Live your dream don't just think about living it

Looking forward to the seminar

So much has happened since my last blog that I feel I am getting near to writing an interesting life story. I read a book called 'Awaken The Giant Within' and I am also listening to Anthony Robbins audio compilation through my computer.  Having read and listened to his tapes for the last couple of years I have now decided to write a journal and actually follow some of his exercises.

One such exercise is a goal setting exercise where I was asked to write down as many personal development goals as I could in 6 minutes and to do this as fast as I could.  I was also asked to imagine I was a child on Santa's knee and let my imagination run wild. I was also instructed to write down as many 'thing' goals as I could in 2 minutes and to have no limitations. I could ask to own anything from a house in the country with a pool, or even 2 pools, or an island in the pacific. The final goals I was instructed to write down were my economic goals. Anything to do with how much money I would like to earn whether it was personally or for my family. would I like to invest money etc.. Judging by what Mr Robbins now owns I imagine these were exercises he had practiced in his early years.

So I started writing down what I wanted to achieve and managed to write down 18 personal development goals. My personal development goals included:
Learning more about becoming a personal development speaker.  Although I currently do inspirational talks for schools, colleges and community groups, I am not doing them as regular as I would like to.
Visiting regular schools, special needs schools, colleges nursing homes Etc... and to carry out a minimum of 3 talks a week so I could inspire more people to be more successful and fulfill their potential
To meet or have a conversation with Anthony Robbins as he has become a bit of a Guru to me but as he lives in America I was unlikely to see him for a while.

Beside all my goals I had to say in what time period I wanted these goals to be achieved by and then to pick 3 one year goals and write down why they absolutely had to happen.  The next thing I was instructed to do was to make a positive action to get started on at least one goal. But before I got around to that, the phone rang and I was asked if I could stand in for a speaker who had cancelled with only ten hours notice. I asked what the subject matter was and I was sent a list that included; 

Me my torch and my Olympic tracksuit

• Perseverance of adversity 
• not letting difficulties hold you back 
• being a positive influence on others through the way you live your life.

Now if you have read any of my other blog stories you will know this is right up my street.  So seven hours later I turned up, as instructed, with my Olympic torch wearing the Olympic tracksuit.  I was to speak to youths from a private school who had achieved a significantly high grades in their GCSE and A Level exam results.  Judging by the response I got from the crowd and the kind words from the organisers the talk went well. So well that the person who hired me twice the money that I had asked for. What I didn't know until the following day is that I had been standing in for 'Titanic' star Kate Winslet who has two children at the school.

Kate Winslet

This to me was a step in the right direction and although I didn't get a recording of the event it will remain fresh in my memory.

A day later I was told that Tony Robbins was to doing a talk with Seb Coe and Donald trump amongst others, at the Excel Arena; £12 for a 3 day seminar.  So I then attended the seminar and got to see him live at the O2 Arena London only days later.

Now I have never signed up to the belief about cosmic forces, but the events of the last week are starting to give me an open-ish mind to it.  I forgot to mention that the evening of the talk at the private school was my second talk of that particular day, as I took my torch to a care home in the afternoon where I was 'educated' by a lovely 94 year old man who once part owned LLoyds of England. My torch has been a passport to meet some wonderful people

My advice to anyone reading this would be to follow your dreams and don't lose focus on what you really want out of life.  Focus on what makes you happy.  If it's money you want, saying I want to be a millionaire will never make you a millionaire.  Focus on the reasons you want to be a millionaire and then work towards that goal. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be rich, and if your beliefs are strong, having money won't change you, it will just magnify the person you are. If you are someone who just wants a simple life with no desire to climb the ladders of success and riches, and you are someone who just want a happy family and close friends you can rely on, then focus on those you love.  There is no secret formula to happiness but we will tend get what we focus on most.  So for goodness sake, don't focus on the stuff you don't want to have, focus on what makes you happiest

Making the wrong choice once too often

Inspiration comes to us in many ways.  Many times it will come from positive role models in our own communities, often it will come from our parents who want the best for our futures.  It also comes from school teachers who show us the value of education and how education can help shape a better future.  Many of us are inspired by our heroes. I was inspired by my father to become a boxer and also by watching boxers like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. My friends at school were inspired by footballers and most wanted to play for their favourite football teams when they grew up.  Our inspirations and what influences us can and do shape our lives.

Phillip Panadher

I recently wrote a blog about a friend of mine who I have known for many years. His name was Phillip Panadher and he had recently started to help out at the gym with the young lads who aspired to be boxers.  He had recently successfully come through rehab after 7 years of drug abuse and was looking and sounding great.  His body was free from drugs and his mind was focused on helping others.  He was lorry driving through a temping agency and told them he couldn't work on Tuesdays or Thursdays as he needed to be here at Spit n Sawdust to help train the children.. During his short time here at the gym Phil had a massive influence on the children and had a certain uncomplicated way of getting them to train.  It was like turning back the clock listening to him talk to the lads.  People these days seem to tip-toe around children so as not to offend them, where as Phil was to the point and couldn't understand why they came boxing training seeming not to wanting to work hard and get fit.  It wasn't that he was strict he just would laugh at their excuses for not putting the effort in and tell them in the simplest of ways why it was important to train hard. As a boxer, I remember saying the same things to Phil when he was a child.  He reminded that I had laughed at him when he told me he lost his fight after winning the first round easily, because he got too tired and had no energy left for the rest of the fight.  I had told him it was because he was unfit and should have trained harder.  He trained harder after that fight and won his next eight fight before discovering 'wine and women' and packing it all in.  His experience was helping him to inspire the boys at the gym to train harder.

On Thursday of last week Phil didn't turn up to training.  I knew that he had started to drink again but it was not on a regular basis and seemed to have it under control when I saw him on the previous Saturday when I saw him out with friends.  At the end of the Thursday's boxing class my step brother came into the gym to see me, asking what I was doing after training.  So I told him I was going home.  He the asked if I could go with him to see my sister because Phil had just died at her house and she was distraught.  Although I have a good idea of what happened  I can't go into the details as there has to be an autopsy, but on getting there, there were police and paramedics both inside and outside the house.  My sister was inconsolable and there was a lot of emotion in the air.  Phil's body was still in my sisters house and rumours of what had taken place were spreading like wild fire.  The scene was awful like something of the TV, it just didn't seem real.  It was a terrible evening.  Many of us had lost a close friend who seemed to be on the road to recovery.

This blog is about inspiration and what influences us.  Phil was starting to influence the lives of others in a positive way. letting them know that if they worked hard they would be successful, but at the same time was clearly dealing with demons in his own head. These demons have left three children without a father.


Two days after Phil had died The Olympic torch arrived in England.  It was a reminder to me that I will be carrying the flame in a few weeks.  What it also reminded me of was the reason I was nominated, and that reason is because people feel I inspire children and help them make the right choices.  It reminded me that my work will never be done. I am not that special, I know so many people who do a similar job to myself and people who dedicate their lives to help others. There will always be people inspiring children to do the right thing but unfortunately there will also always be a minority influencing them to do the wrong thing.  The Olympics will hopefully inspire future generations to take up sports and sport will become a focus that will lead them on the a successful life.  Phil knew the dangers that were out there and joined the boxing club to ensure others didn't go down the same road he chose.

I am not sure where I am going with this blog.  Maybe I am hoping that by reading this people might make a decision that may help inspire someone they know to choose the right path.  Maybe I hope a drug user will read it and think twice before offering a youngster a spliff.  I wrote this because I am angry and upset that we have lost a friend who made the wrong choice once too often.

Rest in Peace Phillip Panadher