It raised the question in my mind – is it really possible be highly productive, remain stress-free and love what you’re doing? Furthermore, is it possible to do this using Leo’s “no goals” approach.

I’ve touched on the subject before in this post - however with my resolution this week (to become better organised) it seems that these two worlds (organisation and chaos) are on a collision course once more.

the quest for organised chaos

One thing’s for sure, if you dwell in the world of chaos, spontaneity and flexibility, the systems, tools and techniques suggested or created by meticulous planners can seem, at best, alien.

Surely the gap between absolute chaos and precision planning is filled with a spectrum of choices rather than a vacuum? Nothing is ever as simple as “black or white”, so there must be infinite flavours of “organised chaos” and “chaotic organisation” in between the two extremes.

If we assume they exist then it’s just a simple case of looking for and finding the appropriate blend (of chaos and organisation) to suit our own needs.

you can’t control what you don’t control

One of the reasons I can’t see a completely plan-less existence working is the fact that we often have things imposed on our schedule.

OK, we usually get a degree of flexibility on the when and where (and sometimes the option to say “no”), however… once a meeting, booking or appointment has been made, it places a requirement on us to be at a specific place at a specific time.

That’s just life and it’s unlikely to disappear just because you’ve decide to have a completely unplanned existence!

“large rocks” and other desirable boulders

In addition to the things that are imposed on us, there’s also going to be a set of “things” associated with whatever overall aims we may have. In Leo’s case I’m sure these will have become ingrained over time, so that they are no longer conscious “goals” per se; they simply merge into the underlying passion and desire that drives what Leo does.

That’s fantastic for people who have got to that stage, however there are many of us who have not attained that level yet. Just as Leo has gone through a series of developments over the years, so we mere mortals potentially need the overall framework of the bigger, “headline” goals.

Eventually these “training wheels” will no longer be required – that’s when you are actually living your dream and enjoying a life based on what actually makes you tick.

creating a master plan

At this point in time I realise there is a need to find the right balance between chaos and order; one that works for me personally. Likewise, you will need to find your own balance and blend of techniques, tools and systems.

The exact mix that works will vary from person to person (hey, no big surprise there!)

My personal plan currently looks a little like this:

• declutter (especially the home office space)
• note all appointments, events and deadlines in Google calendar
• get back to using the minimal ztd system to manage “stuff that needs to be done”

The decluttering is necessary as it will remove distractions and provide a cleaner working space- it will also save time looking for stuff under piles of crap.

Putting appointments etc. in the Google calendar app is an obvious step – I have access to the Google Calendar via smart phone, netbook and laptop…

The minimal implementation of ztd is a great system that I have allowed to fade away recently – essentially it’s a case of doing a brain dump of things that need to be done, then actually doing them (the critical part of the process!) Dumping things out onto a master list declutters the brain and avoids wasting mental energy on simply remembering stuff.

so, is it a pipe dream or not?

I’m going to say “not” at this stage – however the proof (as always) is in the pudding. The key thing is to find the right balance – the right blend of organisation and disorganisation that works for your particular needs and psychological makeup.

That’s the hard part – crack that and you’ll be well on the way to attaining the sort of effortless, unplanned productivity that is exemplified by people like Leo!

  ~ Brian Stimpson (played by John Cleese) in the movie Clockwise

It’s probably fair to say that most people’s efforts in the area of “getting organised” closely resemble what happens to Brian Stimpson in Clockwise. Having put into place habits and routines to help solve his problem with lateness, he suffers a massive meltdown when those systems suffer from a small blip.

You can put all the systems and processes in place, however they will soon start to fail under load UNLESS you’ve also absorbed the necessary habits and behaviours into your existence.

Sounds like a bold statement doesn’t it? It does however appear to explain why so many people try to get organised and fail!

getting organised, getting fit – no real difference

It appears that many of the reasons why fitness regimes succeed or fail, also affect efforts to become organised. I know that I have joined many gyms, lost weight, put it back on, given up smoking, started again… over and over again.

None of that changed until I set about integrating certain things into my everyday life; and really making an effort to do so!

In a similar fashion, people seem to make repeated attempts to get organised yet always slip back into their old chaotic ways. That’s certainly been my personal experience, and why I’m now going to put specific effort into making the changes  needed to become an organised person.

If it can work for losing weight and getting healthy then it can work for anything!

my reasons for getting organised

Like most people, my life is busy; with a full time job, part-time business, spending time at the gym AND having plenty of time with my family it’s far too easy to get behind with things, forget bills, run out of time to plan… the net result is usually frustration and stress compounded by an ever-increasing “todo” list.

Symptoms include poor financial management, inadequate communications with clients, no plans to check progress against and random piles of paper appearing on the desk. Another symptom is a growing collection of “stuff” that just sits there in the corner of the home office, silently nagging me.

I’m sure this tale sounds familiar?

enough is enough

It’s definitely way past time for change and, spurred on by the success of No More Mr Fat Guy, I now have the necessary level of enthusiasm to do something about it.

Like the health and weight stuff though, I think I’m well beyond the point where “small changes” is an effective strategy. Some drastic action is needed to kick things off.

So tonight will be dedicated 100% to kicking off the “getting organised” project, starting with an office de-cluttering process.

Watch this space…

In recent times it’s become harder to determine which blog to post something to, as there are an increasing number of topics and thoughts that appear to span them all. This led me to the realisation that these distinct areas are in fact simply different aspects of my life’s journey. As I advance in each area, so they begin to converge!

next stop: consolidation

Despite all the valid reasons for splitting things up previously, it is getting to the point where it makes sense to bring those things back together under one virutal roof. Having given each area its own focus, so they could be more fully understood, actively developed and clarified, it is time to re-assemble those improved parts into the whole once more.

personal development, spiritual, political, health, fitness, rants & more!

The No More Mr Fat Guy blog will continue to operate, especially the daily journal, however the main blog content will probably be posted here and replicated across.

Likewise, all other issues that are important to me (and of potential interest to others) will appear here under appropriate categories. I’m sure I will be dragged off into rant mode at times (especially with the political stuff), however the overall intent is to inform (and possibly entertain), based mostly on personal tales and experience.

next on the agenda: getting organised

With the success of No More Mr Fat Guy (in terms of me actually doing something about my weight, health and fitness) I was contemplating a blog on the subject of getting organised. Instead of doing that now, I’ll post here on the subject starting very soon.

It’s one of the main “issues” I still need to resolve though the topic of “organisation” will undoubtedly involve managing time, staying focused, procrastination, decluttering and actual physical organisation.

Thanks to NMMFG I’ve already lost over 8kg and feel fitter than I have for a long time. Now let’s see how blogging about getting organised can help fix that problem!

That will work, surely? I’ll be invited to appear on Channel 10′s “The Project” and be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for fixing stuff (hell, it will be more than Obama did to get HIS frigging peace prize).

they tell me it won’t work

Sadly it seems I’m a little misguided here – it won’t actually work. I was so sure it would, after all isn’t that what happened with the Kony video? Oh hang on, that didn’t change anything after all… Bugger!

So if Liking videos on Facebook doesn’t actually change the world, what can? Surely if you can’t use the largest Social Network in the world to fix stuff then nothing will work?

old-fashioned methods

Now this might seem a bit “old technology” for some people, however it has proven itself over the years. Get off your arse, step away from the computer and demonstrate about stuff until “they” have to pay attention.

Throw yourself in front of a monarch’s racing horse if you must – organise into large groups of people, pitch tents in public parks. Whatever you do, don’t just do it for a couple of weeks, keep pushing and pressing until “they” do what they are paid to do; listen, act on behalf of their people and do stuff to make the world a better place.

the problems

There are so many issues in the world that it’s hard to know where to start really. Ultimately though, doesn’t it all come back to a couple of core issues? Doesn’t it boil down to the vast majority of the people on the planet simply wanting to have a half-decent life, while a minority play power games and pretend to act on “our” behalf?

Really that is all there is to it – forget complicated bullshit about economic systems, financial models, the pointless wankery of diplomacy and playing politics. At the heart of humanity, the vast majority of people just want to live out their days, take care of their family and have generally peaceful existences.

what do people worry about?

There really are just 2 levels of things that people worry about.

Level 1 – having a relatively comfortable life for themselves and their families

Level 2 – whatever “they” want you to worry about

That’s why you see millions of perfectly ordinary people verbally laying into other ordinary people, because the media and/or government have told us “they want your jobs” or “they get handouts that you can’t have”, or “they live a life of luxury based on your taxes”… or the ever-popular “they have got a nuclear weapon and will kill everyone tomorrow afternoon”.

Wihout the outside influence of media and politicians, people really don’t give a crap about anything apart from living a half-decent life. The vast majority of people of every country, creed, religion, colour and sex want nothing more.

the solutions

I’ll tell you what are NOT the solutions; Liking videos on Facebook, endless diplomatic/political bullshit, appointing architects of unlawful warfare as “peace” envoys (Tony Blair, just as a random example – what a fucking joke that is).

Solutions also do not include throwing your arms up in the air, assertions of “you can’t change that”. Solutions do NOT include politicians left to their own thoughts (most are incapable of thinking beyond their next by-election).

One, admittedly idealistic, solution (which I will admit is unlikely, due to the apathy and lethargy of the vast majority of people) is for everyone to stop what they are doing, RIGHT NOW, and start telling the political non-leaders to fix the fucking world NOW.

can you imagine?

Can you imagine what would happen? Can you imagine the effect of the whole world just stopping? The majority of people on this planet turning around and telling the ruling elites “change this now or else”?

OK, I’ve finished now – back to playing Angry Birds on your iPhone, or whatever pointless activity you were wasting your existence on…

Originally posted on flipping the wheel

A little while ago I made reference to the fact that several strands of my life were beginning to converge, and had started to look like different aspects of the same personal development journey.

I can now say, with a high degree of confidence, that this IS indeed the case; earlier today I was struck by one of those “lightbulb slaps” that happen every now and then. Incidentally, a “lightbulb slap is where you feel a lightbulb going on and the universe slaps you in the face at the same time!

a quick look back down the spiral path

Many moons ago, a very wise lady pointed out to me the spiral nature of the pagan path (any path actually). Over the years, I have definitely noticed this tendency to arrive back at a similar position as before, only with more knowledge and understanding.

This occured earlier today, where I was taken back to something I posted online right at the very beginning of my spiritual “quest”.

I posted/proposed at the time that the real goal of our mortal existence is to seek out the things that make us happy, and let that happiness drive everything else we do. So if going to a football match at the weekend (for example) gave us that sort of fulfilment, then we simply needed to do what we needed to be able to afford to do that, gain happiness from the experience and achieve a sense of fulfillment.

The words I used at the time would have been slightly different, but that was the general idea. With hindsight, it was rather simplistic and too focused on the term “happiness”. The reality is a little more complex, and revolves around a broader concept of fulfillment.

the converging of worlds

One of the things I have done online is to keep a distinct separation between different aspects of my life. The main reason for this is to allow me to have a focus with each blog, and avoid having a single blog that tried to cover everything. People who read my blog entries on personal development, for example, may have no interest in paganism.

The fact that I saw these areas as not being connected made the decision (to parition things) even easier. This separation is still valid, for me though the boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. The different aspects of business, personal development and spiritual path have started to share a lot of common ground.

These worlds come together around the central pivot of “personal development”. The spiritual journey, the current focus on health, fitness and mindset, and the increasing understanding of where I wish to take my business activities – they are, in fact, the exact same journey. They are part of the same personal universe which, when you think about it, makes absolute sense (after all, I am only one person!)

the spiritual path

As discussed before, I am currently working towards 2nd degree initiation within my coven. This takes the form, among other things, of a series of elemental dedications. My current understanding, and personal positions with respect to each of these are as follows:

earth
patience, long term commitment, endurance, strength and persistence

As a Taurean I found that I easily connected and resonated with Earth.

air
ideas, inspiration, intellect, thoughts, apsirations, dreams, vision, mission

This turns out to be my secondary trait; ideas and dreams flow relatively easily, my mind is rarely still

fire
passion, taking action, seeing things through, burning off things that are holding you back, aggression

As the opposite sign to Earth it is no surprise that this is my big weak spot – this is my current stage of development and it was only when I started playing with fire that these aspects and characteristics started to come into my life. When they started to come, they arrived swiftly, without warning and could have easily caught me offguard. Much like a bushfire in fact!

water
emotion, feeling, compassion, service, empathy

This will be the next area to explore – I know I have some deficiencies in this area, however I am reasonably sure that I am not as lacking with water as I was/am with fire. It will be interesting to see where this one takes me, I’m sure it will take me exactly where I need to be.

the business path

Compare, if you will, the spiritual aspects above with some themes and changes that I’ve experienced on the “business” front. To enjoy real success in business, you need:

Patience, long term commitment, strength and persistence.
You’ve got to take your ideas and stand by them for the “long haul”. There is no quick fix, no genuinely fulfilling “get rich quick” path, and there are many times when you feel like quitting when you just need to soldier on.

Ideas, inspiration, apsirations, dreams, goals, vision, a mission.
Your overall purpose and mission creates the vision, the vision leads to inspired ideas and thinking. If you can combine these ideas with patience, endurance, service and passion, then you will enjoy success.

Passion, taking action, seeing things through, getting rid of baggage that holds you back.
When your vision and mission come from within, you are sure to be passionate about it. To realise the potential of the vision, you need to act on it, you need to address things that hold you back (procrastination, fear etc.) and you need to use your passion to drive things through to completion.

Service, compassion, empathy and understanding.
Your business will enjoy most success when your drive, persistence, passion and mission converge around the concept of service. A desire to help people, a desire to understand their needs, understand their issues and the compasssion and willingness to provide service that truly solves those issues for them.

the personal development path

As I pursue a healthier lifestyle, mainly for the benefit of myself AND my family, I am discovering that long term success can only be achieved through:

• Having clear goals (vision)
• Being inspired by the reasons underlying the process
• Determination, patience and persistence
• Fire in the belly, attacking obstacles as they show themselves
• Having strong emotions linked to the overall mission – in my case those emotions take the form of things like a desire to NOT have to simply watch as my boy runs around. Also to provide a strong positive example to both my kids (and others).

have you spotted a pattern yet?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t see much difference in any of those 3 areas. Having walked some way down those 3 “separate” paths I know that they are not really separate. This manifests itself in a couple of key ways. Firstly I find myself inspired to blog about some development in one area or another, and then find I am unsure exactly WHICH blog it should go on. Secondly, every time I get a lightbulb moment in one area, there is almost always a secondary “flash” as I realise that the same thought applies across everything.

Quite some time ago I knew I had an interest in Paganism, but I guess I didn’t REALLY know what to expect from it. I now know – Paganism (for me) is the spiritual component of a single personal development journey.

Paganism, like any genuinely spiritual path, is the art and practice of personal alchemy.

What you talk about the most,
what you talk about in the most animated fashion,
and what you can talk about for hours on end

A quick Google search reveals that this is actually a common theme in hundreds and thousands of “finding your true passion” web sites (many of which will then sell you a “how to find your true passion” e-course…

a very worrying fact

It bothers me that this is the case, because the thing that ticks everything on the above list is politics. Why should that bother me?

It boils down to the simple fact that I detest politicians, I loathe, despise, detest and deplore the:

• way they serve themselves,
• lack of any real service to their country, region or the globe,
• way they back-stab, ride the gravy train and value personal power over real social justice,
• ridiculous and out-dated ceremonies and sideshows they wrap everything up in (e.g. Question Time),
• lack of straight talking and answering questions with questions,
• bipartisan approach to practically everything,
• apparent need to choose the party of business owners OR the party of business employees

I can TALK about this for hours on end, with passion and fire. Many people have said “you should run for office” on the back of that. I always laugh at the suggestion. It’s ridiculous!

or is it?

What if this IS my passion though? What if this is the area I was born to have the most significant impact in? What shape or form would that take?

Well, despite certain sympathies, sabre-rattling and chest-beating to the contrary, I’m not really the sort of person to start an armed struggle. Besides which, if you’re living in a first world country you really don’t have the necessary circumstances, motivation or underlying social pressures for a truly successful revolution.

So it’s ballot box rather than bomb. Fair enough. How to avoid becoming one of them though?

unlikely inspiration

Due to many of his political views, Senator Ron Paul is a most unlikley source of inspiration for someone like myself. However… what I do find inspiring is his persistence, independence, determination to be true to himself and his willingness to be ridiculed for sticking by his own true beliefs.

I also happen to agree with SOME of his political viewpoints, particularly in relation to phoney, unjust wars, the need for government to keep its beak out of matters like same sex marriage and drugs and the potential for the private sector to have a positive impact on society.

Where we disagree most is that I still believe in a welfare state, where hospitals, doctors and education services are essential. I still believe in a basic level of service for all, and I believe in the need for people to be protected from the large corporates (who would undoubtedly step in as a de facto government in the absence of real government).

core beliefs

On a Facebook discussion recently I actually pumped out, in the space of just a few minutes, a list of issues. These came out so fast that they are clearly the views and beliefs that mean the most to me. This list included:

• withdrawing from all US-led conflicts
• spending money on having national DEFENCE force that defends the country and also gets involved in
• humanitarian relief (e.g. after Tsunamis in the region etc.)
• Decriminalisation of drugs and ending the expensive and failed “war on drugs”
• Higher taxes to fund 21st century national health and education systems
• Stronger regulation of banks and mega corporations
• Deregulation and tax breaks for home-based and micro business (cottage industry)
• Legalisation of marriage between any two humans of the age of consent
• Separation of religion and state
• Housing refugees in the North West instead of in detention camps. Allowing them to contribute to their new home by helping build infrastrucutre and national wealth working in the area for a couple of years. After which they would be full citizens free to gain employment anywhere.
• Possibly replacing income tax with a larger Goods tax (with certain exemptions on basic items) – the more you spend (and are able to spend) the more you contribute to society. Freeing everyone from the burden of annual personal tax returns, and removing the potential for people to rort the system.
• Actively pursue an Australian Republic with a democratically elected President
• Reduce the role of State Government to that of municipal councils. Most European councils have a larger population than the states anyway!
• A single set of rules, regulations and laws across Australia as a single nation. One set of standards for all departments. State Government employees would transition to federal roles in each state.
• Modernisation of the way government runs (including departments). Retain public ownership of services but introduce leaner management structures, discourage frameworks, committees, endless talks and junkets… Pour more money into front end delivery of service and less on pen-pushing waffle merchants
• Blow apart the stupidity of “us versus them”. Government and corporates versus employees and unions. Have government exemplify things by discussing openly and transparently with employee organisations – none of the cloak and dagger bullshit that goes on with every round of pay negotiations currently (and the Unions are often just as bad as the other side of the table)
• Ban genetically modified crap (it’s just a way of maximising profits)
• Ban uranium mining and nuclear power (there are other ways, uranium mining is the lazy way out)

a new party?

One thing that is for sure, the policy platforms of any of the existing parties fall short of this. Furthermore, existing parties are hampered by the silliness of things like factions, dogma, the perceived need to ahere to an “ism” of some sort.

Political parties wind up playing the GAME of politics instead of doing the BUSINESS of improving the country they are in charge of (and improving the relationships and fortunes of other players on the global stage).

The current political systems in first world countries are dead ducks. The parties that play their games in those systems are soulless, directionless and pointless. All you have to do is look at the bickering between Rudd and Gillard, the UK’s “liberal” Clegg becoming a Tory’s bitch so he can have some personal power, Technocrats being imposed on bankrupt governments across Europe, the lack of any real choice in the US elections…

It all tells the same story – politics is almost as corrupt as FIFA (allegedly!) and as dead as a frigging dodo.

Worse still, we don’t ever get to vote for “no-one at all” in an election; it’s always a choice between red tosser and blue wanker, each with their own personal agendas to fulfill.

occupy your own mind

The rise of movements such as the “Tea Party” and “Occupy” prove that the status quo is not really wanted anymore, that there IS desire for something better and more effective.

Camping out in Central Park is not the way though. The 21st century offers little or no motivation to first world citizens to have a real revolution, non-violent or otherwise. These movements are perhaps best regarded as “signals” that the world needs change.

For change to happen, people everywhere have to start using their minds to full effect, they need to start imagining what is possible instead of reminding themselves of what is “impossible”.

The world needs to wake up: I really want to know how that might happen…

i’m not joking

I set out recently to first read all the lessons relatively quickly, and then to write a series of posts here, looking at the concepts from each chapter in more detail.

This is still happening, however I have been temporarily sidetracked by some things that grew very quickly from nowhere, and were sparked into life by the thinking that followed on from reading through the first time.

an exercise in proving “the law”

As a lifelong professional couch potato, I’ve started working with a personal trainer (a web client of mine) with the explicit aim of becoming fit and healthy enough to complete a marathon. The project itself is largely an attempt to prove that “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

For more details, to keep track of progress, and to maybe pick up some ideas for your own “moment of madness”, head over to No More Mr Fat Guy

normal service will be resumed shortly

With the above project now up and running, I’m now starting to rearrange my schedule to fit, and also to use my time more intelligently. This should lead to more organised blogging and reading time, which is exactly what I need to complete the work on THIS blog in relation to the book.

In the interim, I’ll be continuing to prove that it all works over on No More Mr Fat Guy

See you there!

As discussed recently, through the (eventual) reading of “Think and Grow Rich” I found myself led to the somewhat larger body of work “The Law of Success”.

At the time of writing I have completed an initial read through each of the chapters and gained an overview of the the complete course. Over the coming weeks I will be revisiting each chapter in turn, and posting here my thoughts, interpretations and reactions to the contents.

It is appropriate at this stage to detail why I am doing this, and offer some initial thoughts following that initial reading…

the “why?”

To be perfectly blunt, writing about this book/course is for selfish reasons first and foremost; any benefit that may be had by others is incidental, though most welcome.

By taking the time to read, digest, process and then WRITE about it all I hope to come to a better undertsanding of the contents and for some fundamental truths to take root inside my own mind. It is very much a continuation of the path taken for some years now; one of personal development in all aspects and interpretations of that term.

My ultimate hope is that this will prove to be a significant period of personal evolution.

some “issues” with the course

It is worth bearing in mind, should you read the book yourself, that Napoleon Hill is very much a product of his times; the language he uses, the religious devotion and his views on appropriate morals and behaviour all have a slightly “dated” feel. That said, the fundamentals remain very much the same, and with a suitably open mind it is easy (or at least I have found it easy) to interpret the more “religious” terminology in a broader, more universal light.

As a deeply NON-religious man, I’m sure if I can get past that stuff most other people can!

While the contents have a definite feel of coming from a bygone age, there’s also a very contemporary feel to much of the course. Many of the issues that Napoleon raises can be seen in the world today, proof that humans really don’t tend to learn from history. These topics include financial crisis, warfare and the need for people to act less aggresively and more co-operatively (sound familiar?)

Going further still, some of the material is “out there” even today. In 1928 it must have seemed like witchcraft to some; I’m surprised the guy wasn’t burned at the stake!

the law of success is a practical guide

Some of the “out there” material has been making an impact in recent times under the guise of “The Secret” and concepts like “NLP”. It seems to me that pretty much all of the personal development stuff being, quite literally, spewed out at the moment, can be traced back to Napoleon Hills’ work. The problem is most of the modern stuff “cherry picks” the original material and creates an aura of semi-mysticism around it.

Napoleon Hill’s work requires suspension of belief in some parts, yet it is always firmly planted in reality and practical form. Along the way I will no doubt highlight differences in the way I personally interpret how certain things work; this is a matter of personal perspectives, belief systems and mental models of how the universe operates.

That’s largely immaterial I think – everyone will have their own personal take on things, the key point is that it all works. How it works will simply vary from person to person.

and so it begins…

There you have it, the very first step on a road to better understanding a book written almost 100 years ago that still retains massive relevancy today. The first step as well to what I anticipate will be a bumpy and tumultuous ride for me personally, with life perhaps never quite being the same ever again.

Big words perhaps – time will be the judge. In any case I invite you to enjoy the ride with me…

The book was first published in 1937; when you realise that point you wonder why the author wasn’t burned at the stake or something. His ideas and thinking would be considered advanced today, let alone in 1937!

something’s missing

I’ve read the book a number of times now, and while there’s loads of information that can be taken and put to good use, I always wind up thinking I have somehow missed the key point. This isn’t helped by the fact that Napoleon Hill says right up front that the book contains the secret to success and that you might find it in the very first chapter,  in the very last chapter, or somewhere in between. He gets all pseudo-mystical about it, stating that Andrew Carnegie “quietly tossed” the idea into his mind and that it seems to work best if it’s not stated directly, merely left for someone to discover for themself.

I always wind up thinking “won’t you just bloody well tell me what Carnegie said to you???”

I’ve come up with several theories as to what this elusive secret might be, the title of the book implies that it’s to do with thinking, thoughts, your mind… I know other people who have come up with different theories. I have not heard a single one that seems to be wholly satisfactory. The semi-mystical aspect makes things worse – it can easily lead to the book being dismissed.

the missing piece discovered

I had not realised that Think and Got Rich was NOT Napoleon Hill’s first work on the subject, nor had I realised it was NOT the main product of his work analysing 500 successful individuals. It seems that THIS particular honour goes to a larger volume of work called “The Law of Success In 16 Lessons”.

This “reading course” was published in 1928 – Think and Grow Rich appears to be a summary of certain key points, yet somehow (for me at least) that summary loses some of the clarity and specifics of the original work.

For one thing, “The Law of Success” contains exactly the response Andrew Carnegie gave when asked what the secret of his success was. Furthermore, while retaining all the incredibly advanced theories and ideas, “The Law of Success” comes across as a far more practical solution without any apparent “mystical” feel. There ARE still areas that require suspension of belief (particularly when he touches on Telepathy), however the overall tone helps you realise that it’s mostly about putting thoughts into real world action.

The individual topics are also covered in far greater depth than in “Think and Grow Rich”, leading to a broader understanding of the “recipe” for success that Napoleon Hill is trying to get across.

working with “the law”

There is no doubt that “Think and Grow Rich” has had a positive effect on me, in particular in helping me stick to my goal of building up Avallach Technology as a successful business. It’s also hit a lot of the same ground as my more “spiritual” development work, leading me to the conclusion that what seemed to be two aspects are actually different views of the same issues.

The results (if you can call them that) have been limited, mostly I believe because of the nagging feeling that something was missing.

The lightbulb went on after the first 2 “lessons” in “The Law of Success” – the extra detail, the additional information, the more practical nature of the thing all combined to make me realise that Think and Grow Rich was the “appetiser”; what I really need is to work through and understand his longer, more in-depth  initial work.

So to that end I have decided to track those efforts on this blog, which is after all about my personal development “journey”, and in particular to post up my 2012 interpretations of what Hill was saying back in 1928.

Before I even get started on that though – I thoroughly recommend getting hold of “The Law of Success” to anyone vaguely interested in making a better life for themselves. It contains some very practical advice that should be obvious yet isn’t until someone else makes you face up to facts, or circumstances do the same.

One thing is for sure, blogging about it is going to help cement things in my mind – it will also probably cause a few raised eyebrows

That first season was characterised by tensions in the squad, apparent lack of spending by the owner Nick Tana (who subsequently walked away the following season) and a mixture of nepotism, favourtism and poor coaching style from Steve McMahon. When Tana handed back his licence to the FFA, the club was a pale shadow of its former self and the fans were already starting to feel it was no longer their club.

FFA Control

The FFA era was one of minimal life support; they did just enough to keep the club (barely) alive. Lack of spending, lack of vision and an inept leadership allowed the rot to continue to spread. The low point of the FFA era waa the infamous rebranding of Perth Glory’s 10th anniversary as a “celebration of football in WA”. Political correctness had struck again and the fans knew that the A-League Glory was not the club they had loved so completely; this was Perth Glory in name alone.

The Three Wise Monkeys

The FFA eventually offloaded the club to 3 local businessmen, Tony Sage, Brett McKeon and John Spence. Fans were understandably excited, they believed that their “white knights” had arrived and a new era was about to commence. The thin veneer started to wear thin very quickly, Spence and McKeon abandoned ship, and the club continued to lurch from coach to coach. The apparent lack of football culture continued to permeate the club from the very top, permeating the entire club; one can only surmise as to the effect on player and coach morale. As for the fans – well they were slowly slipping away, faced with increased costs of membership/tickets and a growing feeling that their club was gone.

Attacks on the fans by admin staff AND the owner did further damage – it became an expected part of the football calendar for Tony Sage to threaten to walk away if the fans didn’t turn out. He started to look a lot like the boy who cried wolf, and his lack of football credentials become increasingly obvious, even to those diehards who were convinced that a new coach would fix the problems.

Sage Finally Going?

Sage has now been quoted in the West Australian (Dec 19th 2011) as planning to hand back his licence. Not only that, he has taken the opportunity to put the boot into supporters of the game in WA. He claims that an A-League team in Perth is not viable, and appears to be laying the blame solely with the fans for not turning up.

The reality is that the fans are still there and most of them desperately want their club back. They long for the days where they can go and watch a Glory game and feel they are with their family once more. The problem is that these fans are football-savvy and have had a gutful of owner ego, corporate mentality, foot-stamping and lack of club culture. They are also fed up with endless meetings with club staff where countless great ideas and suggestions have fallen on the ears of arrogant individuals with a “we know best” mentality.

I for one hope that Sage finally holds true to his word and leaves the club while there is the faintest glimmer of hope for a revival.

The Way Forward

The FFA have already said that they aren’t prepared to prop up any more clubs financially, and that’s fine with me because a second era of FFA  control will only make things worse. The FFA have also said previously that they are committed to having an A-League club in Perth, so that gives me hope that they will at least attempt to find a post-Sage solution.

So what form might that solution take?

I refuse to believe that Perth has a complete lack of genuine, football-loving millionaires. It is statistically unlikely. Furthermore, anyone stepping up to “save” this club will inherit the BEST Glory squad that has existed in the A-League era, perhaps of all time. The initial results this season showed what they are capable of – the subsequent rapid decline into the old habit of losing is, I believe, a product of the toxic environment that exists at the club.

My personal preference would be for the FFA to seek out a consortium of football-loving millionaires – people with a little bit of cash to burn, are not looking to use ownership as a personal PR vehicle and understand that football is about passion NOT commerce (i.e. no more CEOs talking about “cost neutrality”)

There still remains the issue of “re-engagement” however; disenfranchised and disillusioned fans that need to be convinced to come back. I believe partial fan ownership could be a catalyst here.

The consortium of cashed-up individuals mentioned above would presumably form a company (a not-for-profit would be ideal) and that organisation would become the licence holder. I suggest that a portion of that company could be subject to a limited share offer, allowing fans to become “owners” of the club. Most fans I know, and it’s not just with Perth Glory that this holds true, would treasure even just 1 solitary share; to them they would own a piece of the club. It would simply be THEIR club at a fundamental level.

To ignore the potential for this level of connection and involvement would surely be a demonstration of a complete lack of understanding of fan-based passion.

There ARE other issues to consider – for one things, ticket and membership prices need to be at more realistic levels. Drop them back to 2005 prices for now. Through the fan ownership model, many fans will be supporting the club financially anyway, with the added benefit of “re-engagement”.

Supporter Involvement

Another area that a new ownership can look for improvements is the potential to tap into active supporter involvement. While the FFA do exert a high degree of control over web sites, matchday programs etc. the club need to find creative ways to involve fans, particularly those with media experience.

Fan groups and individual fans have produced fanzines, painted banners, organised radio talk shows, held pre-match functions at local pubs and even held a highly successful end of season function when ordinary fans got priced out of the official “ball”.

The potential is there – it just needs a bit of lateral thinking by the club to tap into it!

Perth Glory, Rebooted and Reinvigorated

By following a radically different path, engaging fans in various ways (and at the most fundamental levels) Perth Glory can, I believe, experience something of a renaissance. Football culture needs to flow from the top down, it needs to permeate the entire club. The fans are ready for this, it is the club that needs to be healed.

Footballers respond to that type of environment, it is a game of intense passion. Players need to have a club they believe in, a player who plays for the love of their club is a force to be reckoned with. Once the fans see that their team are once more playing “for the shirt” they WILL respond.

Over to you FFA – this is your chance to cure the rot at the heart of Perth Glory.