see the Home Secretary then do an about-turn and distance himself from it, saying it was drawn up by officials.
I know I'm not 40 for another few weeks, but I'm seriously getting grumpy about things like this.

Right, onto the positives...
Last Sunday when I did my long run, 7 miles, I felt so good at the end of it that I went on to do 8 since my schedule had a target of 7-8.
This shows that if you follow a set plan, you can find yourself over achieving your targets, which is a good thing.

The bad thing was that I had my first serious experience of chafing.
And let me tell you, it was in an area where you don't want to be chafed.
Unless you're some sort of deviant.
Which I'm not.
Well at least when it comes to chafing.
Ooh, I was red raw.

I went to a jam session in the afternoon, and told people about my problem, explaining that most running website seemed to suggest some sort of lube or ointment application.
I'm not sure I fancy that, you'd have some staining issues surely?
Imagine if you went for banana flavour - you'd get neighbours following government advice and tackling you about being anti-social!
Anyhoo, after a while someone came up to me and suggested lycra shorts.
The funny thing is, I have a pair from my unicycling days, when I suffered chafing then too.

I had the solution in my draw, and knew it, but it took someone else to prompt me, and that prompt only came about because I had talked about my goals.

This week it was nudging 30 degrees for my long run, and distance running is not sensible in those conditions.
After 3 miles, I was sweating like a pig, more so than normal, and could feel my head throbbing in the heat.
I recognised this as not normal, as I've been doing it for weeks now, so poured a lot of water over me, and slowed right down.
This allowed me to complete the full distance safely and comfortably.

Speaking of comfort, the lycra cycling shorts worked a treat, it was all silky smooth down there.
I wanted to go up and tell people how comfortable I was feeling downstairs, but the only other people out and about at 8am on a Sunday are old duffers walking their dogs, and I'm not sure they would understand.

Ok, that's it for today - remember that you can get great advice if you talk about your goals, and taking repeated action can quickly lead you to getting great knowledge about any field.

Have a good week.
'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon

Monday, June 05, 2006

Issue 369 - Mon 5th Jun 2006

Hi,
I hope Monday finds you well.

My subjects today are going for your dreams, and making sure that ambition doesn't blind you to the facts.

In 1984, Christa McAuliffe was sitting in her car with her husband, when she heard President Reagan on the radio, saying that NASA was starting a search to find a teacher to send into space.
She had always been fascinated by the space program, and her husband said she should try for it.

Sounds pretty silly eh?
1 place, out of all the teachers in the US?
Hardly worth the effort of applying.
Of course that attitude will see you never realising any of your dreams.

Being a teacher, of course Christa knew this, so she applied, and gradually progressed through the selection process, standing in amazement when she was finally chosen as the teacher in space.
She'd beaten a lot of candidates who were into mountaineering and extreme sports, because NASA wanted someone as 'normal' as possible, that more people could relate to.

That's another goal achievement principle - never assume that you don't fit the bill, because you don't always know what others are thinking!

All good stuff eh?

Well yes, but in 1984 when she first heard that broadcast on the radio, engineers had already noticed a problem about the rocket boosters on the shuttles.
When they examined the reusable boosters after a flight of the shuttle Discovery, they noticed a failure of a rubber seal, and it was only the back up seal that had prevented a disaster.
The engineer in charge of these selas made numerous attempts to get the problem looked at, but was ignored by his bosses.
The company had a huge contract with NASA, and from NASA's point of view, the seal was only 1 out of *700* shuttle components on the category 1 list, meaning a failure could be catastrophic.

Christa was due to launch in Janary 1986 on the Challenger shuttle.
As the launch neared, it was clear that the launch would be at the lowest temperature ever, and the seal engineer became ever more concerned.
The teacher in space idea had captured the media's attention, with Christa due to give a lesson from space, and children all over the country watching.
With 2 postponed launches already, NASA was feeling a lot of negative press and was desperate to get the launch off.

The managers of the rocket booster company were finally convinced of the dangers on the eve of the launch, and held a conference telemeeting with NASA.
The managers explained the situation, that they could not safely recommend a launch.
One of NASA's team said that although he found it an 'appalling situation', he couldn't go against the contractors.

Those words were critical.
The booster company's managers asked for a 5 minute break.
They realised that their multi-billion dollar contract was on the line, and told their head engineer to take off his enginer hat and put on his manager hat.
Despite the protestations of the specific seal expert present, the head engineer changed his view, and said a launch was ok.
When NASA heard this about turn, they didn't ask why the company had completely changed their view, but they did ask if anyone disagreed.
The seal engineer kept silent, and NASA took this as good enough to launch.

On January 28 1986, Challenger launched.
On take off, the seals failed to operate in the cold, and a minute after take-off, the main fuel load exploded, destroying the shuttle.
All 7 astronauts died.

The investigation concluded that NASA's communication network was flawed, and people weren't being listened to properly.
To be perfectly honest, the loss of the Columbia shuttle 17 years later suggests that the lessons hadn't been taken on.

The crux of it was that the desire to get the shuttle up had caused a blindness to basic scientific fact.

It's all too easy to get carried away by getting close to your goal, but it's an important point to stick to the known facts.
Once you move away from them, you are on unproven ground, with unpredictable results.

Had Christa McAuliffe not applied to be on that shuttle, she would have been safely on the ground, but she would have always known that the chance to fulfill an ambition had come her way and she had ignored it.

Ok, that's it for today.
If you want to go for something, then go for it, but in business and life, remember not ignore cold hard facts.

Have a good week.

'Til Next Time,
Health and Happiness,
Gordon