Every Sunday, I send you something to THINK about, a question to ASK yourself, something to TRY and invite you to SHARE.

Want to advertise in this Newsletter?

Book HERE

THINK

“On your journey towards greatness, you’re not sidestepping lizards; you’re battling dragons. So expect scars and wear those scars as medals.”

– Brian Johnson*

[*The ‘Arete’ one… not the weird Vampire, ACDC singer or liver-eating one.]

It’s a crisp autumn morning in 1957, and you’re getting ready for another day at the factory. As you tie your shoelaces, you think about stretching your salary a little further this month.

Life in post-war Britain isn’t easy. Prices are rising, and with three children to feed, every penny counts. Your wife, Margaret (yes, you’re a man… just play along for now), has become an expert in managing your household expenses. She shops at the local market late in the day, when the vendors are eager to offload their produce at lower prices. She’s also taken to growing vegetables in your small garden, reducing your reliance on costly store-bought goods.

You have your own methods of cutting costs. You repair your shoes rather than buy new ones, darn your socks, and patch your work trousers whenever they start to wear thin. You’ve even learned a thing or two about fixing the old Morris Minor, avoiding the expense of taking it to the garage. Every little bit helps, and it’s just enough to keep your family afloat.

But you know that keeping costs low isn’t enough. You need to find a way to bring in more money, and you’ve discovered a few ways to do just that at the factory. You’ve been taking on extra shifts whenever they’re available, working late into the night and sometimes on weekends. The hours are long and exhausting, but the overtime pay makes a difference.

You’ve also become known for your reliability and skill on the assembly line. When the foreman needs someone to train the new hires or take on a more complex task, he turns to you. These opportunities come with a small bonus, and while it’s not much, it all adds up.

You dream of more than just scraping by.

You’ve heard whispers in the pub about a few lads who’ve done well by putting their money into stocks. It’s a risky business, but you figure that if you’re careful, it could be a way to build a better future for your family.

On your lunch breaks, you talk with Mr Thompson, an older colleague who has experience with investing. Mr Thompson explains the basics of the stock market, how it’s a place where companies sell parts of their ownership to people who believe in their growth.

After several weeks, Mr Thompson confides in you and shares some of his returns. You can’t believe it. You know that you’ll need to work hard, but if you stay consistent and keep at it, you, too, might get the same level of wealth as Mr Thompson someday.

You decide to take the plunge and find yourself on the Number 10 bus heading towards London’s financial district. After months of saving from extra shifts and frugal living, you’ve decided to invest in the stock market – a world that has always seemed distant and reserved for the wealthy.

Your destination is a small brokerage office, where you hope to buy shares in the steady, well-known companies, British American Tobacco and British Railways. It’s a cautious choice but one that feels right for your first venture into investing.

Inside the office, you explain your situation to the clerk, who patiently guides you through the process. With a nervous hand, you sign the forms and receive your first share certificate. You did it! You’ve finally become an investor, and this is tangible proof.

As you step back onto the busy streets, you feel a mix of pride and anxiety. You know there’s risk involved, but you’ve taken a step towards securing a better future for your family. You’ll read the financial pages daily and prepare to make your next move when the time is right.

For now, you’re content. You’ve made your first investment, and with it, you’ve opened the door to new possibilities.

The days are long, and the work is hard, but you’re no longer just living day to day. You’re slowly, carefully, building a better future for yourself and your family.

One extra shift, one repaired shoe, and one modest investment at a time.

The Limit of Limitless Information

Until recent history, people ran into obstacles all the time.

Finding a solution to something you’ve never done before was so difficult.

If you find the right books, they will help enormously.

If you were REALLY fortunate, you might find someone locally, like Mr Thompson, who knew how to do what you wanted to do.

Most people would have to travel to find that person and persuade them to teach them. Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn’t.

You might have to spend time away from your family and employment to figure it out. Would your wife support you? Would you have a job to return to?

It was a massive risk, and the majority of people didn’t dare take it.

The manly ‘You’ I described above was “lucky”.

Did you feel “lucky” reading it?

Fast forward to today…

How does the REAL ‘You’ feel reading this Newsletter?

Consider how many options you have to reduce, control and automate your expenses. Numerous websites offer free advice on how to save money, change providers, and manage your budget.

Think about all the ways you can earn extra money at work compared to back then. The number of jobs available for your knowledge and skillset, the international opportunities, the competitors you could work for.

You could start a business for <£100 on the very phone or computer you’re reading this on.

Teenagers make millions a month playing computer games, teaching others how to apply make-up or pulling pranks on the general public.

What’s stopping you from making life-changing wealth or, more humbly, earning money doing something you were born to do?

Reflect on how easy it is to invest online nowadays.

You don’t need to leave the house. You could do it on the toilet (I’ve heard!).

There are thousands of Mr Thompson’s out there, giving out free information on investing and helping you take that initial first step.

You can invest as little as £25 per month, with ZERO transaction fees on some platforms. That £25 can be invested in a single Global Index Fund with exposure to thousands of companies, numerous countries, sectors, and currencies, vastly reducing your risk. You can open a price chart anytime during the day in seconds and receive alerts when the price hits a buy or sell target.

Has there ever been an easier time to learn anything?

Content is constantly being created online that spells out exactly how to do anything.

What one thing do you want to learn?

Know that somebody has already figured it out for you.

I’m not convinced we all appreciate that.

Can you imagine what the 1957 ‘You’ would give to live in today’s society?

The crazy thing is that it’s getting even easier…

Virtual assistants who are more talented than you can complete tasks at a fraction of your hourly rate to save you time and money.

AI is becoming so sophisticated that it can scour the internet for you to provide action steps to learn anything, as well as answer any number of follow-up questions. It transforms blank sheets of paper into reasonably well-written text that you can use or edit.

Technology not only provides all the information we need but also does some of the work for us.

So, why is it still so hard to make progress?

Knowledge Isn’t Power

The internet is our generation’s gift of limitless information.

We’ve essentially eradicated the challenge of HOW TO DO ANYTHING.

But knowledge isn’t power…

Processing information isn’t enough.

The REAL power lies in the ability to apply that knowledge through execution.

Without the willingness to act on what we know, information remains inert, a mere potential rather than a force for change.

The process of application involves challenges outside the realm of knowledge:

Critical Thinking: Is this Guy or Gal legit or full of sh*t?
Strategic Planning: What are your next five steps?
Discipline to Act: Intentional follow-through, irrespective of how you feel.

If your success in any endeavour is NOT determined by the quality of information but by the level of your execution…

How can YOU become more of an action-taker?

6 Tips to Becoming an Action-Taker

The action-taker exists within you.

You just need to acknowledge it and let it out.

Here are 6 Tips to help you start converting knowledge into action:

1) Identity: Re-read the first two lines of this section. Do you believe it? Whether you do or don’t… you’re right. If your beliefs don’t serve you, change them. You ARE an action-taker. You ARE capable of anything. You deserve health, wealth, love and happiness. Read my previous Newsletter, Say Goodbye to the Old You, for more.

2) ‘Impossible to Fail’ First Step: Break your larger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks. Clear, specific goals provide direction and make it easier to take that first step. And taking the first step is usually the hardest part. Make that first step SO EASY it would be ‘Impossible to Fail’. When you know exactly what you need to accomplish and believe you can do it, you’re less likely to procrastinate and more likely to take action.

3) Eat That Frog: Coined by Brian Tracey, ‘Eat That Frog’ involves taking action on the most important task of the day first thing. Eat That Frog, and the rest of the day will be a breeze.

4) Prioritise and Focus: Identify the most critical tasks that will have the greatest impact, prioritise them with a number, and focus on one at a time. Do not start another task until the one you’re working on is complete. Prioritisation and focus prevent the overwhelming feeling of trying to do everything at once.

5) Overcome the Fear of Failure: Understand that taking action often involves risk, and failure is part of the learning process. Instead of letting fear paralyse you, view it as an opportunity to grow. By embracing a mindset that sees failure as feedback, you’ll be more willing to step out of your comfort zone and take action. In fact, seek more failure. If you’re not where you want to be in life, it might be because you haven’t “failed” enough. When you battle dragons, expect scars and wear them as medals.

6) Build Accountability: Create systems of accountability to keep yourself on track. This could simply involve sharing your goals with a friend, emailing me what you’re working on or, more formally, through a Coach or Accountability Group. Set deadlines for yourself and track your progress. Knowing that someone else is expecting results from you can be a powerful motivator to ensure you follow through on your intentions.

Your path is already paved.

Step forward.

Reflect and share this with someone.

ASK

“Which of the 6 Tips holds you back from moving forward, and what ONE THING could you do to reverse that?”

“Do you believe an action-taker exists within you? What SIMPLE task could you complete to prove that?”

Write down what comes to mind.

TRY

Ahh, the bleeding TRY section…

Most people skim over this section or ignore the actions off the back of the Newsletter…

What will you do?

Stop waiting for tomorrow. It doesn’t exist.

Act on what you know.

Learn through action.

Wear your scars as medals.

Become the type of person who turns knowledge into activity.

And nothing will stop in your way.

Not even you.

HIT REPLY and tell me what you did.

An action-taker would! 😉🤭

I read and reply to every email, and remember, I’m rooting for you!

Remember: Little by little, a little becomes a lot.

Reply to this email and share how it went for you. Let me know if you’d prefer to remain anonymous.