Author Archives: Lewis

Set a Challenge and Do it for 30 days

There are many schools of thought about how to learn new skills by making them a habit. 30 days is a great time frame to learn a new skill, change a habit, or better yourself as it starts from nothing and by the end can create a great impact on your life. Using an example of learning Spanish, to say your goal is to hold a conversation is a large daunting task. However, listen to one audio book chapter a day for thirty days is much easier in your mind. Taking the first step is always the hardest. An essential next step is to CROSS IT OFF EVERY DAY. Get a list, write down Day 1,2,3,4,5 etc to 30. And cross it off everyday as soon as you do the activity. Feel like you don’t have the time, do 10 minutes or whatever. Different challenges take different length of time.

Here are some examples to get you going and what they would help:

1. Do a Set number of press ups everyday – Pick a number that you feel comfortable with achieving. This will give you a confidence boost and get the heart pumping. If it starts to get easy increase the number. Need a hand follow the 100 push up challenge (Gets you from 0 to 100).

2. Read More – Read 1 Chapter a day – Reading relaxes you, and you can learn a new skill.

3. Get outside for 10 minutes a day – Walk to the shops, take a break. Recharge your brain before sitting down and working again. More valuable than it sounds. Combine this with reading.

4. Write a to do list – Get your goals out in the open, however trivial or huge and life changing.

Think about what you would like to do. A small change in your life can make huge steps down the line. Think, and enjoy. Get that list wrote!

Marathon Des Sables 2012 – Day 1 of the MdS 2012 – Two of My Best Friends are Crazy

So today while I sit in the comfort of my apartment, checking my email, like most of you will / have done, spare a thought for two of my best friends Will and Jim Hardy who have started day one of the Marathon Des Sables aka the MdS 2012. 6 marathons in 6 days across the Sahara Desert. Oh, and you have to carry your things too, just in case the original challenge was too easy.

The twins are doing it in aid of the MS Society (multiple sclerosis), and are trying to reach £8,000 in sponsorship. So if you too think they are crazy, or it just makes you tired just thinking about running SIX marathons in that short of time in 35oC heat with a backpack, then please donate £5 to them, US/Canadian citizens can also donate.

Donate £5 here

Read More here

Thank you and good luck boys!

Inspiring Quotes by JD Hooge

Est. Reading Time 1 minute

Here are some superb inspirational quotes by JD Hooge speaking in Portland Oregon, USA at a Creative Morning’s event.

  • Be allergic to bullshit
  • Make the complex, simple
  • Be honest, build trust, be honest
  • Don’t believe in luck
  • Hustle
  • Be inspired by the pioneer spirit
  • Perfection is so last decade
  • Chase the small ideas
  • Begin anywhere
  • Slow down
  • Get Personal, Stay Personal
  • We are all making it up as we go along
My favourites of the bunch:
Be Honest, build trust, Be honest – This is essential not just in life but in business. If you have a company that sells something, as soon as you stop doing this you are finished unless you change quickly. In the early days of Google they are said to of had on the wall in their offices, “Don’t be Evil”.
Begin Anywhere – it is the hardest part of any journey. Whether you are going to cycle across the world, or you are trying to get motivated on the next project. Writ down the next step, and do it. Sounds simple but it is essentially the hardest part of any task. If you want to read more into this, then I recommend buying Getting Things Done by David Allen. He is the master of this philosophy, and he is a really genuine guy. He has worked with most of the Fortune 500 companies so he really knows his stuff whatever level you are at.
If you click on the following links and buy you are supporting this website, and I thank you for it. it does not affect the cost to you in anyway.
David Allen Getting Things Done:
UK & Kindle Version
USA & Kindle

Originally found at Creative Mornings

The Most Astounding Fact (Video)

Est. Reading time: 1min.
Video: 3mis

Superbly put together video about the Universe. Featuring the voice of Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Full credit list below… Superb video, superb soundtrack, very inspiring. Basically the background of the speech is astrophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson was asked by a reader of TIME magazine, “What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the Universe?” This is his answer.

CREDITS
Music: “To Build a Home” by the Cinematic Orchestra feat. Patrick Watson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjjc59FgUpg
Narration: “10 Questions for Neil Degrasse Tyson”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiOwqDmacJo

Edited by Max Schlickenmeyer

Video (in order of appearance):
IMAX: Hubble 3D (Orion)
http://www.imax.com/hubble/
Yellowstone: Battle for Life (Tree & Waterfall)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jcdml
Supernova to Crab Nebula
http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/heic0515a/
BBC: Wonders of the Solar System (formation of the solar system)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qyxfb
Accretion and First Eukaryotes from the 2011 film “Tree of Life” directed by Terrence Malick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accretion_(astrophysics)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_life
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_evolutionary_history_of_life
http://www.twowaysthroughlife.com/
BBC: Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life
http://www.wellcometreeoflife.org/
“Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia” by Ayrton Orio (human eye)
http://vimeo.com/9505354
“mongolia!” by wiissa
http://vimeo.com/27876709

Saturn from Cassini Spacecraft
http://www.outsideinthemovie.com/
IMAX: Hubble 3D (Inside Orion Nebula)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_Nebula
Shuttle Launch from 1985 IMAX film “The Dream is Alive”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_Is_Alive
“Earth — Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over — NASA, ISS” by Michael Konig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls9yJTphLxg
“The Island” by Christoph Malin
http://vimeo.com/27539860
“Mars sunset” captured by NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_347.html

Neil DeGrasse Tyson goes on to say “For me, that is the most profound revelation of 20th century astrophysics and I look forward to what the 21st century will bring us, given the frontiers that are now unfolding.”

Special thanks to Carl Sagan, Neil Degrasse Tyson, and NASA for their inspiration.

Two quotes on leading a good life and inspiring others

A short post today, just two simple quotes…

Looking for motivation on life itself and leading a good life..

“..Two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

On inspiring people…

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea…” – Antoine de Saint Exupery

Make Yourself Think

Today I found this website called “Makes Me Think”. It is full of interesting short quotes about various topics of the day. This one struck me…

Today, I interviewed a woman who is terminally ill. “So,” I tried to delicately ask, “What is it like to wake up every morning and know that you are dying?” “Well,” she responded, “What is it like to wake up every morning and pretend that you are not?” MMT

 

Find more on the site

Start With a Kindling by Evan Williams

Most people have not heard of Evan Williams, but you sure would know the companies he has helped create, been CEO for etc. Twitter and Blogger anyone?  On his blog, which is hosted by Blogger and has a link to his Twitter account (great self promotion), he wrote a short piece about getting things started. It is a beautifully written short post. It all starts with good kindling…

Original Post here

Starting a company is like starting a fire—harder than it sounds, and you have to do things in the right order.

 

To start a good fire, you need kindling. Something that will catch easily.
You can fail if you have great logs to burn but no kindling to get them started. On the flip side, if you only have newspaper and dry twigs, you’ll be off to a quick start, but your fire won’t last long.
There aren’t many fuels that start easily and burn hot and long. So starting with kindling and then transferring the heat to something bigger is key.

Also, lighter fluid helps—but only for a short while and only if applied at the right time. Be careful.

 

 

Paper Fortress: 2009 – 2011 Reflection

Est. Reading Time, 1 minute, Video 3.30min

I was sent this video the other day entitled “2009-2011 Reflection”, by Paper Fortress.

The guys name is Stebs, and is from America. He has got a real talent for getting a very clean artistic shot, so check out his other videos. However this video is a subtly inspirational video that brought a smile to my face due to the message and the qulaity and variety in the shooting.

This is how Stebs summarises the video

Over the past year and a half, I have had the chance to work with so many amazing people, and watch so many of their lives change either though building their businesses or through simply experiencing life and enjoying everything it has to offer. I cherish every single one of the people I come into contact with and I appreciate everything that these people have given me. From the long road trips and sleepless nights looking for hidden skate spots, to the countless hours learning about all the hard work someone has put into their art and business, I felt compelled to put together a reflection of my work over the past year and a half. I wanted this piece to reflect my work as a whole, but also show my love for the people I have worked with. I wanted to show them how much they have shaped my life, and how being surrounded by passionate and endearing people has truly made a difference in my life. I hope to never stop doing what I am doing, and that I continue to meet amazing people every single day.

Thank you to all the people who have made my life so wonderful, and thank you to all the people who have been supporting my passion and showing their appreciation for what I do. I hope to keep repaying you in every way I can, and I hope that you keep enjoying the work I put out.

 

 

Enjoy… make sure to click HD to enjoy the visual as they were meant to

 

If you enjoyed this video let us know in the comments below! Seen any similar?

The Great Dictator Final Speech meets Inception

Estimated Reading Time 2 mins, Video 4 minutes

Sorry for the lack of posts for a while. I have been very busy with projects. However this came across me. It is from the Charlie Chaplin film The Great Dictator. The film is a spoof of Hitler and was released while World War 2 was still on. Over 70 years ago but it is even more relevant today than it was then.

“… You, the people have the power! The power to create machines, the power to create happiness! You, the people have the power, to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure! …”

This video has been powerfully mixed in with the soundtrack from Inception called Time by Hans Zimmer. I have included a transcript of the final speech below. The film is a masterpiece and is well worth a watch.
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This video is an alternative version which mixes in alternative video. It is good also but Chaplin’s performance should not be missed. The great comedian speaks the truth. This version of The Great Dictator speech features the song Window by The Album Leaf.

 

Transcript of the speech:

I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an Emperor, that’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that. We all want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate;
has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in:
machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.
Our knowledge has made us cynical,
our cleverness hard and unkind.
We think too much and feel too little:
More than machinery we need humanity;
More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.

Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me I say “Do not despair”.

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die [now] liberty will never perish. . .

Soldiers: don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel, who drill you, diet you, treat you as cattle, as cannon fodder.

Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines. You are not cattle. You are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don’t hate, only the unloved hate. Only the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers: don’t fight for slavery, fight for liberty.

In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written:
“The kingdom of God is within man”
Not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men; in you, the people.

You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let’s use that power, let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfil that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.

Soldiers! In the name of democracy, let us all unite!

. . .

Look up! Look up! The clouds are lifting, the sun is breaking through. We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world. A kind new world where men will rise above their hate and brutality.

The soul of man has been given wings, and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow, into the light of hope, into the future, that glorious future that belongs to you, to me and to all of us. Look up. Look up.