Tuning into the Universe FM in Perth!

Sincerest apologies for my absence the last couple of days. You may remember my video recently “joey’s had an idea”? Well, the last couple of days I have been in Perth meeting some of the most extraordinary people. Well, truly they are ordinary people doing extraordinary things because of extraordinary levels of inspiration and drive.

I have been humbled, and moved by this incredible bunch of people. I had the opportunity to work with Mark (who I refer to in the same earlier post), and to discover just what it means to be in flow.

Have you ever had the experience of having an idea, but it’s more like you are tuning into a broadcast across the universe, and the more you investigate the idea, the more you realise that other people are picking up on the same broadcast? That has been the experience with my trip to Perth.

I came over to team up with Mark and create something that we both feel passionate about, that would inspire entrepreneurs around the world. Unsurprisingly, yet impressively, our excitement and conviction has attracted so much support, and the trip has been a huge success.

I promise you guys will be the first to know when the project is ready for human consumption

Meanwhile, its 11:45pm, I’m in the Qantas lounge in perth, and my li’l fingers are dragging across the keyboard. So excuse me while I catch a few Zs. Hopefully they wake my up to put me on the plane. I get to see greg in 6 hours. Hooray!

Have an awesome day!

Joey x

What is truth, and is there room for tolerance?

Hi guys,

Welcome back. Just wanted to share with you I’ve had a breakthrough. I’ve never been a runner. In fact any of you who’ve been in a class with me have probably heard me say that I hate running. That’s why I dance. However, I have to take my hat off to my personal trainer Steph: she has got me to the point where yesterday I enjoyed my first run! Oh my god!! Apparently it has something to do with getting to a fitness level where you can breathe through your nose… in and out, in and out… Now I am starting to understand those weirdos who used to tell me it was meditative! Haha!!!

Anyhow, I tell you about my running because it was while I was running yesterday down at Port Melbourne beach that I came up with today’s blog. Yesterday in Melbourne was a funny day, one moment sunny, then next thunder storms veritably chucking it down.

I grabbed my run between torrential downpours, and as I trotted along the stormclouds gathered and formed quite a spectacular sight over the bay.

I was listening to a recent podcast of Skepticality: the official podcast of Skeptics magazine. You can check them out by clicking here, but be warned… if you are a believer of mind over matter in any of it’s guises (spiritual, religious, NLP or otherwise) you will have your buttons pressed. Now, don’t get me wrong… I have experienced too much anecdotal evidence in my own life with these things to give them up just yet, but I am thoroughly enjoying broadening my horizons into the “Critical Thinking” arena.

So what is Critical Thinking? Basically it is the disciplined process of actively conceptualizing, analyzing, and applying information as a guide to action. In other words, not just accepting it is so because I say so, but thinking it through for yourself, testing hypotheses etc.

As a concept, it tends to upset some of my colleagues because they see it as an attack on what they teach in the realm of personal development. Granted, most critical thinkers would scoff at hypnosis, the Law of Attraction, religion and other such things; calling them whacked out and woowoo, with no foundation in reality. You see what gets them out of bed in the morning is the quest for truth as proven by science.

And most “believers” would scoff at critical thinkers as being obsessed with science, boring, emotionally retarded and missing out on the magic of life. Because what gets them out of bed in the morning is the quest for truth as defined by their own personal experience.

Funny how one tiny distinction or definition of truth can make all the difference in the world!

But the interesting thing is listening to this particular interview I came across a Critical Thinker that doesn’t need to rip people apart to have his point of view. Stephen L Gibson has recently written a book called A Secret of the Universe. Now… I haven’t read the book (I’ve just ordered it on amazon today… you can too by clicking below)… but I am very much looking forward to it. Desipte this, I was thoroughly impressed with his attitude to the opinions of others.

I learnt so much about tolerance, as he has no need to preach to others about his opinions. But also about tolerance of self. He is very clear that his worldview is just his current worldview, and it may change down the line.

It’s very reassuring for those of us who need to have it all figured out yesterday before making a move on anything!

If you’re interested in listengin to the podcast, i highly recommend it. It’s here on Skepticality. But it comes with a button pressing warning for most of my readers! Consider youself warned!

So today I’m celebrating diversity, and knowing that my worldview today, will be different to tomorrow. And I’m really reflecting on what is the truth for me? Truth as proven by science, or personal experience? This question is bound to get me out of bed tomorrow!

How 5 young men got me out of bed!

This blog is dedicatd to discussing what makes people get out of bed… especially what makes entrepreneurs and business people get up and take risks. In this video blog today you’ll hear about how 5 young men got me out of bed at 6am (far too early for me under any other circumstance!), and pull out the credit card.

Enjoy!

Is it wrong to focus on yourself?

Is it wrong to focus on yourself?

Since starting this blog I have had a number of conversations with different people about whether it is right or wrong to focus on yourself. Should we take care of yourselves first and others second? Or sacrifice for the good of others?

There are as many different “right” answers to this as there are people on the planet I’m sure. However I think we need to take stock and have a think about this.

You see, having studied and taught personal development for years, there is an ugly underbelly to the “empowerment movement”. You know, the people who really want to make a difference in the world but this one problem keeps holding them back. And at the root of this one problem is that they don’t love themselves enough (or insert favourite Achilles heel here). But no matter how many courses said well-wisher does, they still just don’t love themselves enough.

Now, don’t get me wrong… I don’t want this to be taken the wrong way. I’m not bashing personal development, but I am asking us to look long and hard about what’s really holding us back. I have a hypothesis, or is that AN hypothesis? Any way, it goes like this. That if a mother or a father has a sick baby, and they only way to get help for that baby is to beat down the door of the doctor, god forbid anyone should stand in the way of that door! Nothing would stop those parents. They would not stand there and politely think, “I don’t want to bother the doctor” or “maybe I’m not worthy of the doctor’s help” or “I’ve been a bad mother/father, so I shouldn’t ask for help”. They would just bust the door down and get into the doctor. When life necessitates things, people take bold action.

I don’t know the answer, but I would be interested to know the incidence of depression in the “The Great Depression” or during World Wars vs now when times are so good for most people. Perhaps when our survival needs are met we have more time to wallow. Perhaps when we don’t have anything pre-occupying our minds we find things to worry about: and we look “insiiiide: hello in there?!”

So that’s why I’m hypothesising the approach of bold promises to people in survival mode. A baby is in survival mode, people in poverty, or grave illness are in survival mode, maybe you know someone in survival mode. Perhaps if we can link our reasons for growing our businesses (or insert current goal here), to them; then maybe we’ll stop focussing on ourselves, and “get over it” long enough to make a real difference in the world.

A good friend who I had dinner with last night is doing just this, and I am trying to tee up an interview with him while he’s here in Australia so you too can be inspired by what he’s up to and how he’s running his business and manages his “self-worth” question.

I think it’s time that the pendulum swings back a little from “self-help” to “others-help”. Have I been sacrilegious? Maybe. Of course, you have to be out of survival mode yourself… but you wouldn’t be reading my blog if you weren’t would you?

Make someone’s day,

Love Joey x

The women I am with in this photo are prime examples of “Put others before me”…. and they’re doing just fine! My great aunt, my aunt, my Mum, (me), and my Gran.

What makes men get out of bed in the morning?

Are men and women driven by different things? Is it true that we are hard-wired differently, and motivated differently? Pina De Rosa, who has been studying men (lads, she’s had you under the microscope!) for 7 years, thinks the answer is yes!

And if this is true, can undertsanding the difference between men and women help us all to lead a much more peaceful and fulfilling life?

Having spent the weekend in Pina’s workshop last weekend, I’m convinced EVERYONE needs this information!! The information is breakthrough type stuff from PAX, an organisation started by Alison Armstrong 16 years ago. You can find out more on www.understandmen.com.

But before you do…make yourself a cup of tea, and spend 15 minutes having a listen (click here) to this great interview where she reveals a couple of secrets to understanding men!

Pina De Rosa reveals the secrets of what makes men get out of bed in the morning!

Here’s to a great day!

Love Joey x

What’s the big idea?

Hola!

I’ve had an idea, and the universe is helping out… you know when the light bulb goes on, and then one thing happens, and that leads to another, well… the video explains it all! 2 mins of my nutty smiley face for ya!!

Jxx

Oops… technologically inept Joey shines through

Hmmm… it appears my joy at being able to share the most beautiful boat in the world didn’t work!

Until my younger sister or some such educated person helps me to rectify the sitaution… my photos are on facebook!!

I recorded my first video blog yesterday, but its 140 megs and i can’t get it on here yet! Hahhaaa!! I’m sure there’s a siple way, but keep watching out! I’ll be in touch!!

j xx

We are sailing…

Hi guys,

Sorry to have been AWOL for a while… Greg and I have just returned from a fabulously successful trip to Sydney where we connected with some incredibly inspiring people and furthered a couple of our current business ventures. The entrepreneurial spirit is coursing through our veins! I have to say, the steps we took to consciously designing out life are really clear to see, and we are reaping the rewards of that every day.

You see, about 6 months ago, I was home for about a week between business trips for my role with Chris Howard. My partner Greg and I realised we weren’t living an extraordinary life. Solo, I was living a fabulous life, and he was living a good life, but as a couple it was a far cry from what we dreamed of… we hardly saw each other!

So at that time we sat down and talked about what an extraordinary life would look like together. We came up with a whole list of principles that excited us. We committed that every decision or action we took together would be in alignment with these principles. From these principles we came up with our “rules for business”. So we now have some rules that help us to decide whether any particular business venture is worth pursuing. It’s great to be able to say NO to a lot of things, because it means the yes-es are infinitely more attractive! Our rules include things like:

· Any venture has to be highly leverageable, so that every hour we invest pays over and over and over.

· It isn’t geographically specific, so we are free to travel when we wish

· We only do business with people we have fun with

· Every business must have a positive social impact

And there were about 5 or 6 others. Since employing these rules we have such clarity. Since starting our entrepreneurial journey together we have had dozens of business opportunities come our way, but our clarity means we can say no to the majority and only focus our energies on the few that suit us.

Which brings me to last weekend. Not only was it productive on many fronts, but we also had so much time to enjoy every moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this little beauty!

 

Have a look at her!

The ferry across from Mosman to Circular Quay was inspiring, waiting for a cab was exciting, business meetings at the MCA in Circular Quay were divine… There was magic in every moment. We wrapped up the trip with a party with Rick Otton on the harbour on Saturday night (yes… I sang Karaoke…) and we flew home Sunday morning. And then when it was all done… yesterday Greg and I took the another step toward our dream of owning and living on our very own yacht by heading out on the bay for a sail at the Royal Melbourne’s Open Day.

So… the moral of the story… there’s an art to designing a life, and you know you’ve got it right when business feels so easy I’m sure! Please share your thoughts…

Have a great day,

Love Joey x

Thank God for Other People

Hi team,

Today it is my intent to sing the praises of every other human being on the face of the planet. Well, that might be a little superlative, but truly I am grateful for other people.

You see the wonderful thing about other people is that you make promises to them. This is of course a choice… but one I choose often. And the beauty of making a promise to someone is then you have to fulfil on that promise. And that in itself is enough to make you get out of bed some days. I remind you of the funny little cartoon in my last post (check out “why we should listen to our pets”) if you haven’t yet ). The dog is absolutely bamboozled as to why anyone would get up without there being knocking at the door. Well… promises to other people are knocks at the door.

This is why I will never again work in a “micro-business”… a one man show. Because the only people I would have to make promises to would be mu clients. Now don’t get me wrong… its pretty motivating if you haven’t got something prepared for a client… but you never make promises to your clients to work ON your business. When you work in a team you make promises to other members of your team. They depend on you for your strengths and you depend on them for theirs.

For example I’m currently helping my Dad set up his marketing system for his breakthrough sweating product (sweating I hear you ask?!…from Personal Development to Sweating?!… That’s another story for another day!). As you know this is one little element of all the things I’m working on at present, but the thing I am learning is how awesome it is to have a great team. I make a promise to Dad to have the system complete by this Friday… he makes a promise to me to have the DVD done in a fortnight… Laura promises…. Asha promises… we all make promises, and fulfil on those promises, and magically we have turned around what could have been a six month project in 3 months. I think its good to sometimes “have to get something done” because you made a promise to someone else.

And that brings me back to social entrepreneurialism. Here’s an idea I am toying with at the moment, and will likely implement as soon as I find the right organisation… Here’s how it goes: If you find a charity or an organisation that really speaks to you… make a big commitment to them… a big promise. Work out what you intend to make in revenue over the next 12 months, and commit 10% of that to the charity. You’ve made a promise! Now, you better get off your bottom and start growing your business to meet the promise you’ve made!

I think its no accident that there are 6.5 billion people on the planet (more by now! Check world population here). If we were meant to do this life thing solo, I guess it would have just been you or me… and no-one else right?

So… start making some promises to the people around you…. and get moving. My promises have certainly got me on the trot with a big smile on my face this week!!

Here’s to you!!

Joey xx

Why we should listen to our pets…

Today is Sunday here… and I thoroughly enjoyed a sleep in on a rainy Melbourne morning I have to say. Getting up in the morning is one of the more challlenging parts of my day. Thank God for my personal trainer, otherwise somedays perhaps I wouldn’t extricate myself at all. Perhaps we should pay more attention to our pets… some food for thought for a Sunday… (promise I’ll have some ripper content this week!)

(click on the image to see a full size shot!)

Have a great week!

J xx

« Previous Page — Next Page »