Nicholas Bate

Fearless Friday 1: TotalImmersion101

Sometimes you realise that if you just woke up and were bold, had real grit, perhaps things would become refreshingly different. After all, the totally tangible truths are simply priceless and remind you that whetever it takes in a Brave New World, there is no conspiracy maybe just simply one doppio espresso too many. After all, you say you want a revolution.  So be a superhero and realise that life is good. What if you were fearless and knew that you could solve any problem that you had? Reinvent. Be outrageous. Be professional. Genius often starts with quick wins, certainly avoiding nonsense, taking time to reflect, seeking answers and knowing what is to be done. Set your compass, do it and boost your productivity and hence wellness and hence creativity. Think Beatles, think Blue Jeans, less PowerPoint. Write and be different. Grab your freedom and travel. Less marketing, more relaxing.

• Bonus 1: Kurt and his team offer you free, amazing posters.
• Bonus 2: BeBold101 the mini-book. Professionalism101 the mini-book

 

RealGrit 101

1. Focused;
2. determined;
3. principled;
4. knowing.
5. And of course:
6. doing.
7. Real Grit...
8. History simply for reference not recrimination.
9. This is not a movie: this is for real.
10. I rather than he or she.
11. We rather than they.
12. On time every time.
13. In the room; totally full on 100% present.
14. Solution seeking: you simply don’t do complaining;
15. “it spoils my day”, you say.
16. Real Grit...
17. Finding your thing;
18. doing your thing;
19. executing it better, far better than anybody else…
20. on the planet.
21. Loving hard, smart work.
22. And smart, hard work.
23. What’s necessary,
24. when it’s necessary.
25. Squeezing out the demons of doubt;
26. knowing the dark side has possibilities simply because few else will visit it and explore.
27. "it is very easy to forgive others their mistakes; it takes more grit and gumption to forgive them for witnessing your own" Jessamyn West
28. Beyond distraction: e-mail pinging, facebook checking and cookie crumbling...
29. Loving handy routes to delivery: the master list, the wall planner and the daily bouts at the boxing bag.
30. "every bit of writing starts with grit: a sight or sound or sentence or happening that does not pass away but quite inexplicably lodges in the mind" Rumer Godden
31. Getting your unpolluted story out into the crowd:
32. this is who I am...
33. this is what I do...
34. this is why you need me...
35. this is the extraordinary value I offer...
36. Remembering:
37. you don’t have to listen to their negative comments simply because they are scared of what success might bring to you. OR THEM.
38. That you want to do meaningful work even if that takes a decade to get up-and-running as a career.
39. And it probably will.
40. But you can hack it.
41. Real Grit...
42. Planning your quest:
43. over hill;
44. beyond dale;
45. across mountains;
46. via dried-up river beds;
47. over-night camps;
48. days without proper food.
49. Eating frugally:
50. but becoming lean and mean;
51. and fighting fit
52. Thinking what could I do?
53. If I didn’t worry so much!
54. If I got on with it..
55. If didn't expect total clarity always.
56. That I realised that excellence came with:
57. repeated execution,
58. with learning from mistakes,
59. from hanging out with the best,
60. from simply being determined.
61. But
62. but
63. but
64. Is it really that simple?
65. Can't I have an excuse?
66. Is it as simple as 'grit'.
67. simply persevering
68. hanging on in there
69. knowing one's vision.
70. Sure.
71. So: no excuses?
72. No. No excuses.
73. No loopholes?
74. No. No loopholes.
75. "a grindstone that had no grit in it: how long would that take to sharpen an axe; and the affairs of man without grit: how long would they take to make a man? Henry Ward Beecher
76. Get up;
77. deliver to the highest of standards;
78. consistently.
79. Works
80. every
81. damn time.
82. Excellence has little competition.
83. Delivering excellence is a joy.
84. Excellence knocks their socks off.
85. Excellence secures your career.
86. Excellence gets you well paid.
87. Excellence comes with added
88. Grit:
89. determined
90. long-term thinker
91. goal-driven
92. willing to ride with dust in their mouth
93. happy to survive on just beans for a few days
94. consistently delivers.
95. Grit:
96. makes
97. you
98. the
99. person
100. you need to be.
101. And gets you the life you want to have.

Immersion101

Sometimes you realise that if you just woke up and were bold, perhaps things would become refreshingly different. After all, the totally tangible truths are simply priceless and remind you that whetever it takes in a Brave New World, there is no conspiracy maybe just simply one doppio espresso too many. After all, you say you want a revolution.  So be a superhero and realise that life is good. What if you were fearless and knew that you could solve any problem that you had? Reinvent. Be outrageous. Be professional. Genius often starts with quick wins, certainly avoiding nonsense, taking time to reflect, seeking answers and knowing what is to be done. Set your compass, do it and boost your productivity and hence wellness and hence creativity. Think Beatles, think Blue Jeans, less PowerPoint. Write and be different. Grab your freedom and travel. Less marketing, more relaxing.

Bonus: Kurt and his team offer you free, amazing posters.

 

Realisation101

1. Once
2. you
3. realise
4. it's not them,
5. it's you....
6. Surprisingly
7. things
8. get a whole lot easier.
9. They really do.
10. Who after all is “they”?
11. Identifying “them” is like trying to  predict the weather if you live in the British Isles
12. or nail a blob of jelly to the wall
13. or understand what is going on in a toddler's mind.
14. “They” who stop you.
15. “They” who annoy you.
16. "They" who hold you back.
17. Yep, tricky to identify.
18. And tricky to manage.
19. And a time-consuming distraction.
20. But...
21. you...
22. can manage you really easily...
23. Then life unfolds.
24. Dreams are realised.
25. And you can circumnavigate the idiots who let you down, swamp your in box with time wasting mails, stand at water coolers complaining about 'the management', miss milestones and still want a bonus.
26. Absolutely: you can accelerate away.
27. Get your career back on track.
28. Sort that ridiculous pension plan.
29. Choose the alternate universe.
30. The alternate universe?
31. Yes: Universe Alternate.
32. The one where what you see is what you get.
    
33.  The one where results are proportional to effort you put in.
34. The one where rain, mis-placed car keys and baby sick on your clean blouse are just a ripple in a space-time continuum.
35. And the one where self-discipline is taught, encouraged and respected and realised to be the answer
36. -the only damn answer-
37. rather than all the tangential stuff about time management, work-life balance and 'listening' conversations.
38. Self discipline.
39. Heck.
40. Just the words put the fear of the gods into many.
41. Yep: self-discipline.
42. Man: are you sure?
43. In the world of the artisan?
44. Ha: if you are a true artisan you live and breathe self discipline. You just make it look easy.
45. So: self-discipline.
46. Meeting promises.
47. Being places on time.
48. Planning ahead.
49. Being professional.
50. Anticipating.
51. Being ethical.
52. Clearing up the coffee cups.
53. Understanding a job is two way thing.
54. Taking ownership.
55. Doing it because it is there.
56. Plan It.
57. Do It.
58. Review It.
59. Respecting others and skipping potential weasel words such as diversity.
60. But.
61. But..
62. But...
63. Realising self-discipline needs support...
64. it needs a good friend or two..
65. Knowing a true friend and hanging on to him or her for dear life.
66. As after all: what is life but friendship?
67. Buddy friendship.
68. Colleague friendship.
69. I-Love-your-texts-friendship.
70. Lover friendship. 
71. You-understand-me friendship.
72. And knowing that once in a lifetime someone drops into your life and suddenly it all makes sense. A soul-mate perhaps?
73. Maybe...
74. But why label them?
75. Hang on to them.
76. Time stops with them.
77. Thoughts are unrestricted with them.
78. Honesty is a given with them.
79. As one thing is for sure:
80. realising takes time;
81. it needs a wake up.
82. But hopefully not a wake up call:
83. An illness;
84. a lost friendship;
85. a career off track;
86. Realising means:
87. My Universe not Their Universe
88. Love not Lists
89. Friendship not Fear
90. Self Discipline not Self Admonishment
91. Endorphins not Email
92. I/We not They
93. Now not Never
94. Moon not Money
95. Sunsets not Salary
96. Journey not Destination
97. A Passion not A Job
98. Realisation
99. Realising
100. Realise!
101. Today not Tomorrow.

WakeUp101

(1) wake up (2) life is good (3) you have choices (4) you can exercise them (5) anytime (6) anyplace (7) anywhere (8) wake up (9) you are not trapped (10) you might think you are trapped (11) you might feel you are trapped (12) but you can think yourself free (13) you can stretch, jump and skip so much that you feel yourself free (14) wake up (15) life is good (16) in fact, life is very good (17) a lot of people think they would like to be a hypnotist (18) in fact the challenge is not being a hypnotist (19) notice the people on the bus, in your meeting, being interviewed on TV (20) same old, same old (20) they're in a trance (21) they need to (22) wake up (23) life is good (24) in fact, all things considered it is excellent (25) the mind is as good as the body (26) so, empower the body (27) give it rest and sleep (28) give it TLC and love (29) give it decent nutrition (30) exercise it so that every muscle knows its place and every muscle can hold its place (31) kick box until perspiration covers every square cm of a fatigued body (32) then you will know that you are awake (33) accelerate your wisdom (34) iPads are so cool but nothing beats pencil and paper (35) wake up (36) get good (37) get really good (38) at something (39) so you are unstoppable (40) wake up (41) stop worrying (42) choose (43) focus (44) observe (45) act (45) wake up (46) remove distractions (47) know what's important (48) wake up (49) feel the sun on your face (50) the cool waves on your feet on that far away beach (51) the warm breeze against your cotton T (52) re-read that old txt which reminds just how much you mean to him (53) wake up (54) notice stuff again (55) architecture (56) what colour are her eyes? (57) the fall of a fabric (58) the swell of an opera (59) the gentleness of her smile (60) the construction of a Dickens (61) wake up (62) cook great food again (63) herbs (64)super fresh (65) at the market (66) colour (67) texture (68) with great company (69) wake up (70) don't wait (71) no ifs (72) no buts (73) wake up (74) what would it take? (75) to really wake up? (76) to feel free? (77) to know that it will be ok? (78) to feel like starting over (79) to remember as Rumi said that we came spinning out of star dust (80) and how cool is that? (81) wake up (82) again (83) re-boot (84) decide (85) that this is it (86) no more rehearsals (87) no more no shows (88) just knowing deep down what we really want to do (89) that we are unstoppable (90) so long as we wake up (91) And break the conditioning (92) of school (93) of the media (94) of consumerism (95) of corporations (96) of pension plans (97) of politicians (98) really (99) it's so easy (100) wake up (101) now

You Might

be professional or be outrageous or simply be bold. Just be something.

BeBold101

1. solve where others complain;
2. volunteer when others look down;
3. be principled and yet flexible;
4. never give up;
5. have a plan;
6. write every day;
7. stay courteous in all circumstances;
8. appreciate that which is easily taken for granted;
9. see tough times as testing-your-resilience-and-systems
10. get up in the dark and drive to that sales call and win it and drive home in time for children's bath-time;
11. make time for what is important: family, health and plans;
12. be there: whatever;
13. know your (nine years old) son's timetable;
14. support your (twelve years old) daughter's real career ambitions;
15. read more Shakespeare and marvel at the language one more time;
16. laugh at yourself;
17. Freedom lies in being bold. Robert Frost;
18. go when others stall;
19. simply know what others cannot even imagine;
20. simply help for no reason at all;
21. eat wondrous, soul-enhancing, 'sattvic', good fresh food every meal, every day;
22. wonder when others are so sure;
23. wander where others have never ventured;
24. start when others are still debating;
25. dawdle where others are rushing;
26. hold her hand. And she hold yours;
27. know that you can solve it: it is merely a matter of time;
28. never be bored;
29. find the intrinsic worth in anything you do;
30. write and fill the notebooks you kept for something special;
31. switch everything off as you sit down to eat. And eat by candles;
32. get the meeting back on track;
33. encourage;
34. read even more books;
35. appreciate freedoms;
36. insist on not losing your freedoms in the name of control;
37. seek education not just knowledge;
38. seek wisdom not just the passing of time;
39. play rock 'n roll loudly;
40. In the early days, we just wore black onstage. Very bold, my dear. Then we introduced white, for variety, and it simply grew and grew. Freddie Mercury
41. get exercise in a society which takes exercise away;
42. find the facts in a society which drowns in opinions;
43. take ownership in a culture which generates excuses;
44. take time for civilisation in a civilisation which has no time to be curious;
45. wander bare foot on the beach;
46. do a road-trip despite a very busy autumn/fall schedule;
47. ask her to a movie;
48. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. Helen Keller
49. squeeze out one more pull up when the body knows it can but the mind screams give up;
50. do not resent different views but use them to augment your own;
51. be on a quest for what really matters in a world of electrons, elections, entropy, cables, screens and gum wrappers;
52. seek feedback;
53. and act upon it;
54. expose one's deepest worries to paper;
55. colour outside the lines;
56. fight for clarity of thinking;
57. and depth of expression;
58. learn a Greek word or two;
59. admit to mistakes;
60. start again;
61. listen to different music;
62. cook more;
63. study that full moon;
64. get back to the desert;
65. do more mental arithmetic
66. imagine thinking like T E Lawrence
67. imagine thinking like Jane Austin
68. imagine being a Founding Father
69. re-realise the enormity of it all and sit down as one's head begins to spin;
70. look at that Periodic Table in a different way from school: see a thing of beauty, organisation and sheer undiluted genius;
71. listen to more Opera, more often, even though it often makes you cry;
72. allow yourself to cry;
73. He was a bold man that first eat an oyster.
    Jonathan Swift
74. simply stride out and walk there;
75. start drawing;
76. write a book;
77. do it with passion;
78. remember what is important;
79. be different;
80. be very different;
81. get very, very good at something;
82. There's nothing more intoxicating than doing big, bold things.
    Jason Kilar
83. never give discount;
84. give up PowerPoint for ever;
85. re-discover the joy of sharpened HB pencils on paper;
86. simplify your Life beyond your wildest dreams;
87. let it go, finally, once and for all;
88. in the fullness of time and all things considered: give up using cliches;
89. or even TLAs;
90. but: do count your chickens. Regularly;
91. walk tall, yet have humility;
92. lead, yet listen;
93. notice the seasons in the weather;
94. and in the ebb and flow of your Life;
95. understand all contexts of wealth;
96. connect with them, whether child, barista or CEO;
97. work hard to make the world a better place;
98. be bold;
99. really BOLD;
100. so BOLD;
101. you finally are alive.

bonus: Be Bold 101, the book.

 

Somewhere There's A 101 For You

Be it Professionalism101 , Outrageous101, Priceless101 or 101: The List

RefreshinglyDifferent101

1. Those who show they value your work 2. Hotel rooms where the air-con, wifi and lighting are easy to use 3. Business phone lines without convoluted menu-driven interactions 4. Airport security with a smile 5. Healthy fast-food 6. Shops which open on time 7. Banks who remember who gave them the money in the first place 8. Schools which still value education not just grades 9. Thinking which is critical but doesn't criticise 10. A day without meetings 11. A desk without yellow stickies 12. Enthusiasm for business 13. MBAs about business rather than business models 14. Politicians who have the national (even global) interest at heart 15. Fresh pear juice 16. Sound, worry-free sleep 17. Author J P Donleavy 18. Mail (e-or snail) free weekends 19. Shakespeare re-visited 20. Long, rambling conversations with friends 21. "we'll hit target early this month" 22. PPT slides which are relevant 23. "I've all the time in the world" 24. Meetings which start on time 25. "the customer loves us" 26. Specifics from marketing 27. Helpful genes 28. Scrambled egg still cooking on the pre-warmed plate 29. Thriving local coffee shops 30. Evenings without technology 31. Intelligent discussions on drugs, nuclear power and global warming 32. A diner meal without an up-sell 33. Lecturers who love teaching 34. Cheese served at the correct temperature 35. An organisation which trains its staff to be brilliant 36. Palma ham and chips 37. Not responding to a vibrating phone when in conversation with you 38. Having a plan through to the delivery point 39. Listening to feedback 40. Homemade steak and kidney pie 41. Showing up, whatever 42. Unconditional love 43. Silence 44. Brilliant public transport 45. Havana, Cuba 46. Believing in yourself 47. Having a clear goal 48. Being polite and courteous. 49. A visits to Vinci, home of Leonardo of course 50. A notebook full to the brim with your tumbling thoughts 51. Your e-mails answered without chasing 52. Key financial indicators improving 53. Transforming 54. Feeling really, really good 55. At last: knowing 56. Having focus 57. Heading home on time, great work done 58. Seeing a bear in the woods around Banff 59. Great results from your annual medical check up 60. On time, every time 61. In box zero 62. Planet Saturn 63. Real mayonnaise 64. Drawing 65. Pilates 66. Graphite and diamond 67. Relativity, theory of 68. i, the square root of minus one 69. Abayanga massage 70. Not worrying about uses for paperclips 71. Progress made with electric cars 72. Balanced news reporting 73. Steamed after too much fried 74. Leaders who lead 75. Early work by the great artists 76. Really being listened to 77. A great off-site planning session 78. Looking for strategic reasons, too, when the sales figures are down 79. Non-iced cool water drunk steadily 80. Exercising without pause and getting 'in the zone' 81. Corresponding regularly on paper 82. A gentleman wearing a trilby 83. Not jumping to conclusions 84. Saying sorry, genuinely 85. Reviewing the entire music collection 86. Noting stuff 87. Not rushing 88. Being ready, willing and able 89 restoring health naturally wherever possible 90. Travelling without judgement 91. Looking for the best in a person 92. Enjoying the weather 93. Letting it go and not having to be right 94. Finally getting it: aha! 95. Excitement 96. Bliss 97. Wonder 98. Magic 99. Today 101. Life

TotallyTangibleTruths101

1. Hard Work Pays Off;
2. but often only slowly. Sometimes i n c r e d i b l y slowly. Hang on in there.
   
3. Twitter Is Graffiti
4. but without the damage to nice Oxford walls.
5. There Are No Guarantees In The New World of Work;
6. except realising you are your own business in which you must invest; so day by day, inch by inch (that's cm by cm), 1% by 1%, get better than you were last week. And better than the crowd. And better than you ever thought you might be.
   
7. Few Will Encourage You;
8. appreciate those that do.
9. Reading Is An Incredibly High Value Investment In Your Brain;
10. grab that investment: some invest more in their car than they do in their mind.
11. Love Is A Verb;
12. hug, be there, understand.
13. Today Is The Best Day To Take An Action;
14. yesterday was pretty good. Tomorrow may well be procrast...
15. You Raise Your standards From OK to Good to Excellent to Outstanding to Awesome For Yourself;
16. others get the benefits and it makes you unstoppable.
17. Wellness=Energy. Energy=Action. Action=Success. Success= Fulfillment;
18. get well first.
19. Actions Are What Count;
20. talk, e-mail and slide-decks are increasingly cheap.
21. Writing Is How You Discover Who The Heck You Are;
    
22. which may or may not create a blog post, may or may not create a book, may or may not release a best-seller. These are side shows compared  to 'who the heck am I?'.
    
23. The Universe Has A Bigger Plan Than You;
24. that doesn't stop you carving out your niche though.
25. Few Foods Are Intrinsically 'Bad';
26. it's the mix and volume which can slow us to a standstill, dull our creativity and make us crave a slug of corn syrup.
27. Walking Is Brilliant For Breathing, Posture, Strength, Thinking, Talking, Reflecting and just 'Being';
28. leave the car at home/office more often.
29. The TV Is A Distraction;
30. sure there is good stuff available, sure you can be discerning. Simply try it and notice the profound difference.
31. Rain is Refreshing;
32. get a coat and walk every day at lunch-time. The deli on the corner of 42 and 8th will appreciate your visit.And their rye bread is amazing.
    
33. An Outstanding Presenting Ability Will Accelerate Your Career;
34. the quality of your career will be dependent upon it.
35. Getting Really, Really, Really Good At Something Will Enable You To Make A Lot Of Money;
36. and it only takes time and a decision.
37. Being Fit Isn't Just About Looking After Your Heart, It's About Having An Inclination To Get Things Done;
38. er...get fit.
39. Music Changes State And Makes You Feel Unstoppable Just When You Feel Like Stopping;
40. sort out your music collection and get it onto an iPod.
41. Hindsight Is Remarkable. That's Why Creative Scenario Planning Is Vital To Your Business;
    
42. book an off-site today.
43. Saying "I Don't Have Time' Is A Waste Of Time. You Know That;
44. make a better choice.
45. If You Study The Beatles You Will Understand Life;
46. start with Here, There and Everywhere.
47. Planning Will Help You Avoid A Lot Of Problems;
48. ask: what's important about tomorrow, next week and next month?
49. If You Want Quality Of Life: Chase It.
50. don't chase standard of living-it's different.
51. Build Confidence By Getting Really Good At Something;
52. the feeling is remarkably transferable.
53. Being Resilient And Resourceful Will Help You;
    
54. get up earlier to prove you can do it.
55. Nobody Said Anything Was Easy;
56. simply nobody.
    
57. Being Consistently Late Is Indicative Of Deeper Problems;
58. and that'll worry the people who shouldn't have to worry about you and your capability.
59. Every Day Is A Free Training Course;
60. learn from it.
61. The Success Formula Is Clear: A Goal Plus A Strategy To Execute That Strategy Plus Stamina To Maintain That Strategy;
    
62. work to acquire all three.
63. Good Art Is A Snapshot Of The Artist's Soul;
64. that's why you must produce art whether it is writing, painting, parenting or baking bread.
65. We Are An Incredible Mind-Body Organism: It Is Vital To Get Them Fully Congruent With Each Other
    
66. use the hands more...but less on a key-board.
67. Passion Is What Sustains You In Your Career;
    
68. anything else: money, job title, corner office is a momentary blipp of happiness...
69. A List Is Power;
70. it means you can use 100% brain processing power for creativity and problem solving not (just) remembering.
71. Technology Is Often A Distraction From the Core Issue;
72. that doesn't mean it is not incredibly useful, cool and friendly. Just sometimes distracting.
    
73. Zones Keep You Sane;
74. your zone, you + partner zone, you + children zone, you + work zone.
75. Pencil And Paper Will Solve Any Problem;
76. in fact it helps as it simplifies the problem.
77. Removing Distractions Boosts Your Productivity Profoundly
78. switch it off for a while...
79. Brilliant Time Management Is Two Things: What and When
80. what you have and want to do. And when you will do it.
81. Building An Awesome Set Of Soft Skills Will Stop You Becoming A Commodity;
82. and your role being outsourced to some Island off China.
83. Success Correlates More with OOOMMPPH than Qualifications or Intelligence;
84. great news so long as you are willing to act with ooommmppphhh.
85. Men And Women Are Profoundly Different;
86. that's probably the greatest asset the human race has, if only we realised it...
87. Happiness Isn't Stuff. It's Being Alive;
88. stuff is the distraction which makes us unhappy.
89. We Make Our Own Drama;
90. create your own story: thriller, love story...you choose...
    
91. Melodrama is For Those With No Real Drama;
92. don't allow them to spoil your day.
93. Cogito Ergo Sum;
    
94. Latin usually says it better.
95. Your Potential Is Still Amazing;
96. it simply needs to be re-discovered again.
97. You Can Control More Than You Think;
98. simply concede what you can't.
99. Today Can Still Be A Totally Amazing Day For You, Despite All The Sh*t Happening;
    
100. and why would you have it any other way?
101. Total Truths, Totally Tangible If Tenacious, Today.