The Best You January 2013 by The Best You Magazine

January 2013

THe BeST

yoU

Life Without Limits

› New Year’s Special Make your life great in 2013

› STYLE QUEEN

› Talk like a President

Nicky Hambleton-Jones interview

We reveal Obama’s secrets

Superchef

Gordon Ramsay FIRE IN THE Kitchen

CONTENTS January 2013

FEaTUrEs 6 Fire in the Kitchen!

We talk to celebrity chef gordon Ramsay

10 Nicky Hambleton-Jones

Video interview with the celebrity style queen

InnEr yoU 16

The Best you Wellness at Work Survey 2013

your Most enjoyable year yet!

Motivation - What is it and how do you pump it up?

Results from our first survey are in!

Michael Neill on making 2013 fantastic

Ways to keep your eyes on the prize

EnJoy LIFE 22

John Richardson: Dream on

Lucky Roger Federer

Making your travels memorable (for all the right reasons)

Video interview tells amazing story

Stephen Simpson profiles the tennis champ

Tips to enjoy your vacation

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Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending Maria Robinson

LIVE LoVE LEGaCy 42

Helping the new arrival along

Master your goals in 2013

Looking Backward to go Forward

Marisa Peer on infertility

Brian Mayne on goal building

Matt Wingett on taking stock of what you've got

FEEL & LooK Good 50

They Call Her Jungle Shirley Shirley battled addiction head on

are diets doing more harm than good?

Maximise your Brain Power Food to make you smarter

WEaLTH & rICHEs 58

Weight Loss is big business

The Best Candidates Helping our young people succeed

Talk Like a President

Staff Motivation in Times of Crisis

Laura Spicer & ed Percival on obama's speech

Philip Cox-Hynd on staff motivation

21st CEnTUry LIVInG 66 68 70

are your Kids Safe? The web can be dangerous for children

Turn exercise into a game gadgets make exercise high-tech

Top Blog Top Dogs Bloggers who became millionaires

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CONTRIBUTORS Philip Cox-Hyde

Nia Jones

Brian Mayne

Michael Neill

Marisa Peer

Ed Percival

Stephen Simpson

Laura Spicer

is a strategic and cultural change management expert, speaker and author with over 20 years experience within client companies, in defining and delivering 'hands on' implementation of strategic-led behavioural change. Philip is also a powerful one-to-one personal life coach.

is an award-winning author and therapist, who has spent 25 years working with an extensive client list including royalty, rock stars, actors, professional and olympic athletes, Ceos and media personalities. @marisapeer

is a journalist/playwright, who contributes to The guardian online Community Film Blogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Clip Joint, Readers Panel and My Favourite series. She writes for insidemediatrack.com and spookyisles.com and is part of the editorial team for mydylarama.org.uk. @niaserenwib

has been a Master Trainer of NLP since 1997. With Michael Breen, he built "High Performance Coaching" in 2003. He leads the Rainmakers team for Shirlaws Business Coaching in the UK and co-founded the Shirlaws Benelux. @edpercival

is an award-winning author, speaker and creator of the goal Mapping achievement System. His books have been published in 11 languages and he is moving closer than ever to achieving his main goal of helping give a lift to 7 million lives. @brian_mayne

is a Karl Morris Certified Master Mind Factor Coach and has incorporated his own methods into his sports coaching techniques, taking the best from the frequently confusing world of hypnosis, meditation, Zen, NLP, philosophy, and even quantum physics. @dr_sr_simpson

is a bestselling author and life coach who has spent the past 23 years as a coach, adviser, friend, mentor and creative spark plug to celebrities, Ceos, royalty, and people who want to get more out of their lives. @michael_neill

is the designated Trainer of Sound Communications for the Society of NLP and has been training people's speaking voices for over 20 years. The testimonials and results she gets speak for themselves.

The Best You Magazine Editor and Publisher Bernardo Moya Deputy Editor Associate Editor Technical Consultant Advertising Layout

David Saunderson Matt Wingett Martin Carter Carla Phipps | carla.phipps@ thebestgroupinternational.co aaron Paterson

The Best group International 5 Percy St, London, United Kingdom, W1T 1Dg Tel: +44 (0)845 230 2033 | www.thebestyou.co 4 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

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EDITORIAL What are your Plans for 2013? IT'S JaNUaRy agaIN and here we are at the start of another year. I’m sure I'm not alone in thinking, how time ﬂies, how quickly my kids are growing up, I hope this year is better than the last and all those things the New year makes you reﬂect on. alongside all of that, there are also thoughts about the future. We all make plans, otherwise you just get swept along. It was a late realisation for me to understand the relevance and importance of having clear SMaRT goals - “Simple, Measurable, attainable, Realistic and Timely”.

after all, the importance of goals is selfexplanatory. Without goals of your own, you subject yourself to the goals of others. Set yourself a direction and you get the power back in your life. Looking back over the past year I reﬂect on the fact that I've spoken to top coaches involved in the success of the best olympic, rugby, formula one and football teams. What struck me time and time again was how they all plan well in advance every single detail of the whole process of performance, training, eating, intensity, resting competing, keeping only one objective in mind ”to win”. The reason these teams win is because they plan “everything”. Many athletes, sports people or teams plan their strategies up to 1-4 or even 8 years in

advance. Behind every team, there are specialists planning every little detail. The story is the same with companies and organisations. In board meetings, they discuss the future, prepare business plans, projections, develop a series of products they have “envisioned and developed” years in advance…. I've discovered that to make plans work, you must understand how fundamental it is to establish your goals. Write your goals down, review them daily weekly, plan personally and professionally, plan short term and long term. and discuss your goals with your colleagues, loved ones and family. Set up a “wish book“, put in it the places you want to go on holiday, the things you want to own. Visualise success, spend 5 minutes daily visualising the ideal situations you want to be and have in life. That way, you simply HaVe to achieve you goals. and remember, as the saying goes: “If you fail to plan… plan to fail.” Here's to realising your goals in 2013! b all the best! Bernardo Moya, editor/Publisher @bernardo_moya

We want your stories

The Best You is all about inspiring people. If you have a tale to tell that you think will help someone become the best they can be, please tell us.

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Cover story

gordon Ramsay

Fire in the Kitchen! interview by cherie saunders/celebritext

Gordon Ramsay has made a name for himself as a straight-talking celebrity chef, who intrigues TV audiences with his foul-mouth rants in the kitchen. The Best You caught up with him to find out what sparks his fire

elebrity chef gordon Ramsay has carved a name for himself as the Simon Cowell of reality TV cooking shows. Ramsay, who was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, and largely grew up in Stratford upon avon, says his start in the culinary world was a happy accident. He was a promising football player and tried for Rangers until an injury ended his chances of a sporting career. He then entered catering college, in his late teens and since then has developed his personality in the kitchen rather than on the football field. Having moved to London, he soon rose through the ranks via Marco Pierre White’s tutelage and had a successful spell in Paris before returning to UK. His culinary skills were developing at a pace but he hit a steep learning curve when it came to business. “I’d just come back from Paris with all 6 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

this knowledge, got introduced to some guys who had an Italian restaurant. They offered me 25 percent of it, I didn’t know what I was getting 25 percent of. It turned out to be 25 percent of debt. But what do you know at 26?” Ramsay made a success of the place but eventually left the enterprise and in 1998 launched his own restaurant, Restaurant gordon Ramsay in Chelsea. a sensation on the London scene, his solo project consolidated his reputation and helped him become the first Scotsman to gain three Michelin stars. excelling in modern european cuisine, Ramsay currently owns restaurants in USa, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Qatar and several in UK including Plane Food in Heathrow. His eatery empire has grown along with his TV career, notably with Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares on both sides of the atlantic. Ramsay’s fiery nature in the heat of the kitchen and tell-it-like-it-is attitude

make for irresistible viewing, as delicious as his dishes. “It’s not an act,” insists Ramsay. “We’ve filmed Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen and it’s under the extraordinary pressure because I’m so pissed – the fact that they’re spending hours of wasting customers’ time, their own time and charging a fortune for dishes and they’re not even putting their love and soul into it. So I expose them in a big way.” Married to school teacher Tana Hutcheson since 1996, Ramsay and his wife have four children. Dividing his time between his business pursuits and family life, Ramsay also finds time for marathon running. “Having been a fat chef once, I don’t want to go back there,” he says. When you ﬁrst started cooking, did your dream to own restaurants automatically follow? Not every chef gets to own their own restaurants. GR: It’s a good question. There are a lot of great chefs out there that never get the

In kitchens, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to get honest quickly because there are so many things going on

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Cover story

gordon Ramsay

analysed that. I think it’s brutal honesty, really. Sometimes in our ever-evolving world, we get a little bit too PC. In kitchens, you’ve got to get honest quickly because there are so many things going on. So, part upbringing I think, Mum and Dad. a bit of Scottish roots in me. also, I think pressure’s healthy. Pressure’s very healthy. It just becomes stressful when you can’t handle that pressure. How do you balance your workload?

chance to open a business. at 26, it happened early for me. I’d just come back from Paris with all this knowledge, got introduced to some guys who had an Italian restaurant sort of in the ass end of Chelsea, and it was a little place called eleven Park Walk. I looked at it, they offered me 25 percent of it, I didn’t know what I was getting 25 percent of. It turned out to be 25 percent of debt. But what do you know at 26? I put my head down, wiped my ass off and I go after it. I really worked hard. We went from a little neighbourhood bistro to this sort of mega two-Michelin star establishment in three years, which was an amazing journey. and, I was just bubbling. Then I couldn’t quite understand why the bills weren’t being paid, and all these cash ﬂow issues were happening and we were fully booked for 6, 7 months in advance. So, you need to go through that process of learning. and I’d much rather have experienced that than go to Harvard for a business degree in how to run a business, because I was dropped in it and I understood. My man management skills were dreadful and I couldn’t talk to anyone, and I had all this knowledge. I realised at an early age that in order to become really good, you have to ofﬂoad and teach and that’s, how I understood to remove the insecurities. Because I found all this knowledge, I wanted to keep hold of it and not show anyone it, I wanted to shine, but then I wanted to become one of the best chefs ever. So you’ve got to teach, and you got to teach properly. I understood that one quite early. How did you develop your candid and frank nature when dealing with chefs? Is it something that developed over the years? Did you have this personality as a child? GR: I’ve never actually sat down and 8 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

GR: How do I balance? I take the whole of august off, that’s my holiday. It’s so much easier now, to be honest, because I really focus on what I want to do, and who I want to do it with. and with the success behind me, it’s not because I can pick and choose in an arrogant form, but I’m just very sort of conscious of time and I manage my life far better than I ever was doing 8, 9 years ago. You see lots of chefs and they are rotund, to be kind, but not you. Is it an exercise regime, or you just don’t sample the wares? GR: oh no, I eat. Trust me, I eat like a horse. But I was a fat chef once, and I knew that it wasn’t a good advert for my restaurants, to come out sweating, looking ridiculous and barely could tie up my apron strings, drooling over a customer who was trying to force the pudding down. The role of a chef today is far more prolific than it ever was 20 years ago and it’s a young man and young girl’s game today, so there has to be a certain image in terms of an appetizing image. I think that we are now sort of under the scrutiny more than ever before so you can indulge, you can eat out and you can have the most amazing time with food, but it has to be done in a balance, and every restaurant has to perform along those lines. So, having been a fat chef once, I don’t want to go back there, I suppose. When you just want a snack, what is your go-to food? I love burgers. I’m allowed one a week, but it’s nice when you’ve got an assistant because you send him in for one and you eat his. What about your kids’ diets? GR: I’ve got four children of my own, three girls and a boy. I got to keep it real with the kids or I’m in danger of spoiling them. We don’t do that. They keep a very level-headed, disciplined lifestyle. They eat well, they keep fit, they do their homework and they know that school is

absolutely critical. They’re not food snobs, they don’t go out and eat appetizers and entrees at Nobu. They get taken to “a” restaurants for a treat. How much do you take the obesity epidemic into what you do? GR: It’s a very good question. I get very uncomfortable when the focus is on the children that are overweight because the problem is the parents. you look at the strict guidelines in terms of what we have to go through to run a business, to pay our taxes. It should be the same with the understanding of how we cannot allow our children to become overweight. That’s our responsibility. We need to scrutinize the beginning. We have a fun element in our house where the kids weigh themselves every week – every Sunday, religiously, they weigh themselves. They write it down, they have little competitions, and I don’t want them to get a conscious thinking that they’re overweight at 14 or 15, so they know why they weigh themselves, and they see Mum and Dad weigh themselves, and then they see that when we’re having dinner, dessert’s a treat and fruit is imperative. So it’s the parents. That’s the sort of passport that’s missing, the strict guidelines where you will be held responsible if a four-year-old is over the standard weight in conjunction with their height. It’s not about them screaming and not tolerating you, it’s about your level of discipline. That’s where the help’s needed, I think. It seems these types of shows have become more popular, and we seem to just be getting fatter and fatter with garbage food. How do you reconcile that? GR: Whether it’s garbage food in central europe, UK – outside america, the fastest development of McDonalds now is taking place in France. Now, what’s all that about? So it doesn’t really stack up. even if you never wanted to make this as a career point of view, to become a professional chef, teacher, whatever, learning how to cook for yourself on a natural front is paramount. We don’t have enough schools, and I think if there’s more of an educational part of a MasterChef scope inside a curriculum, inside a school, campus, academy, I think you’d see less obesity across the country. Because learning to cook for yourself is so important, just like it is reading and writing, just like it is speaking a second language and learning that kind of confidence. Cooking something simple, making a great

burger or a stunning pasta dish, or even poaching fish… In Vietnam - they don’t have fridges there, they don’t even cook with dairy. They buy produce twice a day on a daily basis whether you’re operating a computer or… there was a telephonist I came across who was operating this call centre for an airline, and she would buy fish twice a day. She has no refrigeration unit at home, she doesn’t even know what dairy is – cream, butter, eggs. and she’s off to the market, buying her fish, cutting it up, keeping it whole, she’s steaming it, wrapping it in bamboo. Twenty-one years of age and she eats like a king. and yet, she earns, on average, five dollars a day. you can’t compare that, because she grew up with that important factor that one has to eat properly – not just to work in this industry, you’ve got to eat properly. You’re sitting here talking without swearing like a normal person. Is it all in the act? GR: It’s not an act. you know, I’ve got four children, my wife’s a schoolteacher. If I had to put a microphone on a football player or a basketball player ringside, courtside – when you’re passionate about something in such a big way, you let it go. We’ve filmed Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen and it’s under the extraordinary pressure because I’m so pissed – the fact that they’re spending hours of wasting customers’ time, their own time and charging a fortune for dishes and they’re not even putting their love and soul into it. So I expose them in a big way. Hell’s Kitchen will have an amazing array of executive chefs that want to be the very best, but there’s a hundred hours of footage that gets condensed to 42 minutes, so of course it’s going to look pissy. b

Gordon Ramsay at A Glance • Born in Renfrewshire Scotland and grows up in england • Knee injury destroys his burgeoning football career • At 19, studies Hotel Management and pays serious attention to culinary education • Begins cooking career in early 1980s and moves to London • Wins numerous cooking awards for his restaurants • Kitchen Nightmares premieres on TV in 2004 • Has been awarded 13 Michelin stars in total and currently holds 12

The role of a chef today is far more prolific than it ever was 20 years ago... there has to be a certain image in terms of an appetizing image

 buy gordon ramsay books at www.thebestyou.co W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 9

Feature

Nicky Hambleton-Jones

nicky Hambleton-Jones tells The Best You's Bernardo Moya how she...

did it in her own fashion Nicky Hambleton-Jones is a gutsy woman, knowledgeable and educated, both as a doctor and nutritionist. When I met her, what I really liked about her was the way she decided to give it up all in her late twenties to start life anew in London. Like many others, she didn’t know what she wanted to do - but she did know she wanted more from life. She was passionate about fashion, an innovator and started providing advice on fashion long before it was fashionable in the UK. So, how did she get to be a UK TV personality - and what advice would she give to those starting out in life, now?

ith her transformative advice on Channel 4's 10 years younger Nicky HambletonJones has inspired a generation of women to pay attention to their bodies, to what they wear, and to feel and look a hundred times better. But her earliest interests were far from the limelight, she recalls. "I wanted to be a geography teacher... that was my favourite subject." She speaks with obvious relish of her upbringing in South africa as she pins down why it was so special. "I guess it’s just the space, you know. I just think of space. of a freshly-mown lawn, and the heat baking the grass. Having a lot of freedom as a child to run around and swim... It’s very much an outdoor lifestyle. I absolutely loved it!"

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at her strait-laced girls' school, boys were only allowed on the grounds during the annual ball. "all the benches would be turned over and the grass would be wet so no-one could have any hanky-panky anywhere!" But there was no pressure to get on in life, and she felt her way through her teen years, working in stores as a sales assistant, gaining life-experience. Initially feeling drawn toward fashion - an interest her father talked her out of - she worked her way through a 5-year medical degree. Then, Nicky was involved with making leading-edge, life-saving decisions in theatre, telling surgeons where nutrition tubes needed to go to help patients recover. after going private, she grew bored and decided to study for an MBa in business, before working for government.

But still Nicky was dissatisfied. one day, she packed her backpack and ﬂew to London, temping and then working in a marketing company. all was going well until the company had to restructure and she was made redundant. on the day she was laid off, the real change started in her life. "I walked into IT and they said really sorry you’re going Nicky. I gave them my laptop, still in a bit of state of shock, walked out, turned around and said, don’t worry, one day I’ll be famous, watch this space." That was 2000. Three years later she was on primetime television on Channel 4. The change was facilitated by a life coach who asked her an important question: what are you passionate about? The first thing she thought of was fashion - the very subject her

WaTCH NICKy HaMBLeToN-JoNeS TeLL HoW SHe TURNeD HeR DReaMS INTo ReaLITy (aND a ReaLITy SHoW!) W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 11

Feature

Nicky Hambleton-Jones

dad had dissuaded her from pursuing. Nicky followed her dream and it paid off. She is the presenter of a hit TV show that mixes all her skills to help women look fantastic - in fact, 10 years younger! So what advice would she give to young people starting out? "It's difficult... I think if I had given myself any advice, it would have been go into fashion straight away and don’t waste all the time in nutrition and business. But at the same time, all the different stages of my educational process and self-discovery got me to where I am today... "There’s so much pressure on young people to finish university, have a career and go and forge that career. But it doesn’t always work like that... I guess what I’d say to young people is that if you go through a process of confusion, a process of indecision, it’s fine to change. you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. everything you’re studying, everything you do in life, will always be useful at some point later on." Watch Nicky Hambleton-Jones's interview with The Best you here. The longer full interview will be coming with The Best TV, soon! b

Nicky Hambleton- Jones at A Glance • Becomes a doctor and nutritionist by her early 20s • Gets bored with life in South Africa • Moves to London to start again • After several positions gets into fashion • Is approached by Channel 4 to become the star of 10 years younger

It's difficult... I think if I had given myself any advice, it would have been go into fashion straight away and don’t waste all the time in nutrition and business. But at the same time, all the different stages of my educational process and self-discovery got me to where I am today...

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Life Without Limits

the best you Wellness at Work survey 2013 Results from our first survey are in!

your most enjoyable year yet! Michael Neill on making 2013 fantastic

motivation - What is it and how do you pump it up? Ways to keep your eyes on the prize

Tell Us YoUr insPiraTional sTorY

Inspire others with your personal story of change. Email us at info@thebestgroupinternational.co

INNeR yoU: tHe best yOu survey

The Best youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wellness in the Workplace survey 2013 With the world's economy in the doldrums, businesses and the people who work in them are feeling the pinch and suffering more and more from stress. The Best You's Wellbeing In The Workplace Survey finds out the attitudes of those at the sharp end.

he effects of stress at work are very real - and it's not just a matter of "taking a sickie" for the afternoon. In the US last year, it was estimated that stress cost the economy $300 billion a year. Meanwhile, in the UK,13.4 million days were lost to stress anxiety or depression, with 265,000 new cases of stress reported in the workplace. It's a major problem - for the individual concerned and for businesses too. Real expertise can be lost from the workplace due to stress, while more stress is created as other members of the team fill in for the

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employee taking time off. That's why the great manager at any size of business will not only concentrate on the bottom line, but also ensure they are doing the very best for their workforce. The Best you's Wellbeing in the Workplace polled attitudes in the workplace - finding out what workers want and need to bet beyond stress to wellbeing. People were polled across the UK from all regions and sectors, with a representative spread across the demographic. It was interesting to note that the percentages of men to women who answered were about even, with roughly the same levels

of concerns and ideas for solutions being shown by both sexes. There was a noted difference in attitudes by age. Those below 24 had a higher level of happiness at work, as did those above 55. Interestingly, these same two groups also reported higher levels of stress at work. This perhaps shows that some stress is not necessarily a bad thing. It helps you to focus the mind and get a sense of achievement when completing a task. But too much stress is a real issue, and finding ways to support employees really allows a business to ďŹ&#x201A;ourish. continue on page 18

e Th ou t s Y Be rvey Su 13 20

Survey Results

1. Do you feel happy in the workplace? (Men/Women)

28.07%

31.42%

18%

71.93%

68.58%

Regular monitoring on well-being in the work place.

Counselling and mental health help. advice and support on how to handle stress. Literature and magazines which promote mental health and well-being. other.

6. Would you be interested in seminars, magazines and support development in the workplace regarding mental health and wellbeing? yes, I think it would benefit me a lot

No, I don't think it would help me Not sure

34.7% 37.2% 28.1%

yes 57.9%

● No, I don't think so ● I'm not sure ● yes

4. What training and support does your company provide? (Survey participants could choose one or more responses.)

De-stressing activity sessions, such as massages.

14.6% 67.4%

● Not entirely happy or not happy at all ● I am mostly happy

yes, I think it would benefit me a lot

2. Do you think your 3. Do you think feeling a lack of company/business pays support, advice and guidance adds enough attention to mental to your stress in your job role? health and well-being?

41% 36% 34.8% 31.7% 13.9% 4.20%

no 42.1%

5. Do you think you could work better and feel more motivated if you had extra support with well-being and mental health within the workplace?

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

■ 67.7% ■ 32.3%

certificate for whitewater rafting... WHEN MOTION "The smell of cedar, the beautiful CREATES EMOTION Skykomish River and the gorgeous scenic "Just a few years ago I'd never heard of Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, Zig Zigler, views of the Cascade Mountains - was the change of environment that I drastically NLP, and had no idea that Barnes & Noble needed. "Till this day I consider that trip had the entire section dedicated to "self the beginning of My Life of help and personal development". Transformation. "By focusing But in 2007 my whole world on what makes me happy, I turned upside down... "Back then managed to turn my life around. we were expecting our first child. I found my way to cope with my I was working 7 days a week, 2-3 jobs at a time. We'd just bought "issues" by working out on a daily our first home. By the time my basis, trying out new sports and son was born, I was mentally and outdoor activities, travelling, and, most important - staying positive physically exhausted. Busy work Paul Frolov and motivated. "I strongly believe schedule combined with taking Tampa, Florida that to make a difference in the care of my son left me 4-5 hours quality of your life, you need of sleep a day. I was constantly tired, sleep deprived and completely out of to take actions. By making simple, small shape. I was a walking ticking bomb ready changes daily, you will absolutely transform the quality of your life." Read Paul's blog at to explode at any time... www.xhyperactive.com "one day a friend of mine got me a gift W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 17

#TheBestyou

DID YOU KNOW?  The most common mental illnesses are anxiety and depression.

from page 16

The Results The survey showed that happiness at work is most definitely feeling the pinch, with over 70% of those polled saying they are either not entirely happy or not happy at all in the workplace. attitudes of employers to stress were also revealed with over 54% reporting their job comes with a level of stress that affects their work, while only 11% said their company provides good support to help them with mental health and wellbeing. Stress and unhappiness can take many different forms, with concerns about workload, work/life balance, relationships and job security all being cited. With such worries often filling people's working days, it is clear that the good manager must alleviate at least some of those worries. So, what can be done? around 25% of respondents said there is regular monitoring of well-being in the workplace and nearly 37% said their business provides counselling and mental health help. However, only 13.5% said they were given literature, including magazines and other reading material to help them help themselves. 41% thought that regular monitoring of well-being in the work place would be helpful, with counselling, advice and support also polling high. 18 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

Working with motivation was a further issue. Nearly 70% agreed that they would work better and feel more motivated if there were more support for wellbeing in the workplace, with nearly 35% of respondents saying that seminars, magazines and other support would "benefit them a lot". For the employer, it's really vital to ask: do you have a happy workforce? If not, then teaching them skills to get over emotional problems, skills to encourage better group dynamics and an environment in which they feel secure will certainly help everyone to stay focussed on the prize. and remember, the prize is more than survival. In the current environment, it's about growing, going for goals and expanding. That in the end will complete the virtuous circle and make everyone happy! b

 Last year in the UK, 13.4 million days were lost due to stress anxiety or depression. In the current financial climate, it is no surprise that 265,000 new cases of stress were reported in the workplace.  In the US, 51% of employees stated that stress at work affected their productivity, with stress costing the US economy an estimated US $300 billion a year.  Stress related presenteeism and absenteeism has been claimed to directly cost australian employers $10.11 billion a year with 3.2 days per worker lost each year through workplace stress.

#TheBestyou

INNeR yoU: micHael Neill

your most enjoyable year yet! Michael Neill, widely-regarded as the World's Best Lifecoach, gives us a plan to follow to make 2013 great

ince 1994, I have begun each year by going through a wonderful process developed by Jinny Ditzler called your Best year yet. I would review my achievements and failures from the year before, look for any limiting beliefs that might be holding me back, check in with my values and set my goals for the year ahead. and year after year, I have had my best year yet. Which is why it was such a surprise to me when my friend Robert Holden asked us a simple question during his weekend at Supercoach academy last June: Imagine it's one year from today and you've had your most enjoyable year yet... What's happened? What have you done? What's different in your life now? Somehow, that tiny shift from looking at my "best" year yet to my most enjoyable one shifted something fundamental. My most enjoyable year yet would be filled with things I stopped doing, not new ones that I started. Instead of a new list of achievements to pursue, I found myself with a list of things to let go of. and so I began to look at the activities of my life in a new way. I created an aBCD grid for myself: 

"a"s were things I wanted to do

regardless of whether or not they paid well or worked out the way I hoped.



"B"s were things I enjoyed doing and would happily say "yes" to if they fell into my lap, but had no desire to try and "make" happen.



"C"s were things I was only doing for the money.



"D"s were things I just ﬂat out needed to stop doing.

once I had my list, I didn't really know what to do with it, but I had a sense that I'd glimpsed something significant, so I just sat with it for a week or so, taking it out from time to time and reading back through it, waiting for inspiration to strike. and strike it did... Suddenly it dawned on me that if I only did my "a" activities, but I

"No," he replied "Well, what was the matter? Did you get too old to race?" "No, I still had some race in me." "Well, what then? Did you not win?" "I won over a million dollars for my owner."

if you're willing to slow down and create a little bit of space, you might find it inside you right now did them really, really well, I could actually make as much or more money than I had been making running myself ragged trying to do the whole alphabet. and in that moment, a plan was hatched. My business manager ﬂew out and we redesigned the business, streamlining things that would no longer be needed and building in structures to support the successful implementation of a straight "a" life. I eliminated the "D"s, started saying no to the "C"s, but left enough time in my schedule to say yes to any "B"s that came along which appealed to me. earlier this year, I came across a story about the Reverend Fred Craddock, who was visiting family when he struck up an unlikely conversation with an old greyhound dog his niece had recently adopted... I said to the dog "are you still racing?"

"Well, what was it? Bad treatment?" "oh, no," the dog said. "They treated us royally when we were racing." "Did you get crippled?" "No." "Then why?" I pressed. "Why?" The dog answered, "I quit." "you quit?" "yes," he said. "I quit." "Why did you quit?" "I just quit because after all that running and running and running, I found out that the rabbit I was chasing wasn't even real." The true joy in life is not in achievement, though achievement certainly can be fun. It is not in fame or fortune, both of which open some doors while closing off others. But if you're willing to slow down and create a little bit of space, you might find it inside you right now. and wouldn't it be a shame to have a wonderful life and not notice? b

LIKe US oN FaCeBooK W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 19

motivation - What is it and how do you pump it up?

#TheBestyou

The Best You looks at some of the secrets of motivation - and how to get your mojo working.

WHeTHeR IT'S getting that fantastic idea to come to fruition, or just getting over that feeling of the blues at work, the one ingredient everyone needs is MoTIVaTIoN. So, how do you light that fire? Maybe a few days' holiday will make you realise what really makes you shine. or maybe you need to make a concentrated effort to really spin your mojo by seeing your future all lit up with your achievements. That's how great achievers like Sir Richard Branson and motivational guru anthony Robbins make their lives great. getting that spin going can come from darker places too. In the 1960s a young man was told by his doctor he would die in six months. With no income to support his wife and child, he decided to rent a cottage in the countryside for six months, and write three books. Decades later, he recalled how the threat of his imminent death had motivated him to ensure his wife would be looked after. That man was anthony Burgess. He didn't die as foretold. But he did write a Clockwork orange - one of the great novels of the 1960s. What do these examples above reveal? Psychologists note there are two forms of motivation - often defined in Personal

The Movitation Blog www.motivationblog.org

The basics of spinning your mojo and keeping it spinning.  FIND YOUR MOJO'S NO-NO. Counter-intuitive as it may sound, think for a moment about what you don't want. are you bored with work, or a task you haven't finished? Is it that what you don't want to fail or let people down? That sense of unhappiness should be a guide to trying something different.

Development circles as "moving away from" and "moving towards". The problem with only having a moving away motivation is that when you have oNLy this, you feel stuck. you know you want to move away, but don't know what to move towards. Wanting to move towards something is often not enough, either, because you're comfortable where you are. getting the two motivations aligned so you combine impatience to move with excitement at where you want to go is the answer. This is what co-creator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming Dr Richard Bandler calls a propulsion system. That's when the mojo starts to spin!

recommended reading Confessions of a Conjuror

 Derren Brown The inside of Derren Brown's head is a strange and mysterious place. Now you can climb inside and wander around.

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 FIND YOUR MOJO'S GO-GO! What makes you feel excited and engaged? What do you want? To change jobs? get a pay rise? - or something more subtle than that? Whatever it is, focus on the big payoff getting the job done gives you.  SPIN YOUR MOJO, DAY IN, DAY OUT. By visualising the best outcome, you'll generate good feelings in yourself. a feeling of positivity at thoughts of success is the key to getting things done.  MAKE YOU MOJO GO AGAIN. If you lose your drive, learn from the best of them. Turn difficulties to your advantage.  BE TRUE TO YOU. With negativity removed, go after what you want with renewed passion. Be sure the rewards you seek, be they spiritual, financial, emotional or anything else are what really drive you.

The Best you website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out at www.thebestyou.co

The Law of attraction in action Episode II

 esther & Jerry Hicks on this inspirational DVD program, esther & Jerry Hicks present the teachings of the Non-Physical entity abraham.

Inspired destiny

 Dr John Demartini Based on a programme originally developed for young people seeking purpose and direction in their lives.

THe BeST

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Enjoy life

Laughter, sport, humour, travel, love, dedication, joy - these add the sparkle that makes life worth living. Climbing a mountain, giving to others, starting a family, embracing life... What are the things you wish you had done, but havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet? Life is no rehearsal - find ways to enjoy it, whenever you can!

Life Without Limits

John Richardson: Dream On Video interview tells amazing story

Lucky Roger Federer Stephen Simpson profiles the tennis champ

Making your travels memorable (for all the right reasons) Tips to enjoy your vacation

Tell us your inspirational story

Inspire others with your personal story of change. Email us at info@thebestgroupinternational.co www.thebestyou.co 21

eNJoy LIFe: JOHN ricHarDsON

John Richardson is a fascinating, down to earth guy who, through meticulousness and self-discipline achieved what was told by many was impossible. At the age of 37, he decided to raise his golf game from the level of "occasional weekender" to "pro" in a year. The result shows that with the right commitment, a system and persistence anything and everything is possible. His pure determination, dedication to learning, researching, practising, modelling, control of internal dialogue, visualisation and positive thinking led him to succeed when professionals told him to

drEam on w

hen John Richardson was a boy growing up in Northern Ireland, he watched with deep fascination as Seve Ballesteros won the Irish open. “He was incredible at that stage," he says, comparing him to his other sporting heroes, george Best, Mohammed ali and ayrton Senna. “The pinnacle of sporting achievement." For a ﬂeeting moment, John dreamed of becoming a pro, until real life got in the way. How could he know then that his dream would come back to him, years later? Life for John was mixed. growing up in Belfast during the height of the Troubles, he recalls how his earliest memory was being excited to go to see another lorry his dad had bought for his furniture business after the previous one had been burned out. He became used to the sound of bombs going off in the distance. Later, though, when his parents moved to the coast, life was “idyllic”. To his parents' frustration John didn't really work at school, finally going on to sit a university degree in Business Studies after twice failing his a Levels. Life looked pretty ordinary. The turning point came on his return from university when he set up a sandwich business at the age of 25. By the age of 28,

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it was the biggest sandwich business in Ireland. By the time he was 29, he had lost everything due to business mistakes. as John says, “that's when the learning really started.” He went on to become an expert in the hospitality industry. “I thought about my businesses day and night,” he says, and he also “read business biographies to fill in the gaps” and learn from the experience of those who'd gone before him. So what of the madcap idea of learning to play a round at par or below, within a year, with no real experience except for occasional golfing. “as I got near to my 40s, I began to think about my dream when I was a child. I decided that I would realise my golf dream within a year. It meant applying myself obsessively, while continuing to work in business for 50 hours a week.” What John had realised was that people were good at things not just from pure talent, but because they worked at something repeatedly. He reckoned he could become an expert in golf by putting in 20 hours a week. Professional golfers told him to “dream on” - which became the title of his best-selling book that told the story of how he did it. So how did he do it? He reveals that the first thing to do was get rid of negatives and have a set of mentors that he could rely on. They didn't have to be real.

“When I was younger, I used to do a bit of motor racing. I used to imagine that ayrton Senna was sitting next to me. His imagined presence made my driving better.” John applied the same technique to his golf. If he was going to have a mentor, he was going to have the best, and so the virtual Seve Ballesteros accompanied him on his training. Through the power of visualisation, he imagined Seve was always there, or he would “slurp” himself into Seve's body, and imagine looking out of his eyes. He would talk to himself in his head as if he were Seve, modelling the very best that he had seen. “I got the concept from Napoleon Hill's Think and grow Rich, in which he talks about having a mental mastermind, in which you can imagine having all these people giving you advice.” What was extraordinary was that it paid off. Within a year, John got himself to a professional standard in which he could play a round at his local golf course on par. It was a real achievement. John believes anyone can learn to do anything with the right application. The key to getting things done is taking personal responsibility and believing that you can do it. “It takes 1,000 hours of intensive training to get into the top 1 per cent of anything,” he says. “To do that, you have to believe and motivate yourself. Then you can do it. and

#TheBestyou

If you can put 20 hours a week over a year into dedicated focussed hard work, you can really get into the top 1%

once you have, doors open.” His tenacity is also revealed in the story of his book's publication, which was rejected 83 times before finally being accepted. It has now sold 70,000 copies and those doors he talked about opened when a film was made of the book. Success, he believes, is this straightforward: “If you can put 20 hours a week over a year into dedicated focussed hard work, you can really get into the top 1%. That's the message, rather than people thinking I can't do it, and coming up with reasons not to succeed. The real message is, it doesn't take much more than 1,000 hours to get really good at something. That's what people should know."b

John Richardson At A Glance • Grew up in the Northern Ireland troubles • Was not motivated at school • Saw Seve when a teenager • Dreamed of being a golfer, but then forgot about • Became a successful businessman • Decided to become a professional golfer in a year • Told it was impossible. • Becomes a pro in 362 days • Has a book published • The book becomes a film

WaTCH JoHN RICHaRDSoN eXPLaIN HoW He aCHIeVeD HIS DReaM To BeRNaRDo Moya HeRe oN THe BeST yoU W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 23

eNJoy LIFe: Dr stePHeN simPsON

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#TheBestyou

LUCKy

roGer Federer

W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 25

Tennis star Roger Federer believes that victory from hopeless circumstances is always possible – Dr Stephen Simpson looks how his optimism has made him a champ

oger Federer is a Swiss tennis player, and is currently ranked the best player in the world, perhaps the best ever. He holds many records, but players are ultimately judged on how many grand Slam titles they have won. Federer holds the current record with 17, and notably demonstrated his versatility and adaptability by winning on all three surfaces. Federer is one of the highest paid athletes in the world, earning over $53 million in the year up to June 2012. His hallmark is unshakeable self-belief, and as a result he has won many matches from seemingly hopeless positions. elite performance coach Dr. Stephen Simpson examines the possible secrets of Federer’s success. In this extract from his latest book, The $447 Million Secrets of Sport, Dr. Simpson proposes that Federer has discovered the priceless secret of how to be lucky. Perhaps you could use a bit more luck in your life too? Federer believes that victory from hopeless circumstances is always possible, and possible is the power word. Federer does not always win from these positions, but seemingly has more than a fair share of luck.

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In an interview with former player, and current presenter Sue Barker, he was asked how he reacted mentally when facing serve to avoid defeat. He replied that his priority was simple, to play the game the same as any other, and to avoid making any mistakes. However, this strategy would not be enough on its own. He stressed that you also have to believe in miracles. Further, you have to make your miracle happen. He went further still, stating that it is not enough to hope for the best. you have to push luck on your side. This is an extremely interesting comment, and one that other athletes have also expressed in their own different ways. The belief that luck is not random, that we do not live in a random universe, and that luck can be manipulated when the chips are down are relatively common themes. I don’t know whether Federer has any knowledge of universal laws or not, but he demonstrates the essence of their teaching succinctly. For example, the law of attraction proposes that our conscious and unconscious thoughts can inﬂuence external events, even at considerable distances. If even a fraction of this statement is to be believed then the

implications are immense. Many grounded and pragmatic people who have never even heard of the law of attraction, let alone put it into practice, nevertheless also believe that some strange force is out there, working in their favour. The words they use include luck, coincidence, synchronicity, serendipity, fate, and karma. They explain that a particular event was meant to be, or that things just fell into place. Self-development guru Paul McKenna also believes we create our own luck, and studies successful people to identify their secrets. He writes, ‘Whether you choose to believe in the law of attraction or not, it’s interesting to note that many highly successful people do.’ These ideas are not original, and similar theories were proposed by Napoleon Hill in

Federer Stats

Grand Slam Titles:

...his priority was simple, to play the game the same as any other, and to avoid making any mistakes his book Think and grow Rich. This book was published in 1937, and is still a best-seller, with over 60 million copies sold, so at least it worked for Hill. Many of its readers were convinced it worked for them too. They believed that it was possible to stack the odds in their favour. They truly believed in their eventual success, as if creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is the unshakeable self-belief that is such an important ingredient of Federerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success too. Indeed all top athletes share such unshakeable self-belief. They have created an intricately detailed representation of what they want, using all their five senses. This visualisation is so convincing that part of their mind believes this success has been achieved already. you can do the same. The fastest path to success is to follow what works for others. Not only does this include embracing their strategies, but equally importantly it involves binning the self-limiting beliefs that you and others have skilfully installed into your mind over the years. The law of attraction has contributed to the success of many of its supporters, and can do the same for you too. Why not try it and see? I wish you good luck, and look forward to hearing your results! b

17 Won - Lost 878 -198 302 76 Weeks at Number One:

Singles Titles:

Australian Open: 4 French Open: 1 Wimbledon: 7 Tournaments US Open: 5 Played: 286 Doubles Titles: 8 Olympic Medals: 2

source: www.rogerfederer.com

W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 27

making your travels memorable (for all the right reasons)

#TheBestyou

It's January - Christmas is over and we're now into a new year. It's an exciting time of change and renewal. But depending on where you live, the days are still dark, it's wet and cold and no doubt you would love to escape to a sunny beach somewhere. Here is some advice from The Best You on how to make your mid-winter holiday, or indeed any holiday, a lot easier.  Check the latest travel advice for your destination. Many websites have free email notifications about travel advice.  Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance that covers you for the places you plan to visit and the things you plan to do.  ensure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to australia. Carry extra passport photos in case your passport is lost or stolen and you need to replace it while you're away.

 Copy your passport details, insurance policy, travellers cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.  Keep in contact with friends and family back home and give them a copy of your travel itinerary so they know where you are.  Check to see if you're regarded as a national of the country you plan to visit, and whether dual nationality will have any implications for your travel plans.

 Check with health professionals for information on recommended vaccinations and other health precautions. Remember that vaccinations can be an entry requirement for some countries. also find out about taking medication overseas certain medicines aren't allowed in some countries.

recommended reading scandalous

 Russell Brand 80 minutes of blistering, boundary-pushing stand-up of this wild and always controversial comedian.

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‘Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrowmindedness.’ Mark Twain ‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.’ St Augustine ‘For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.’ Robert Louis Stevenson ‘a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.’ Lao Tzu

 obey the laws of the country you're visiting even if these seem harsh or unfair by your own standards. Don't expect to be treated differently from the locals just because you're on holiday.  Make sure that you have the right visas for the countries you are visiting or transiting and check any other entry or exit requirements.

Great reasons to Travel

‘The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it.’ Rudyard Kipling

DID YOU KNOW? europe is the biggest tourist market in the world, with France, Spain, Italy & UK the most popular destinations.

The Best you website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out at www.thebestyou.co

Unbelievable: From my Childhood dreams to Winning olympic Gold

 Jessica ennis Unbelievable is the story of how the girl next door became London's poster girl.

The Golfer's mind

 Bob Rotella The golfer's Mind is a concise and convenient guide that will appeal to Rotella's millions of followers and is sure to become a golf classic.

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bOOk revieWs

Life Without Limits

great reading, viewing and listening to empower,entertain, enrich, delight and enhance. The Best you rounds up classics and new books and media products that will make such a positive difference in your life!

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them ďż˝ Joseph Brodsky

BooK ReVIeWS

instant intuition Anne Jirsch anne Jirsch is renowned for her work as a clairvoyant, and is recommended by lifestyle specialist and hypnotist Paul McKenna for her remarkable abilities. In this book, anne reveals how you can switch on your own latent psychic abilities. Filled with stories about her own life journey, interspersed with unique techniques that will enable you to effortlessly develop your own clairvoyant ability, this book is both informative and fun. as well as practical and straightforward exercises that enable you to develop your psychic skills, anne also introduces you to her revolutionary approach, which she calls etheric energy Techniques (e.e.T). Through such techniques, she shows you how to tap into another person's thoughts and emotions, anywhere in the world. anne is also a qualified hypnotist, and her hypnotic Future Life Progression techniques enable you to look into your own future. This is a really fascinating approach to the whole world of the psychic, and is written in a chatty, down-to-earth style. great fun, and something to give you pause for thought - and maybe something that will open up a whole new world to you. Literally.

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practical and straightforward exercises that enable you to develop your psychic skills www.thebestyou.co 31

BooK ReVIeWS

High impact training and amazing Presentations Blair Singer Blair Singer is one of those rare people who both offers great training, and makes massive positive changes in the people and organisations he works with. In his audio CD workbook, Blair Singer reveals some of the techniques he uses. By using the skills of accelerated learning, Blair shows you how to make your presentations come alive, how to really make the impact you want to make, and be sure that you are remembered long after delegates have left the training room. Billed as a "never-before-assembled arsenal of the hottest accelerated training tools to inspire any group", High Impact Training and amazing Presentations will give you the tools you need to really project your message. If you have ever wanted to speak more effectively, deliver "Killer" sales presentations and command great fees for the work you do, this unique package has what you are looking for. Blairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work with thousands of individuals and organizations has allowed them to experience unparalleled growth, return on investment and financial freedom. Now it's your turn. Highly recommended.

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never-before-assembled arsenal of the hottest accelerated training tools to inspire any group W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 33

BooK ReVIeWS

magic of thinking big Dr David Schwartz Learning and understanding the habit of success is the aim and goal of this valuable book, written nearly thirty years ago by the late Dr David Schwartz. In order to learn that habit, Dr Schwartz gives you a whole series of useful methods built into a well constructed programme, that will show you what you can become when you apply his skills, and how to get there. Schwartz himself was no stranger to success. He was a world-renowned expert on motivation, a university professor and company head whose motivational books sold in the millions. This fascinating book gives you the skills you need to get the best from your job, marriage and family life. along the way, it shows you how to believe in yourself, think and dream creatively, turn defeat into victory, think like a leader and use goals to help you grow. each chapter focuses on a different principle such as 'attitude' and 'environment', with a wealth of illustrative stories and examples. each chapter contains a dozen ideas which will prove invaluable, and Schwartz summarises each chapter helpfully with an action plan. For anyone looking for advice on motivation, the powerful effect of THINKINg BIg and exactly how to do it, this is a must-read.

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Each chapter contains a dozen ideas which will prove invaluable

www.thebestyou.co 35

BooK ReVIeWS

Why We Want you to be rich Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki There's no denying that Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki know a thing or two about money. They also believe that many people are held back from making money of their own by a mentality that expects other people to provide for them - what they call "the entitlement culture". In this CD of the book, filled with aphorisms, stories, personality profiles and much more, the two money-makers give you an insight into yourself - and your relationship with money. Not designed as a "how to get rich quick" book, Why We Want you To Be Rich is much more about changing the mentality of those who feel a sense of learned helplessness from a society that provides too much and stiďŹ&#x201A;es entrepreneurialism. It's about the rugged individualism that is at the heart of many of the great success stories of the modern world, and it's about showing you a different way to think about success. This CD is an unusual mixture - it is both enlightening and entertaining. It will give anyone who has wondered how to go about making money an insight into the mentality needed. and maybe it will set you on your own path to success!

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This CD is an unusual mixture it is both enlightening and entertaining www.thebestyou.co 37

BooK ReVIeWS

Dream On: One Hacker's challenge to break Par in a year John Richardson When John Richardson decided to up his golf game, he didn't do things by halves. His plan was to break par on his local course within a year. Starting as someone who played golf just a few times a year while working 50 hours a week in his job as a busy entrepreneur, the odds for success didn't look so good. In fact, a golf pro told him to "dream on" when he talked of his ambition. But John wasn't one to be put off. He didn't have much time to apply himself to his goal, but he did know how to do things smartly. In his head, he adopted a golf mentor - someone he could model himself on, learn their habits and their way of playing. In his mind, he even spoke like his imaginary golf mentor who happened to be one of the greats of golf, Seve Ballesteros. John dedicated 20 hours every week to his ambition, learning the techniques he would need to improve. The result was that 362 days later, he achieved his ambition. The lesson in this book isn't only about golf, it's about how to improve yourself in whatever you do. John is clear that in order to get into the top 1% of people who are good at something, it only takes 1,000 hours of dedicated training - provided you do the right things in your training. Now due to be turned into a motion picture, John's story is a route map to success, and will inspire anyone who wants to improve, in the game of golf or the game of life itself.

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John's story is a route map to success and will inspire anyone who wants to improve, in the game of golf or the game of life itself W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 39

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What do you want to be remembered for? What are your relationships like with those around you? How does life treat you - and how do you treat your life? There is so much good in you. enrich your life with the passion you feel and the connections you make.

Life Without Limits

Helping the new arrival along Marisa Peer on infertility

master your goals in 2013 Brian Mayne on goal building

looking backward to go forward Matt Wingett on taking stock of what you've got

Tell Us YoUr insPiraTional sTorY

Inspire others with your personal story of change. Email us at info@thebestgroupinternational.co W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 41

#TheBestyou

LIVe LoVe LegaCy: marisa Peer

Helping the new arrival along ... Unexplained infertility occurs when a woman ovulates normally, her tubes are clear, her eggs are fine, her husband’s sperm is fine - and yet she doesn't get pregnant. So, what's the problem? Marisa Peer asks you to consider three factors mind, body and the father-to-be.

Mind

Belief is a big factor in getting pregnant. your mind has a massive effect on your body, changing your hormone levels and sex drive. I was told by doctors that I was infertile when I was doing a hypnotherapy course, so I set about convincing myself I'd get pregnant, have an easy pregnancy and give birth to a healthy child. It worked! Remember - if you go into IVF looking at the statistics saying that only 25% of treatments work and so it won’t happen for you, you make pregnancy less likely to happen. ❤ Fear is another factor. Perhaps you watched a film about birth and said to yourself I could never go through that, or you had a pregnancy scare. Maybe you've been pregnant before, were sick, had a terrible birth or miscarriage and told yourself 'never again'. In such cases, you unknowingly sent a powerful message to your brain not to have a baby. your mind takes it as a command, and does everything in its power to stop you 42 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

conceiving. Remember, the mind inﬂuences the body - thoughts can be powerful enough to stop pregnancy!

Body

Not all pregnancy issues are mental. Some women have one day in the month when they can get pregnant, but miss their opportunity because they don’t understand their cycle. Some women eat food that interferes with their cycle. For example, coffee and dairy can disrupt your hormones. So make sure you are giving your body everything it needs, too.

The Father-to-be

Since 40% of infertility issues are down to daddy, here are some fun ideas to boost sperm – as well as your fertility! ❤ Do it doggy style - it’s a position that puts the sperm much closer to the egg. It can take sperm five hours to reach the egg, by which time it may not have the energy to

penetrate the shell. Doggy style is deeper and deposits the sperm closer to the egg, so it has the energy to fertilise it quickly. ❤ Dress up as a stranger– a man's sperm count is doubled or even tripled when he has sex with a new lover. If you have been with the same partner for years and have not become pregnant, try meeting in a hotel as strangers, dress up as a traffic warden, nurse, waitress, stripper, air hostess, business woman, whatever it takes, whatever appeals to you. Have sex without talking much, to keep the mystique. This can double your chance of conception and has the distinct advantage of being fun, too! ❤ Get him to dress up, too! When a woman has sex with a new lover, her cervix tilts to attract sperm and encourage pregnancy. get your guy to dress up and role play as someone new. a doctor, pilot, soldier, builder are some

DID YOU KNOW?  every 5 minutes 67 babies are born in the US, 274 in China, 395 in India.  There were 12,714 babies born in 2009 as a result of IVF treatment using womens' own fresh eggs. 2,441 were these were born as a multiple.  45,264 women had IVF treatment in 2010. These women had 57,652 cycles of treatment in 2010, an increase of 5.9% on the previous year.  Recent figures show in 2008 23.6% of fresh and frozen IVF and ICSI cycles resulted in a multiple birth, but since then clinics have been working hard to reduce this number. Data for the first half of 2009 show the figure dropped to 22.0%.

suggestions. Fool your mind into thinking he’s a sexy new guy and your cervix will respond. Believe me, it works! Fantasise to the top! When you orgasm during sex, the contractions help move the sperm upwards and into your cervix. Remember, you are more likely to conceive if you relax, enjoy it and have an orgasm. Fantasy really helps orgasm. Remember, too, women need up to 20 minutes of foreplay to orgasm where men need two. ❤ Go bananas! Bananas are full of manganese. Men need 10 mg of manganese daily to make sperm better swimmers. Men also need 30 mg of zinc, found in prawns and almonds, to make healthy sperm. oily fish improves DHa which is in the sperm tail. High levels of vitamin D and coffee make sperm move faster, and coffee perks up lazy sperm, too. So, a breakfast including bananas and coffee, a snack of almonds and a dinner containing prawns and salmon will give your man olympic swimming standard sperm!

❤ Loosen up down below... In a recent Italian study, men wearing tight underwear were found to be twice as likely to be infertile as those wearing loose briefs. The scrotal skin is deliberately thin to keep sperm cooler than body temperature. Sperm functions best when it's five degrees cooler than normal body temperature. Long distance driving, hot baths, saunas, hot tubs, tight fitting underwear or jeans, and athletic support straps, can all raise the temperature of the scrotum, thus overheating the sperm and making them ineffective. get him into boxers or go commando. Banning tight jeans, banning the mobile phone from hip pocket and keeping the laptop off his lap will help keep sperm cool. b visit marisa Peer’s website for more information on getting pregnant www.tryingtogetpregnant.co.uk

 buy now from www.thebestyou.co W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 43

LIVe LoVe LegaCy: braiN mayNe

master your Goals in 2013 An inspirational speaker, author and teacher, Brian Mayne, creator of the world-leading achievement system ‘Goal Mapping’, shares his experience on how you should start off 2013 ...

he New year is here and it’s the perfect time for setting goals. goal-setting is actually something that everyone does all the time, but don’t know they are doing it. every thought we think and decision we make is a type of goal that commands our subconscious mind to move us towards it. Have you ever thought about going somewhere, you start your journey, and before you know it, you’re there, but hardly remember the turns along the way? This is natural ‘goal-achievement’ in action, and we all do it, whether walking, riding or driving – think about where you want to go and your subconscious, like a personal SatNav system starts guiding you towards it. The challenge is most people don’t think consistently and clearly about what they want. Worst still many doing the opposite – they dwell and worry about what they fear. Thinking about what you don’t want is like entering the wrong address into your

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subconscious Sat-Nav – which means it will take you somewhere you don’t want to be, by some form of self-sabotage. The master key to success is learning the correct way of consciously setting goals. This is the life-skill that helps us gain all other skills and achievements. Master the art of goal-setting and you powerfully command your subconscious to move you towards it. It helps you spot opportunities created by change, find your natural ﬂow and make life work for you. Life works well. So amazingly well, for billions of years, that it has spread to the furthest parts of the planet and countless different life forms. you are part of Life. you have all the driving forces of evolution already within. you simply need to turn them on by using your greatest of human gifts - your free-will. By choosing your own way, planning your own path, and setting your goals you activate your success instinct and awaken something within

yourself far superior to circumstance. The more you focus on achieving your goals the more you build your belief and in the process programme your subconscious mind to work for you. once your goal has been correctly set your subconscious Sat-Nav will guide you and help you spot opportunities and turn change into stepping-stones leading to success. Life is like an ocean of possibilities. Change is like the wind that blows. Choose your course in life, set a winning sail of attitude then work with the natural currents of creation towards your desired destination. The winds of change are howling, goalsetting is the master skill for the 21st Century, because if you don’t know where you want to go, in a rapidly changing world you will quickly end up somewhere you don’t want to be. Create a ‘Goal Map’ of where you want to go in your life and empower your journey to success in 2013 and beyond. b

Destination: 2013

Target: Happiness

Speed: ASAP

Time: 2013

... goal-setting is the master skill for the 21st Century, because if you don’t know where you want to go, in a rapidly changing world you will quickly end up somewhere you don’t want to be

Free download www.liftinternational.com/goal-mapping

learning management at BECOMING A CUT ABOVE a young age pushed me to “FRoM THe age of 14 I started grow and face my fears and to train as a hairdresser. manage stress. “When I was a I met many role models director at the top facing fears of mainly one being my abandonment dealing with feelings boss who encouraged of isolation it grew my confidence my development and and gave me empowerment through confidence through decision making. becoming a hairdresser. "Having to work out my “Then qualified and depression triggers, I realised I had climbing the ladder as a stylist I had to push always suffered but had never really understood that was the case until I through many personal had my son. boundaries to overcome “a sense of responsibility had my anxiety and learn sammy ayres, kicked in for me. social skills and this was west sussex Uk "I decided to give up being a director/ really stuff that was out of hairdresser of the salon. Through all my my comfort zone. “Working as a stylist provided an energy personal development I had discovered within my authentic self that wanted channel for me to balance and recognise to become a life coach. Becoming one my oCD traits and use this to become changed my life.“ successful. Then seeing a life coach and W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 45

LIve love Legacy: Matt Wingett

Looking Backward to Go Forward As the New Year comes in, we naturally make plans for the coming 12 months. There can be exciting things ahead - but now might also be time to do the New Year's stocktake. Matt Wingett reports ...

hether you wake up on New Year's Day 2013 bright-eyed or hungover, I can guarantee there's one thing we'll all be thinking of: The future. You might have some ideas about yours. But if those aspirations you set out at the party or in a quiet moment all seem a bit too vague, it might be worth looking at what you've already got to help things come into focus. You might find a clue to your destiny right there, in your past. Doing a stocktake of what you've already got and what you've achieved is one of the great things you can do at this time of the year. As well as having those aspirations and goals that will lead you to live the life of your dreams, have a look at what are yours already. Take some time to jot them down. They will give you an idea of the amazing skills, resources and experiences you've already amassed - as well as what's missing. Here are some questions to really make you think about who you are and the skills you have: 46 www.thebestyou.co

 If someone asked you what your passion is, what would you answer?  What subject do you consider yourself to be an expert in?  What spiritual/psychological resources do you have already? Are you determined? Are you creative? Are you funny? Are you a logical thinker? Are you practical? Are you wise? Do you have particular skills or insights that others don't, in this area?  What support do you have? Think about the friends who are supportive of your endeavours - your family, your home, your skills, your current job, your money. There may be other people and things that are supportive of you, too. List them all out, writing how they are supportive of you and what they give you. You maybe surprised by how much good will there is around you!  What experiences have you had that make you who you are? Think about your experience of life, the places you have been

to and seen already and the experiences that you would like to have. Consider your childhood, your working life, your personal life. Going on holiday, seeing amazing things, meeting interesting people. How did those experiences affect you? Was there something among those things that stood out that you would like more of? Wanting something badly enough is also a resource!  Finally, what's missing? Are there particular skills or things you wish you had but don't, yet? If so, what are they? How easy are they to acquire? How would you go about getting them? That's the stocktake over for now - but you might find that other resources make themselves apparent to you over the next few days - as well as those things you don't yet have. Taking some time to just consider these things, and having them in the back of your mind may well help you to find out more clearly what it is that you can do in the days ahead, as you start to plan your future and set your goals! b

✒ a writer's stocktake by Matt wingett Doing a stocktake really worked for me as a writer. In my early days of writing, I was advised to work out what I really knew about, my skills and my areas of expertise. It was good advice. Taking some time to sit down and realise that I knew a lot about children's stories and that I loved my history led me to write a series of children's articles for a national newspaper. I was young, and this simple stocktake gave me a sense of direction, and brought in some money, too! It did something else, as well. It showed me what I didn't know, the things I would need to learn to become a better writer, and the experiences I would need to get to become a writer of stories. Sure, I had an imagination, but I had not really read around literature. I didn't have an

understanding of different styles or the history of storytelling, and the ways that characters interact. all of that would make a rich addition to my writing. I also wanted some BIg ideas to put into my stories, and things to make people think. If I wanted to write articles, I wanted to have something underneath the writing to shape it. Part of my big stocktake led me to go to university and study english Literature and Philosophy. It wasn't an immediate decision, but knowing what I didn't know, just as much as what I did know, helped me come to that decision. It wasn't an obvious choice. I was the first from our working class family to go to Uni, in an age when it was genuinely uncommon to go. That's what a stocktake did for me! b

recommended reading The Little Book of Charisma

 David Hodgson The most skilful performers and communicators understand and apply the best of art and science.

Doing a stocktake of what you've already got and what you've achieved is one of the great things you can do at this time of the year

The Best you website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out at www.thebestyou.co

The Quick and Easy Way to Effective speaking

 Dale Carnegie good public speakers are made, not born - or so thinks Dale Carnegie, the pioneer of personal business skills.

Telling Lies: Clues to deceit in the marketplace, Politics, and marriage

 Paul ekman Paul ekman is a renowned expert in emotions research and nonverbal communication.

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THe BeST

yoU

feel & lOOk gOOD

Feeling good about yourself makes the joy shine from your eyes and your skin. It makes others respond to you in new ways, and it gives you a whole new outlook on life. Looking good draws others to you and enhances your lives in ways you haven't yet imagined. It's great to find new ways to feel and look good now!

Life Without Limits

they call Her Jungle shirley Shirley battled addiction head on

are diets doing more harm than good? Weight Loss is big business

maximise your brain Power Food to make you smarter

Tell Us YoUr insPiraTional sTorY

Inspire others with your personal story of change. Email us at info@thebestgroupinternational.co

FeeL & LooK gooD: sHirley tHOmPsON

They call her 'Jungle shirley' 50 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

#TheBestyou

When people quit smoking, they often swap one addiction for another. But when Shirley Thompson took up running, little did she know just how much it would become part of her life.

n another life, Belfast born Shirley Thompson would probably be a mogul in the entertainment industry. Born into a musical family, Thompson grew up surrounded by names like Van Morrison and Rory gallagher. as the main financial backers of Radio Caroline, Thompson's father and uncle helped bring pop to the UK airwaves. But music didn't hold much of an attraction for Thompson, who instead took to the skies for a career in aviation, escorting the rich and famous around the world in private jets. all this glamour is a world away from Thompson's new world of ultra distance running. Now when Thompson jets off to some far-ﬂung location, it is no longer at the behest of rock stars or minor Royals, but to take part in one of her jungle marathons or for one of her eco-tourism ventures. Not a woman to do things by halves, Thompson took on the gruelling Marathon des Sables just seven months after taking up running. The 250km track across the Sahara Desert is not a challenge to be taken lightly, as the rookie runner quickly discovered: “I had hideous blisters and on the last two days I only managed to stand once the morphine based painkillers from the medics kicked in!” But Thompson dragged herself to the finish, when plenty of runners didn’t: “I felt very proud of myself. I had never slept in a tent before, and I arrived with far too much kit, all the wrong things, and enough toiletries and cosmetics to sink a ship.” But the Sahara experience cemented Thompson's passion for running (“It was a life changing experience”), and she returned the following year, only to be pulled from the course by medics after completing just 8km in 6 hours – much of it on all fours while suffering a chest infection. From there, more races and greater distances followed: TheTrans 333 (333km ➻ W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 51

Now I run where and when I want, not watching a clock. I like to go off and do my own ultra distance runs. There is nothing more exhilarating than waking up to blue skies and a warm day and setting off wherever your legs take you

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non-stop across the Sahara), the Guardarun (six days across the Guadeloupe archipelago), the Verdon Trail in France and the Yukon Arctic Ultra, complete with more near-death experiences. “I adored the concept of keeping going when I had the energy, as I often found at stage races I had fuel in the tank to keep on running.” Thompson has now completely abandoned the world of private aviation (although true to the daring Thompson spirit, she does have a pilot’s license), and instead focuses her energies entirely on running, and organising races – in particular the UVU Jungle Marathon, which is one of the world’s most demanding ultra marathons and takes place in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon – so that others can enjoy the experience. Her running focus has now changed too: “Now I run where and when I want, not watching a clock. I like to go off and do my own ultra distance runs. There is nothing more exhilarating than waking up to blue skies and a warm day and setting off wherever your legs take you.” Thompson's professional life has changed too, focussing on organising educational expeditions in the Jungle and eco tourism.

When preparing one of her jungle races, the work starts about five months beforehand, getting the necessary local permissions to hold the event –an endurance event all of its own. This is followed by trail clearance two months before the race. Thompson plans the route, and the trails are marked with biodegradable tape. She is involved in the entire process, and covers each kilometre of the trail herself every year, often twice, before any of the other runners have even arrived. The logistics are incredible, requiring 220 staff for around 70 runners. She is currently working on a new race in partnership with another race director, an exciting new destination that will launch later this year. She is also preparing for a second jungle marathon in Vietnam in 2013 as well as another jungle-based adventure in Brazil at the end of the year. But “Jungle” Shirley still has some colder climes in her sights: “I have yet to finish a cold weather race and that bugs me. This year I am going to have another try at the Antarctic Ice marathon. I had all the wrong type of kit the last time I attempted a cold weather race. I am convinced that the new UVU cold weather gear will keep me alive!” b

WE SUPPORT

The Best You backs worthy causes that help our community Alex Flynn alex Flynn was living a happy, comfortable life as a lawyer with his wife and three kids when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. "I was devastated," he says. "Up to that I lived a life that was free from worries and cares. For months I went into a funk." But somewhere inside himself, alex wondered what sort of role model he was being to his children and what sort of husband he was being to his wife. From that moment on he decided to dedicate himself to raising money for Parkinson's research by running. It was the start of a journey that would take him around the world in a 10 Million Metre run. Highlights on alex’s travels so far include his recent ‘first-of-a-kind’ Trans-america Challenge: a 3,500 mile trip from West to east Coast USa over a period of 35 days; the 2010 Marathon des Sables, running more than 135 miles across the Bavarian alps and, in 2011, traversing 1457 miles from London to Rome in 30 days, as well as numerous Marathons, Ironman and olympic Triathlons. extraordinarily upbeat about the life he now leads, he says that his illness has had its own very real positives. "The truth is, I don't fear anything any more," he says. "When you have this kind of illness, you realise that the small things in life just aren't worth worrying about." alex says that he will continue to go on running and raising money and awareness "until I have to crawl", and when he can't move any more then he'll find something else to do. The Best you salutes alex Flynn and his amazing journey of 10 Million Metres. To find out more about this extraordinary man, go to: www.alexﬂynn.co.uk

OTHER WORTHY CAUSES WE SUPPORT Alice's Blog alicepyne.blogspot.co.uk

Katie Piper Foundation www.katiepiperfoundation.org.uk

Johnson Beharry VC www.johnsonbeharryvc.com

Sebastian's Action Trust www.sebastiansactiontrust.org

Teenage Cancer Trust www.teenagecancertrust.org National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) www.nspcc.org.uk

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FeeL & LooK gooD: WeigHt lOss The clubs, organisations, diets and plans spreading across the world are meeting a general hunger for weight loss. Organisations like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Rosemary Conley and Slimming World create a sense of camaraderie that makes people stay with the programme. But with obesity an ever-growing problem, we have to ask:

are diets doing more harm than good? d

iets are supposed to limit the amount of calories you put in your body and encourage you to burn them off, often by combining a points system with specialist food and exercise For many people, obsessive calorie counting does help in the short term. For others their days are filled by thinking about the food they can't have. In interview, one lapsed diet club attendee said: "I didn't use to think about food, much. "When I was hungry, I would eat. I might have eaten unwisely, but I ate and then I got on with my life. "on my diet, I felt hungry all the time. I thought about food every minute of the day. I was thinner, but I was also miserable, that's for sure." of course, it's only one person's experience and others are happy with the diet regime, at least while they are on it. Having a group to report successes to, or share failures, is a strong psychological spur for many to stay "on the wagon". The problem comes for some when they fall off the wagon. Facing all those friends

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they've "let down" can be demoralising and isolating. of course, the bright-eyed excitement of starting the next weight-loss programme soon wipes out any painful memories. and with an industry worth $20 billion a year in the US alone, you can be sure you won't have to wait long before another wagon comes along. Some diet plans provide dieters with powdered drinks or such rigid regimes so devoid of nutritional content that the consumer cannot help losing weight - for a few months, at least. Then, when he comes off the diet after achieving his ideal weight his body heaves a huge sigh of relief at not being starved any more, and it's binge time! Successively, year after year, he gains more and more weight as starvation mode kicks in after each diet, and his body stores extra fat in case it happens again. For those disillusioned with diets, surgical options are open to them, such as liposuction or gastric bands. While the prospect of have a big hose stuck under your skin to suck out a layer of fat might seem radical and strange, it

does hold an appeal for people at their wit's end how to lose weight. The same can be said of gastric bands, which appear at first sight to hold the answer to over-eaters by constricting the opening to the stomach. What is not mentioned prominently in the literature for these are the complications, which include ulcers, erosion (in which the band migrates through the stomach to the inside, potentially causing severe illness), internal bleeding, infection and prolapse to name a few. a recent survey showed that a fifth of people with a gastric band fitted have to be readmitted to hospital, with many requiring further surgery. Surely, there must be a better way? With the gimmicks, the money-making gadgets, bars, calculators and counter to one side, what does a person need to do to lose weight? Clearly, people get fat for different reasons. For some, the nature of "emotional eating" means that food is a solace. Learning to find happiness elsewhere is a skill that involves looking at your whole life, rather than heaping all your hopes and fears on to a plate in front

#TheBestyou

DID YOU KNOW?  Fast food restaurants use yellow, red, and orange because those are the colors that stimulate hunger.  People over the age of 50 start to lose their dislike for foods that taste bitter.

People lose weight if their calorific input is lower than their calorific output. To achieve that, they don't need to starve themselves obsessively or run marathons

 The average person can live about a month without eating anyfood, but can only live up to a week without water.

of you. For some "yoyo dieters" who take weight off and put it on again, thinking food is the problem actually is the problem. Instead of obsessively imagining that attaining an ideal weight will bring them happiness, simply learning to feel good about themselves in the first place will stop them eating all those sugars and fats just to feel good. For others, there are genuine genetic factors to contend with, but even with these people, there is a very simple fact to consider. People lose weight if their calorific input is lower than their calorific output. To achieve that, they don't need to starve themselves obsessively or run marathons. They just need to change the relationship between what goes in and what they put out. Considering your life in the round, then, can ironically make you thin. It is not just a well-balanced diet you need. a well balanced life can bring the subtle change to finally tip the scales... in your favour! all those programmes to one side, deep down you know: if you eat less, you eat wisely and you exercise frequently ie. you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight! b

Here is a selection of weight loss systems from around the globe Paul mckenna www.paulmckenna.com Jenny craig www.jennycraig.co.uk medical Weight loss www.mwlc.com Nutrisystem www.nutrisystem.com rosemary conley www.rosemaryconley.com slimming World www.slimmingworld.com spark People www.sparkpeople.com sure slim www.sureslim.com.au tOPs (take Off Pounds sensibly) www.tops.org Weight Watchers www.weightwatchers.co.uk W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 55

maximise your Brain Power Feeding your brain the right food will mean that you stay more alert, smarter and focussed for longer. The Best You gives you 7 Brain-boosting tips.

#TheBestyou

Petrol made from fresh air  Remember To Boost Your Memory the skill of remembering things is connected with the activating brain cells to build new pathways. The more excited they are, the more likely you are to remember things. acetylcholine is the key ingredient for making this happen. Made from choline, it is found in eggs, liver and soybeans. Veggies also help the brain to remember. Researchers found people who eat more vegetables to be better in memory tests than their peers. So, a good helping of cabbage, broccoli and cauliﬂower will also help you remember.  Lift Moods and Lose Weight - stress is one of those emotions people often take the shortcut to relieving. Whilst it's true that eating sugary food and fats can relieve stress in the short term - in the long term the health problems they cause end up causing more stress. That leads to a vicious donut of eating fat foods that will take you nowhere. Research also shows that sugar changes the brain's responses so you need more sugar to feel the same level of relief and pleasure. So watch out for sugar. Try exercising instead, and if you want a steady release of sugars, eat fruit, pasta or wholegrain bread.

These will do your brain and body some good.  Smooth Running - you can't omit omega 3 fats when talking brains. as a super powerful processing unit in your skull, your brain sends messages along neural pathways continually. Those pathways have a fatty insulating sheath made of myelin, for which omega 3 fats are a vital ingredient. Make sure you get your omega 3 fatty acids from salmon, tuna, ﬂaxseed oil, canola oil, walnuts, wheat germ and eggs.  Concentrated Foodstuff - Being able to concentrate properly relies on having good neurotransmitters in your brain these are the chemicals that carry all those messages along your neurones. one neurotransmitter that can't be made directly by the body is tryptophan. you can get it straight from foods such as: egg white, spirilina, cod, soybeans and cheese.  Water on the Brain - Mild levels of dehydration can impair mental capacity, It is vital that you hydrate - not just for your brain - but your whole body, too! get water into the system, regularly!

recommended reading The Power of Positive Living

 Norman Vincent Peale His gentle guidance will help you to eliminate defeatist attitudes, to know that power you possess and to make the best of your life.

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a revolutionary technology has been developed by a small British company that for the first time enables petrol to be produced from water vapour and air. Since their small test refinery was switched on in august, air Fuel Synthesis has produced five litres of petrol. The importance of this technology in potentially reducing global warming by extracting carbon from the air may have massive ramifications for the world. at the moment, the carbon capture aspect of the process is highly inefficient and uses power from the National grid to make it work, but the company believes that one day it will be able to be powered by renewable resources. as petrol prices continue to rise and as the technology matures it is hoped there will come a point when the cost of production falls below conventional fuel production. Meanwhile, the advantage of being able to use the existing fuel infrastructure to distribute this fuel is obvious. at the same time, the opportunity it gives countries to produce their own fuel, especially in remote underdeveloped regions is very exciting!

The Best you website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out at www.thebestyou.co

Gok Cooks Chinese

 gok Wan Not only is gok Wan one of the UK's top fashion stylists, but he can cook too!

The optimum nutrition Bible

 Patrick Holford The optimum Nutrition Bible shows you what to eat and what nutrients to take to live a healthier, happier life.

THe BeST

WealtH & ricHes

yoU

Wealth [n] "happiness," also "prosperity in abundance of possessions or riches" from Middle english "wele", meaning "well-being". Riches [n] "valued possessions, money, property," Making money and bringing greater wealth to eVeRy area of your life...

Life Without Limits

the best candidates Helping our young people succeed

talk like a President

laura spicer & ed Percival on Obama's speech

staff motivation in times of crisis Philip cox-Hynd on staff motivation

Tell Us YoUr insPiraTional sTorY

Inspire others with your personal story of change. Email us at info@thebestgroupinternational.co

#TheBestyou

WeaLTH & RICHeS: tHe best caNDiDates Employers often say to us they would like to hire more young people but they find it hard to find suitable candidates. The Best You wants to tackle that challenge head on by helping our young people become

The Best Candidates

any employers in the current job market report how difficult it is to find a suitable candidate from the many young people who come to interview. The employers' perception is often that young adults leave school with few interpersonal skills and no idea what an employer wants. Mix this with perceived poor attitude and an unrealistic expectation of what work offers them in the short term, and you have a generation that is, in the employer's words, "difficult to employ or unemployable". Whether this complaint is fair or not, the

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fact is that a growing number of kids are claiming long-term benefit . a study in February 2012 showed that 20.4% of young adults between the age of 16 and 24 are currently out of work, which means that young adults urgently need help to get into employment. our aim is to offer a free pilot scheme for the young unemployed that will change their attitudes and thought processes to help them find their way into employment. at the same time, we want to offer for this pilot scheme a guarantee of a number of interviews for apprenticeships and jobs for each of our students.

The Best Candidate Scheme We are fortunate enough to work with the most established authors and leaders within personal development and business, and are in a prime position to really make a difference. We can do that with The Best Candidate scheme. our specialists' number one priority will be to teach the young adults how to feel empowered in interview, and the attitudes they need to display to get work. We want them to understand the importance of their thoughts and emotions and how to manage both.

Our specialists' number one priority will be to teach the young adults how to feel empowered in interview, and the attitudes they need to display to get work Our specialists will cover the following skills: Setting goals How to manage your expectation of the future – Think BIg. Pre-Interview Skills Much of this is basic stuff which many of us take for granted but isn’t taught! Build Rapport We will teach a series of techniques that will enable the candidate to build rapport with anyone and make a true impact. Presentation How to look good and how to feel good. Conﬁdence one of the attributes looked for by many employers is maturity and confidence. The Interview Process Teaching them to play the "Interview game." Listening skills How to be responsive to what they are being asked. Persuasion and Inﬂuence Techniques every organisation and sales person in the world uses influence and persuasion techniques to get new customers. Resilience We will teach the candidate how to maintain focus and not be blown off course by the occasional knock. In total, we will educate our students from the beginning to see themselves as BRaNDS

At the end of the course, our students will show they have    

Knowledge Determination Competitive edge Passion for what they do

Having a quality brand will show how much more “saleable” they are in interview. The Format The programme will run with a main trainer for 7 days and additionally use the expertise of 4-5 trainers – authors who are considered the best in the industry or the country. The training will be highly engaging, with loads of demonstrations and videos. The candidates will practise and have fun while improving their interview skills. The Outcome at the end of this course, we expect the students to be primed, motivated and keen to go to interview. We expect them to be articulate, confident and well presented. and we intend for them to be well prepared for the interview environment. Remember it's time to act. you can be part of the solution or part of the confusion! We want this programme to go national and international. b Your Participation Required If you are a company or individual who want to make a difference and would like to contribute with ideas, email: info@ thebestgroupinternational.co

A brand requires    

a corporate image Development Marketing and PR growth and nurturing.

also contact us if you are between 17-24 and want to put your name on the list to become a Best Candidate. We will keep you informed.

DID YOU KNOW? Causes of UK youth unemployment include:  graduate recruiters have recruited less because of the financial crisis of 2007–2010.  The cuts to the public sector have also affected young people.  a report by Centre links youth unemployment and poor results in gCSe english and Maths  Recruiters becoming more risk averse and looking to recruit more experienced older staff.

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WeaLTH & RICHeS: barack Obama

TaLK LIKE a PrEsIdEnT We asked two top voice and presentation coaches, Laura Spicer and Ed Percival, about what oratory skills we can learn from US President Barack Obama

In most of his major speeches he acknowledges and has us applaud superior behaviour

How obama keeps audiences engaged by ed Percival

bama and his scriptwriters use a number of speech patterns familiar to the NLP community. The useful ambiguity of 'you' enables him to address the crowd and the individual at the same time - 'It's as though he was just speaking to me'. His speeches move up and down chunk sizes - he will introduce a big chunk nominalization freedom, hope, triumph and then chunk down into specific examples of each to explain what he means by each term. obama reverses that by picking up examples of apparently insignificant action and amplifying its importance to become an example of another big chunk nominalisation. In this way, he connects us to why this behaviour matters.

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He uses chunking up as a way of uniting us on differences - he keeps chunking up to a bigger context that we can all agree on compassion, tolerance, ambition. He usually uses the same device to illustrate how tough the path ahead is, and what we'll need on the path. In most of his major speeches he acknowledges and has us applaud superior behaviour - that is followed by him inviting us to take responsibility to behave in the same class of superiority. He sets big chunk context for the next chapter - 'you have told us you want aCTIoN from us' He builds agreement throughout and usually ends with giving us responsibility. 'your job as a US citizen.' of course, he usually ends with a unifying call to action. www.edpercival.com b

Free download dowload ed Percival's report "The speech Patterns of President obama"

Although it is important to speak even slower than normal when using a public address system, he never makes you feel he is speaking too slowly

The vocal style of Barack obama by laura spicer

hen Barack obama gave his Victory Speech he conveyed hope, trustworthiness, and that he is the right man to run the USa. as he spoke, his command and presence were palpable. So what is it about the way he spoke that inspired and filled people with hope and trust for him? Firstly, his pace is very measured. although it is important to speak even slower than normal when using a public address system, he never makes you feel he is speaking too slowly. every word is well enunciated so you hear each word clearly. even if your first language were not english, you could probably find him easy to follow. and, his pauses are plentiful with every pause adding weight to his words. Many speakers find pausing scary and worry about pausing at the 'right' moment. But if you listen to him, you will notice that some pauses are in places that are not obvious. any time you pause, as

long as you hold your attention on your audience, it just feels as if what is being said is more important than it would without the pause. another notable point is that he uses, almost without exception, 'falling inflections'. That means that at the end of his phrases, the tonal note of his voice drops. This speech pattern is sometimes called the 'command tone' and conveys certainty. Upward inflections always feel as if they are questions. obama uses pauses and falling inflections for emphasizing particular words not the usual change of volume and energy. and he does not use a massive pitch range - his voice does not go up and down that much. He just repeats the same pattern - a few words all within a few notes and drops the pitch at the end of each short phrase. and that little vocal trick is so powerful that it is a major factor in conveying hope, and trust and to engage the audience for a full 20 minute talk. b W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 61

WeaLTH & RICHeS: THe RoCKy RoaD To SUCCeSS

Steve Jobs

Evelyn Glennie

The Elements of a Genius

Good Vibrations

Born to unmarried college graduates in a judgemental era and adopted by an accountant and carpenter, Steve Jobs' birth mirrored his unconventional life. able to read before he attended school, Jobs became a class prankster who had to be bribed to work. In 1973, Jobs dropped out of university after six months. He travelled to India seeking spiritual enlightenment, experimented with LSD and became a serious Zen Buddhist. When he brought his unconventional world view to technology, the apple legend was born. Jobs oversaw many of the great inventions of the late 20th and early 21st Century. He recognised the importance of the computer mouse and steered the birth of the apple II computer, the Macintosh and the introduction of the Laser Writer. Thrown off apple's board of directors in 1985, he founded NeXt, another computer company, created Pixar animation and was executive producer of Toy Story. In 1996 apple ran into difficulties and Jobs took control, saving the business from bankruptcy and turning it into a major corporation. He oversaw development of the iMac, iTunes, iPod, iPhone, iPad and the apple Retail Stores, iTunes and app Store. Jobs died of cancer in 2012. His fresh approach to everything he did, his sense of spirituality and natural brilliance mark him out as one of the century's true geniuses.

Dame evelyn glennie is the first person in 20th Century Western Society to make a full-time living as a solo percussionist. She is also profoundly deaf. Born and raised on a farm in aberdeenshire, to musical parents, evelyn started to go deaf from age 8, almost completely losing her hearing by age 12. Initially angered by her loss, one day she realised she could express her emotions through percussion. When her teacher showed her how to differentiate pitches by feeling vibrations with her hands, her life as a percussionist began. on applying to the Royal academy of Music as a solo percussionist, she was told, "There’s no solo literature for percussion. No one’s done it before.” She remained undeterred and today is a virtuoso performer. glennie says deafness is largely misunderstood by the public, claiming to hear through her body. She often plays barefoot, to pick up sound vibrations. She is also a force to be reckoned with. In 2007, glennie's dedicated lobbying played a large part in the UK government's announcement of a £332 million boost for music education. Despite having what many would class as a disability, evelyn glennie remains a model of upbeat, joyous professionalism - an inspiration for the able-bodied and disabled, for men, women and children alike.

 In a few words, Steve Jobs was a visionary and a creative genius, a resilient man that would not take no for an answer. From 1996 to 2013, he took Apple from nearly a broke company to the most profitable and cash rich company in the world. Bernardo Moya

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 The word "disabled" became "enabled" when it encountered Glennie's positive approach to life - an approach that enabled her to create a profession from something that had never been done before. Bernardo Moya

You have to create your own opportunities

The rocky road to success

Traits you'll need on the way  Bernardo Moya Who are your heroes? @Bernardo_Moya

Mahatma Gandhi

Jacqueline Gold

The Unwavering Power of Belief

Dignity and Self Worth

How can one man bring down an empire that ruled one-fifth of the world? Mohandas Karamchand gandhi did just that in his fight for Indian Independence from the British empire. Though mediocre at school in India, ghandi's parents urged him to study law in england. once qualified, he was too shy to appear in court, drafting legal documents instead. His life's purpose came when he witnessed numerous attacks by europeans on Indians. By now living in South africa, he developed non-violent activism in pursuit of Indian independence. Imprisoned for many political offences, gandhi never wavered from his pursuit of the freedom of all Indians whatever caste or religion. a brilliant communicator, deeply compassionate, caring and spiritual, he was a superb tactician. Facing an empire accustomed to conﬂict, he found a peaceful way to make the British go. He considered every angle, imagining himself as a British negotiator to work out British weaknesses. gandhi succeeded in securing India's freedom in 1947. However, his belief in the Indianness of all Indians led to his assassination in 1948 by a Hindu nationalist who believed him too sympathetic to Muslims. The man who brought the world's greatest empire to the negotiating table was once asked for his message to the world. His answer stands as his epitaph. "My life," he said, "Is my message."

The UK's 16th wealthiest woman has been dubbed "the Queen of Sex" and "Princess of Pleasure", but Jacqueline gold's early life was deeply unhappy. When she was born in 1960, her father David gold wept with disappointment on hearing he had fathered a girl, not a boy. Jacqueline had all the trappings of wealth but remained unhappy. after her parents split up when she was 12, she claims her stepfather sexually abused her. She left school in 1979 and asked her father for work experience. He'd made his money from sex shops and pornography, and owned four "upmarket" ann Summers stores where she worked for an extremely low wage in an intimidating environment. after attending a Tupperware party, she hit on the idea of throwing women-only parties, selling lingerie and erotic toys. From this ﬂash of inspiration, the ann Summers Party Plan began. Her parties are now part of Britain's cultural fabric, where women can discuss sex in a fun environment. Jacqueline became Chief executive of ann Summers in 1987, transforming the shops into a multi-million-pound business, with an annual turnover of over £100 million. For anyone feeling unloved or isolated, Jacqueline gold is an empowering role model. Perhaps more importantly, her championing of women's sexuality has helped many women worldwide find fulfilment through more exciting sex lives.

 With his strong sense of what was right and his brilliance as a speaker and a motivator, Ghandi achieved freedom for one of the world's most populous nations. Bernardo Moya

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will

 With her realisation that pleasure was a serious business, Jacqueline Gold turned the whole idea of women and sex upside down - giving women the power to enjoy their lives, and making a business empire from their pleasure. Bernardo Moya

I think people take life too seriously – and because of that they are missing lots of opportunities W W W.tHebestyOu.cO 63

staff motivation in uncertain times #TheBestyou

If a good friend of yours were going through a hard time, what would you say?

Philip Cox-Hynd explains how to keep staff focused, motivated and positive in these uncertain times WHeN QUeSTIoNS like the one above get asked, people often want a clever 'business' answer. Something like, 'organise strategic forums to involve staff in where the company is going', or 'talk up the difficult markets we are in so as to scare staff into realising their job's aren't guaranteed, and they better knuckle down and work hard'! or 'lets communicate to the staff and get their energy up; organise a couple of events'. Some of these may well work, or at least have an effect, but may not be as helpful as the situation requires. So where to get better ideas? The best answers often lie much closer to home. If a good friend of yours were going through a hard time, what would you say? or if a group of people you were close to, like a sports club, or amateur dramatic club, were suffering cut backs or other personal difficulties and you needed to focus minds and motivate them into being positive, what would you do?

When you think about it, in either of the above situations, the very first thing to do is to listen and acknowledge the situation, and the way that the people you are talking with feel about it. They will want to be both heard and understood/empathised with. What do you feel like when you are in a difficult place, and someone tells you to 'pull yourself together' or 'think positive' as the very first responses? No, you want to a chance to express how the situation makes you feel; not wallow in self-pity, but not gloss over it either. only when you feel listened to and your situation acknowledged, plus a degree of real human empathy, are you ready to discuss solutions. In the work place in these hard times, start a ReaL and TWo-Way conversation with staff, draw people out; if they feel listened to, aND empathised with, then they will eventually start coming up with their own solutions, instead of you having to push motivational ideas on to them. b

recommended reading Personality: How to Unleash your Hidden strengths

 Rob yeung you'll become your own personal talent manager - after-all, who better to manage your talents than you!

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DID YOU KNOW? Last year in the UK, 13.4 million days were lost due to stress anxiety or depression. In the US, 51% of employees stated that stress at work affected their productivity, costing the US economy an estimated US $300 billion a year.

The Best you website is packed with loads of great books, DVDs, CDs, downloads, free articles and reports. Check it out at www.thebestyou.co

Goals! How to Get Everything you Want Faster Than you Ever Thought Possible

 Brian Tracy Based on more than 20 years of experience and 40 years research, this book presents an updated practical and proven strategy for creating and meeting goals.

The Innovation secrets of steve Jobs: Insanely different Principles for Breakthrough success  Carmine gallo Carmine gallo reveals the qualities that made the apple co-founder the most innovative leader in business.

THe BeST

yoU

21st ceNtury liviNg

The pace of change can sometimes bewilder - but also gives amazing opportunities to meet new people, discover new things and thrive. Bring out the best in you by discovering the latest innovations that will put you ahead of the pack.

Life Without Limits

are your kids safe? the web can be dangerous for children

turn exercise into a game gadgets make exercise high-tech

top blog top Dogs bloggers who became millionaires

Tell Us YoUr insPiraTional sTorY

Inspire others with your personal story of change. Email us at info@thebestgroupinternational.co

#TheBestyou

21 CeNTURy LIVIINg: Nia JONes ST

are your kids safe? You wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let your children take candy from a stranger in the street but would you let them talk to them on the Internet? Nia Jones looks at how to keep your children safe on the world wide web ...

he Internet has become a major part of everyday life and because of the ubiquitous availability of Internet in homes, at schools and other public places; children are increasingly savvy in their use and understanding of the web. People use media within society and children are no exception. The Internet has a double-edged sword in regards to children using it; on the positive side it provides a plethora of opportunities for learning and research resources, new means of socialization and instant communication. But the negative aspects of the web can expose impressionable minds to potentially damaging content such as pornography, online gambling, hate sites, bullying, violent images and videos. But the most prevalent worry for parents regarding the internet seems to be the dark element of anonymity that makes it easier for predators to pose as children and engage in sexual grooming. We read horror stories 66 W W W.tHebestyOu.cO

every week in the media about vulnerable child being easily targeted and abused by an unknown adult or a group of adults. But there is also the danger of peer cyber-bullying and being duped by bogus organisations with a risk of revealing private information to criminals. governments and law enforcement agencies have been trying different methods of cracking down on cyber-criminals, inappropriate content and illegal activity. Legislation has been slow to arrive as policy-makers try to consider human rights as well as Internet security. Whatever the fears regarding the internet, it seems that it is here to stay and is destined to become a bigger part of our existence. There is light and shade in every medium, but education, common sense and awareness is the only way to go regarding internet dangers, the internet has brought plenty of good and the web is only a bad place when certain people use it badly. b

We read horror stories every week in the media about vulnerable child being easily targeted and abused by an unknown adult or a group of adults

Keeping Your Children Safe Using the Internet  Keep your computer in a communal area: Never in a child’s bedroom; it will be easier to monitor their computer usage if you are in the vicinity and gives the opportunity to intervene should any issues arise.

 Use a child-friendly search engine and web browsers: Find a search engines that gives the best results. Many allow you to restrict certain results, and you can protect these settings with a password.

 Monitor the computer’s history: Be aware of the websites, social networks and chat rooms your child is visiting and try to get a sense of who they are communicating with.

 Consider implementing parental controls: By going to Tools on your menu bar, selecting Internet options, choose the Content tab, and click the enable button under Content advisor.

 Learn about the Internet together: Consider internet activities that you can do as a family; allowing you to supervise your child's online activities while promoting safe computer habits.

 Looking into filtering technology: Filtering software can be helpful – but there is no fool proof system that beats parental supervision. There are server-based filtering options offered through your ISP and downloadable applications available online.

 Keep lines of communication open: Let your child know they can approach you with any concerns they have about using the internet, sensitive content or cyber bullying.

 Consider creating separate accounts: Most computer operating systems give you the option to create different user accounts for each family member. you can give your child their own account and monitor their amount of access.

Warn about dangers: Tell your child the truth about the dark side of the internet, but don’t frighten them unnecessarily. Make sure your child knows the boundaries of what is acceptable and what the consequences of internet recklessness could be.

Talk to other parents or teachers: Find out their tips for keeping their child safe and perhaps create a directory of appropriate children sites and passing them on to each other.

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#TheBestyou

21 CeNTURy LIVIINg: gaDgets ST

Turn Exercise into a Game oNCe UPoN a time, the humble analogue stopwatch was the highest form of technology used by athletes. Running around a track, checking the stopwatch and writing times in a notebook was pretty much as good as it got. Nowadays, you have plenty of options to encourage and motivate you on your way to fitness and better health. Check out these high-tech gadgets that make exercise more efficient, record your daily activity, chart your progress and much more! b

Motorola MotoacTV Fitness Tracker and Music Player This lightweight, wearable fitness performance tracker stores music so you can listen to your favourite tunes while you train. It also encourages you to train even harder, burn more calories and shatter your personal records by tracking your progress and storing your set goals. The device synchronises with your PC, allowing you to analyse and track your workouts. you can even determine which music has you performing at your best.

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nike+ sportwatch GPs with shoe sensor Nike has collaborated with TomTom to create this sports watch with gPS capabilities so that it can accurately track your running routes. The Nike+ SportWatch gPS is compatible with Polar products, so you can also monitor your heart rate if it's combined with a heart rate monitor. Nike's SportWatch uses gPS technology in tandem with a Nike+ shoe sensor, which is included in the box, to capture every step of your run, tracking your pace, distance, time and calories.

sportline 370 TraQ Pedometer The Sportline 370 TraQ pedometer accurately tracks steps and distance, and calculates calories burned. It's powered by an Infiniti Motion Sensor and functions in both imperial and metric standards. The 370 TraQ pedometer has a 7-day total workout memory recall, so you can monitor your progress. It also sets and tracks your daily and weekly goals.

Tanita aM-120 daily activity Monitor The Tanita aM-120 daily activity monitor displays how much energy you're expending, calories burnt and number of steps to encourage you to push yourself. you can also view a simple 24-hour graph of this information to ensure you're getting enough daily exercise. yours result are stored for 7 days, allowing you to track your progress over the week. you can carry the monitor in a shirt or trouser pocket or you could place it in your handbag so it won't get in your way.

Fitbit one, wireless activity and sleep Tracker The Fitbit one is a wireless activity and sleep tracker is with you every step of the way. It tracks your steps, distance, calories burned and stairs climbed throughout the day. During the night it continues to measure your sleep cycle helping you learn how to sleep better, and it wakes you in the morning.

Fitbit Zip, wireless activity Tracker

Polar FT80wd Heart rate Monitor This is designed to help you improve your strength and cardio training. The monitor can tailor an aerobic training programme for you, giving you weekly targets to work towards. The monitor displays your average and maximum heart rate after each session. It can also tell you how many calories you've burnt, allowing you to optimise each training session and achieve your fitness goals quickly.

The Zip wireless activity tracker lets you track your steps, distance and calories burned. It syncs the stats to your computer, iPhone 4s and iPhone 5. Zip celebrates how much more you do each day. Zip automatically syncs your information to PCs, Macs, the iPhone 4S, 5, iPod touch and the 3rd generation iPad. That means no buttons to push, no data to enter. Just real-time access to your stats and the Fitbit dashboard, 24/7.

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Have you got what it takes to be one of the

Top Blog Top dogs These bloggers have shown that writing about your daily thoughts can lead to big bucks and make you an huge player in your area of interest!

Pete Cashmore, www. mashable.com Mashable which focuses on digital media is a digital media marvel in itself getting millions of monthly page views and hundreds of thousands of followers and fans on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. Rumours are circulating that Cashmore is in talks with CNN to sell his baby for a reported $200m. Not bad for a blog Cashmore began from his home in aberdeen, Scotland, in 2005. Perez Hilton, perezhilton.com Mario armando Lavandeira Jr, aka Perez Hilton, started his bitchy blogging about celebrities as a hobby in the early 2000s. But the blog that brought Hilton fame now gets a very professional 300million hits a month and has seen the blogger himself become a star in his own right, including appearance in The Sopranos and glee.

Timothy Sykes, timothysykes.com Timothy Sykes is a stock market wunderkind, who is now a crusader against financial scams. He began blogging in 2007 and if his recent post, "Suck on This John Chow, My Blog Made $45,000 Last Month", is anything to go by – he does pretty well at it. He also features in his own TV reality series, Wall Street Warriors. John Chow, johnchow.com John Chow receives 200,000 users to his blog each day. He says he only ever worked at a job for a total of six month in his life and decided that work sucks. He is best known for showing the world how you can take a blog from earning zero to over US$40,000 a month in merely two years and only work two hours a day. ariana Huffington, The Huffington Post ariana Huffington was already a high-profile journalist when she launched her news blog in 2005, But she has shown that blogging can take on traditional media and win. Win in a big way – in 2011, aoL bought the Huffington Post for a reported US$315 million!