Slim Shady

         

 

 

Edition 221 Monday February 17th 2014

 

 

Hi,many moons ago I payed squash regularly with a guy who was better than me. Initially he used to win every game but then slowly I started getting a couple of games off him until one day I won. He didn’t take it that well and was never the same after that day. You see I had everything to gain and he had it all to lose and he didn’t know what to do when I improved to his level. What he didn’t realise or do was think of ways to improve to stay one step ahead.

The same thing has happened recently to me at my Toastmasters club where new members have improved to a level where they can compete and defeat those of us who have mentored and encouraged them,which after all is how it is supposed to work! It has enlightened and focused me on the need to ‘reinvent’ myself in an attempt to catch up and stay one step ahead. Its not what happens but how positively we react that counts.

Crikey I am proud of our club and the commitment our members have to kicking my backside!(ouch).

Mum and Dad celebrated their 55^th wedding anniversary last week,whilst their #1 son takes the plunge for a second crack in a mere 3 weeks time! If I am to emulate my parents I will be 110 yrs!!!

I am showing good early form with a Valentines Day card and a popular gift last weekJ

I lost my wallet recently and amazingly someone found it and handed it in same day which did a lot to restore my faith in honesty and humanity.

Christine and her son Matthew went to Eminem(who?) on Saturday night with 54,998.00 others!They had the coolest time reminicing as the real ‘Slim Shady’ stood up big time !!

 

From the Fletcher file; More teeth arriving every day top,bottom and eye teeth to complete an impressive array of pearly white chompers,great for attacking Dads weekend designer loaf arrgghhh!

I hope you are enjoying some great summer days and evenings with family and friends.

Have a good week ahead…..…………..Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon M and M’s are chocolate sweets and always have been??

 

 

 

 

“No Cold Callers” sign in reception at “Southern Spars”

 

Last week I was cruising around looking for business and had to check out a new building site for a customer. After doing so I decided to call in on a number of businesses in the same area. I noticed a large company called Southern Spars. A big building with heaps of cars parked out front and more importantly heaps of recycling and refuse bins everywhere.

As I walked to the front entrance I noticed a man and a lady also heading for the door so I waited and opened the door for them! They couldn’t believe I had done that and were appreciative. We all headed up the stairs to reception untiil I saw a sign on the reception counter that stopped me in my tracks! It said……No Cold Callers L

The couple I opened the door for noticed I had stopped and both laughed when they realised I was a dreaded salesman!!....anyway because I had made a good first impression with them they told me to disregard the sign and proceeded to give me the contact details of the decision maker!!

WOW,a simple example of how powerful a good first impression can be,it can and does open doors!

On the flip side we have two local cafes…..one charges a surcharge on public holidays and one doesn’t,guess which one is more popular with the locals?!!,you bet, it’s the one with ‘no surcharge’.

The quickest way to upset loyal customers is to take them for granted….its a no brainer….surely!!

 

“No Surcharge” Top Shop Café Muriwai Beach

Live a little

         

 

 

Edition 220 Monday February 10th 2014

 

 

Hi,thanks for taking the time to give me some feedback on my driving, clearly you didn’t want to ‘regret’ not doing that before I am arrested!! Seriously, I am making an effort in my marked car J

I admit I am a bit set in my ways, enjoy my own space and get grumpy when I feel like that space or comfort zone is threatened….so imagine when it was suggested we do something a bit different? I was a grump and had to be led literally kicking and screaming but as is often the case I had an amazing time at the Matua music event on Saturday listening to bands and relaxing in the sun!

The cruisey beats of Trinity Roots and my families enjoyment of the entire experience will be lingering and extra special memories for me. Fletcher had a ball running bare foot through the vines with heaps of other kids as we mellowed with a glass (or two) of the vineyards finest.

Hmmmmm another lesson for me…..get out of your comfort zone old boy and live a little J

That said, we have had a cool four day weekend that seemed like it would last forever!

As always I am looking forward to going back to work for a rest after four full on days with our son!

I was thinking the other day on my run (as you do) that the reason I work out twice a day,five days a week is so I am in top condition to last the distance on the weekend with Fletcher the action kid!

From the Fletcher file; Our little boy was 18months old on Sunday WOW a reminder to us that spending time enjoying every day of our lives together is so important.

We even had time to catch up with Nana and Poppa this weekend, so important to stay in touch with the people closest to us, hope you had time to relax and do the same.

Have a great week ahead…..…………..Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon there should be a music event at Matua for groovy dogs!

 

 

 

 

“Tough times don't last, tough people do, remember?” Gregory Peck

 

Crikey it was a tough week as I attempted to fit five business days activity into three!

I ended up stressing myself out, lost focus on the priorities and basically mislaid the plot.

On top of that I missed out on a couple of big projects I have been chasing and what went wrong more or less did…..ever had days/weeks like that?

The reality is that life personal or business cant and dosent go perfectly all the time no matter how ‘Upbeat’ you try to be or try to inspire others to be.

So what do you do when your’e having a mare?

The easiest thing I found to do was laugh J,I reckoned it was a good ploy given I didn’t think things could get any worse.

The other thing I did was to focus on something I was looking forward to which was my forthcoming extra long weekend. Both these things relieved some of the tension I had built up, uncoiled the spring a bit and allowed me time to focus on what I could achieve rather than trying to do everything,which I had to accept was impossible. Once I had done that I could crack on.

I analysed my failed project bids,talked to the key people so I understood where I had missed out/gone wrong and tried not to beat myself up too much about it……ok, just a little arrrggghhhhh.

Then I was nice to myself by rewarding me with a strawberry yoghurt ice cream from one of the growers outlets on the way home one sunny night…..ahhhh bliss, and after that lot I was feeling a lot better about my short week from sales hell…..so look after yourselves, because its tough out there!!

 

“If you think you have it tough, read history books.” Bill Maher

No Regrets !!

         

 

 

Edition 219 Monday February 3rd 2014

 

Hi, I have always wanted to feature on a youtube video, have it go ‘viral’ and receive millions of hits world wide, how cool would that be ! Well,I actually made it on to a youtube video last week but it wasn’t that cool L having had my driving uploaded on to a daily “do you believe what this person did” youtube clip. Seems a fellow motorist took exception to me saving time at one of those annoying sets of lights controlling a motorway onramp!.....crikey, some people need to get a life J

I am doing some work on a project about “regrets”. The focus is on the regrets of the elderly or terminally ill and as morbid as it sounds it has been enlightening but scary. The biggest regrets people have are commonly “working too hard” and “not always being true to their feelings”. The outcome whilst not rocket science is sobering for those of us who have time left to do something about it. It is sad to think there is little or nothing most older or sick people can do to change their lives or their regrets. They all wish they had the time and the energy to make things different.Would there be anything more moving or motivational than holding the hand of a dying person feeling their sadness and pain and promising not to make the same mistakes….unbelieveably sad but powerful!

Crikey, yet another wake up call for those of us (me definitely included) who know we have spent way too much time working in the past. My dear Grandmother used to say to me “don’t work too hard, no one will give you a medal for it.” How absolutely right she was !! Hence following a superb Anniversary weekend I have taken an extra day after Waitangi Day to create a mini 3 day week and a huge 4 day weekend, YAY!

From the Fletcher file; Life is one big carefree holiday especially in his Scooby Doo new pool (see attached).I hope you are enjoying the Kiwi Summer with family and friends and not working too hard.

Have a great week ahead…..…………..Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons wont have any regrets having never worked a day in their lives!

 

 

 

“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” Phil Collins

 

We have all had mentors in our lives. A mentor is a trusted advisor, a friend, an industry guru, a teacher, a coach, a parent. Someone that has influenced our lives, given us guidance or been a figure that we have aspired to be like or emulate!!

Do you have a current mentor?, are you mentoring someone else?

In order to “be better” and “never have regrets” we need to constantly seek to grow and a good way to do that is to have or be a mentor.

You will benefit from both having and being a mentor because the biggest mistake any of us can make is to think we know everything hence the need for more information, knowledge and expertise.

Getting a mentor is easy, just ask someone for guidance and ask them if they mind sharing their ideas or recipes for success, or what they think of what you are doing or thinking of doing. Often parents,friends and business colleagues will assist but if you want to feel the fear and do it anyway then approach the successful founder or head of an organisation or a local community or sporting personality and ask them for advice. Conversely you can offer your ideas for success to others and assist and nuture them, this will be satisfying for both you and them.

The key thing is to make the effort to ask or offer hardly anyone does, so why not you why not now!!

 

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”  Plutarch

5 Oclock shadow

         

 

 

Edition 218 Tuesday January 28th 2014

 

Hi,happy birthday Auckland and thanks for being such a cool place to live. Auckland Anniversary weekend is a great chance to take time out to appreciate everything good about our city.

Never one to miss setting a trend,I have been wearing a closely trimmed designer stubble since returning from leave because it is ‘in’. The first two things the boss said to me were…”has anyone seen Clinton?” and “for every person that stubble suits there is a person it doesn’t”  hmmmm its been an interesting week observing first impressions and ongoing reactions,nothing like a bit of trendsetting facial hair and ‘change’ to get people excited……or not!

Given the ‘silver fox’ effect I have ‘tweaked’ it and now moved to a closer cropped ‘shadow’ version!

Crikey some people have got a cheek, last week out walking with Harry and the Hendersons someone said Kate and Harry were fat!.I have so called friends who also make similar comments to and about me!! How dare they, I would never say that to a person about them or others and especially not their beloved dogs grrr grrrr. Both times I slipped their leads and let our pack terrorise their dogs grrr grrr. Yeah ok Katie might need to drop a kg or two but the H dog and Oscar the magnificent are lean mean machines!,as for me the Director of Muriwai Fitness don’t even go there!!!

From the Fletcher file; Our handsome intelligent child continues to amaze us every day, we cant believe how lucky we are to have a second crack at parenthood with such a cool little dude!

Wow , couldn’t believe that an extract from a previous ‘Upbeat’ blog would turn up on an international facebook search and become part of a moving eulogy to an old Devonport RSA ‘digger’ who sadly passed away recently at the grand old age of 98…….I will never forget Doug Rapleys recipe for a long, happy and healthy existence “ you must never have tonic with your gin”… RIP Douggie.

If you are a ‘Jaffa’ I hope you have had a relaxing and fun long weekend, if not I trust you have hit the ground running hard for the start of another successful week…..…………..Cheers Jonesey!!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon they are not fat but merely nutritional overachievers and that they love their ‘six packs‘ so much they protect them with a layer of fat  :)   

 

 

 

 

"If you're having a bad day, catch a wave" Frosty Hesson

Wow, last week was a cracker for me, from one success flowed a number of additional leads and opportunities. It was a text book example of what can happen when you get the formula right.I have likened it to being ‘in the zone’ or on the ‘crest of a wave’ that is carrying you forward with a momentum that doesent need to be regenerated daily from scratch ….it is self generating.

Call it working smarter not harder but it is a momentum and a wave that has its origins in the planning and execution we touched on last week. Just like a surfer who paddles out through the rough water and the rips, they set up their perfect wave by positioning themselves in the right place at the right time. This ability comes from knowing where to be to ensure you get as close to the perfect ride (or result) as possible. This takes time, lots of practice and a willingness to accept that we will never know everything that we actually learn more every time we head out the door, no matter what we are heading off to do.

The greatest threat to us all is thinking we know it all and not being prepared to listen and learn from everyone we come into contact with. Thanks to all those who have taught me stuff already in 2014, keep it coming because I could always do to be a better surfer and a salesman!

"Surfing's the source. Can change your life. Swear to god" Patrick Swayze