by martingibbons | Nov 1, 2012 | Personal Development
I am writing this from my hospital bed and I’m still a little stoned after surgery. I’ve just been reading purple cow again by Seth godin. I love that man (that will be the drugs). Just read a wee gem “we’ve been raised with a false belief: we mistakingly believe that criticism leads to failure. From the time we get to school, we’re taught that being noticed is almost always bad. It gets us sent to the principals office, not to Harvard.” Our school system is going a step further by not letting pupils sit exams unless they are sure they are going to pass them. They don’t understand what this does to the psyche. They do not realise the implications on our behaviour. But back to my main subject ; criticism. There are some jobs, some tasks, where failure is not an option – My surgery today for instance. But for pretty much everything else you should take enough chances to leave yourself open to criticism. You should always create the chance to fail. Ok, now you are thinking its the drugs that’s talking, but let me explain. When you live to avoid failure or criticism, you have to become what Billy Connelly calls “the beige people”. You have to become so bland that you are barely noticed. You can’t be remarkable when you are beige. Better to pick something, be something, stand for something. Better to upset a few people and be criticised by some, than to try and please everyone. Better to fail at a bunch of things in an attempt to achieve something, than to...
by Martin | Apr 18, 2012 | Personal Development
I have spent the last few weeks writing a new personality report called “Discover who you REALLY are – 15 Things you didn’t know about you” OK, it’s not the shortest title but it says it all. This report is the broadest we have ever published, as it covers much more than just career issues. It also talks about relationships and family and even health issues. Personality is about much more than just career as it affects every aspect of your life. My thing is to see more people solve every day problems from a deeper understanding of self and others. Whether these are problems at work or problems at home. The 15 Things report is essentially 15 personality reports in one, covering a very diverse subject range. Discover who you really are is exactly what everyone needs. It helps you with pretty much every aspect of your life as well as your career. I have had some interesting feedback and testimonials already. Here’s what Rosheen had to say; “This was great it provided good and new information plus some LOL moments!” If you haven’t grabbed your copy your copy yet then check your email as some members were offered a discount. Failing that just head over to http://www.peoplemaps.com/discover-who-you-really-are/ and grab your own...
by martingibbons | Feb 6, 2012 | Personal Development
If I had put in a request for a day in February, on the west coast of Scotland, with blue sky’s, no wind and a balmy 14C, I think it would have been refused. If I had asked for these conditions, so as I could enjoy a weekend break with my wife, I think pretty much everyone would have said I had “a snowballs chance in hell”. But that’s what I got today. My face is feeling like it has been exposed to the sun all day. And I don’t mind telling you that staring at a big blue sky all day is like a colonic for the soul. The above photograph is of a tree I took in Oban. I wanted to show you how blue the sky was but I also had to share my marvel at this determined tree. Its located right on the waters edge, it is fully exposed to the wilds of Oban, which are pretty wild on any other day of the year. Should it be there? No. Is it a good spot for a tree? Absolutely not. And yet there it stands alone but majestic, against the odds. Against the very forces of nature. Ask a lot from life. Ask a lot from each day. Take impossible stances. Be unreasonable. Do what can’t be done. Exist where you...
by martingibbons | Feb 1, 2012 | Personal Development
A few years ago, back when I worked in a factory I coined the term “geographical independence”. My friend dave and I used to dream of a time when we would no longer be tied to the factory and could make our living from anywhere. Back then it was just wishful thinking; a dream if you like. A few years on I added another fanciful notion, to add to “geographical independence”, I decided that I want to hang out, drinking coffee, with interesting people, most probably writers, who have cool things to say. And I suspect when I was a boy, like every other boy, I dreamed of having a Ferrari. Yesterday I was visiting my friend and author, Ali Campbell. (He makes the best coffee ever). He told me about his latest book, which is a cracker. We didn’t get out for a hurl in his new Ferrari because it was a bit icy, so we will save that for a sunny day. I haven’t been tied to an office for over ten years and have been fully geographically independent for at least seven. I have worked from France, Spain, Czech republic , canada and Ukraine, over the last few years and nobody noticed. I have witnessed fanciful notions and boyhood dreams materialise for me and some of the people I know. At the time I asked for these things I had no idea how to achieve them. I’m not sure I initially believed it was possible. But as the dream persisted I had more ideas as to how to bring it to reality. Ali has never mentioned...
by martingibbons | Dec 12, 2011 | Personal Development
So here goes. Years of study in psychology and personal development are about to be put to the test. I face the biggest challenge of all. I face the one thing that could unravel me. As I write I am standing in the queue about to try and board a ryanair flight to Barcelona. It would test the dhali lama himself. Wish me...
by martingibbons | Jun 1, 2011 | Personal Development
Top 5 movies Julie, Ruaridh and I talk about our top 5 movies quite often. But there is more than one top 5 list. For instance; 1) top 5 movies I could watch repeatedly 2) top 5 movies I feel Ruaridh should see 3) top 5 movies that make me laugh 4) top 5 movies that carry an important message 5) top 5 movies that should be part of Ruaridh’s education I could go on and probably will in part 2. The truth is that all of the top 5 lists are too hard. Would I include “Delicatessan” and if so on which list? And what about “Diva”, the film that opened my heart to opera. Sure I had listened to opera but it was a locked door. It was as though I could look in the window but not get into the room. Diva and it’s star Wilhelmina Fernandez http://www.google.co.uk/m/url?client=safari&ei=vIHiTeCzDqbKjQfV84rkAw&hl=en-gb&oe=UTF-8&q=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D2hsmoo97CVA&ved=0CC8QtwIwBw&usg=AFQjCNG971IFwUbB4M93Zp00KAPKTh0Q3g changed all that, so what price can you put on a film that gave me opera? And so many French films that make me laugh, cry and think all at the same time. I am forever grateful to Doug Buchanan, an old work colleague, who introduced me to Jean de Florette. He gave me the videos and I then read the books and Marcel Pagnol became familiar to me. I like that I share some history that French people take for granted. There is something immensely satisfying about having someone enjoy a film you have recommended, particularly when’s it’s your son. As you know teenagers know everything and parents know nothing. Which reminds me of a story David...
