Your story counts

Your story counts

As an author of eight books, with nine and ten on the way, I now believe every person has a story that will impact lives and needs to be heard. I didn’t always believe that, and I feel like many people would say, just as I did, who would be interested in my story? No matter how average you feel your story is, it is inspiring to others, so I hope in this blog I will help you truly believe that your story counts.

I had one of the best days I have had in a while this week. It was a moment in time and an opportunity I am glad I took advantage of. Fred and Judy live in California, and I connected with Fred to help him write and publish his book, For the Least of These. In addition to being a client, we have become great friends. Judy and Fred love cruising, and this week, their cruise from San Franscisco ported in Melbourne for the day, on its way to end up in Sydney. This was an opportunity not to be missed.

So, at 9am, soon after the ship had ported, I picked up Fred and Judy, who had never been in Australia before, and we were on our way for a wonderful adventure. It was an adventure that Judy was not prepared for. Several weeks before the visit, Fred asked if I knew any radio stations that would be willing to interview him to help promote his new book. I thought about it, and called Eric, the announcer at Vision Christian Radio, who was very open to have Fred on as a guest. So, our first stop was about an hour out of Melbourne at the Vision radio station.

Just as Eric was getting things set up, he asked me if I thought Judy would be willing to share her story as well, as the station is very interested in people’s stories. I said, there is only one way to find out. So, Eric asked Judy, and he was met with a very firm, NO, this is Fred’s interview, not mine. Have you ever heard the saying that ‘no doesn’t always mean no’? This was one of those cases. Judy, who was convinced her story was not interesting and that she would not participate, soon found herself with a microphone in her face and sharing her story alongside Fred.

As I sat there listening to Fred and Judy share their stories; their achievements, their challenges, their faith journey, their romance, and their adventures, I was mesmerised. I knew that Judy sharing was the right move, and I knew many people would resonate and be impacted by both of their stories. It reinforced to me something I already believed, and that is, every story counts. Yes, even yours. I remember my mother’s response when I told her I was going to write a book about her. She had a very interesting life, including an inspirational and courageous 15-year battle with cancer, that eventually took her life. She said to me, Andrew, how many people would be interested in my life? My book Dance Until it Rains, was published in 2011, and I speak about my mother and her journey regularly. So, the answer to that question is I don’t know the exact number. I do know it is and has impacted lives all around the world and will continue to do so for many years to come.

My mother’s story counts, and your story counts. As I was trying to convince myself that writing my own book was a good idea all those years ago – and that took some work – I realised one thing. That thing was that there were some people who would only resonate with me, my experiences, my writing style, and my story. I knew in my heart my story would help some people. That has been reinforced many times, through emails, letters, and comments, since my first book was published in 2004. My story counts, and so does yours.

What does ‘your story counts’ mean? It means that you have the ability to relate, to empathise, to inspire, to empower, to give hope, to encourage, and to influence people by simply sharing your story. You don’t have to write a book to impact lives, you just have to be authentically you. No matter how mundane you feel your story may be, trust me, it will help people if you are just willing to share some or all of it. Through your vulnerability and authenticity, you will find purpose and help many people. My podcast this week is called Seven words or less with Ian Chamandy, and it is all about finding your purpose.

We all love stories, don’t we? We love fiction stories, autobiographies, movies, and just listening to people talk about their experiences. That being an indisputable fact, why not believe that your story has the power to engage, inspire, and empower people? Start today sharing your experiences and believe in your heart that your story really counts.

The magic you are seeking

The magic you are seeking

There is a song I love called ‘Magic’, and the whole premise of its message is that we all have the magic within us. It starts with the lyric; I’ve got the magic in me. We often spend much of our time seeking answers, opportunities, and magic outside of ourselves, when it really is inside of every one of us. Would you like to know how to unlock the magic you are seeking?

Have you ever set off in pursuit of achieving something, and found yourself not really progressing the way you would have hoped? In other words, stuck with your wheels spinning? Me too. As I reflect on these many occasions for me, it often took me a while to work out why, and when I discovered it and made some simple changes, the magic happened, and things came together. So, what was the magic?

When I started out in my speaking career, soon after getting my first book published, I knew, if I was to start getting paid speaking gigs, I had to make contacts and start to promote myself as a speaker. My only problem was one little detail: fear. I was so scared, at that time in my life, of rejection. So, the thought of picking up the phone and calling to set up meetings, or to discuss what I could speak about, terrified me. With that debilitating fear in my mind, I started doing everything else I could do to market myself, except picking up the phone.

I updated my website, I posted on social media, I sent out emails, I registered for speaking agents and websites, I wrote blogs, and did anything else I could think of that didn’t put me at risk of getting a direct rejection. Have a guess at the results I got from all of my efforts. If you didn’t guess, they were distinctly underwhelming. Why weren’t people responding to me? Why didn’t anyone see the incredible potential in me? Why weren’t people booking me for speaking opportunities? These and many other questions were racing through my mind.

As I was pondering my dilemma, I was also listening to a podcast about getting results, creating abundance, and impacting lives. As I was listening, the speaker made a statement that I didn’t like, but deep down I knew was true. I really knew I needed to pick up the phone, but it wasn’t until I heard this statement that I resolved to actually do it. The statement was: the magic you are seeking is in the work you are avoiding. Ouch! I think I need to repeat that in big bold letters for me as much as for you…

The magic you are seeking is in the work you are avoiding!

In other words, there is no magic. Everything I want is based on what I am willing to do, and if I leave out any part of the essential process then I will end up frustrated and lacking. So, after hearing that, I took my thumb out of my mouth, put my big boy pants on, and, trembling with fear, started making phone calls. Guess what happened. Yep, you guessed it, that very first day, I spoke to a gentleman who ran a business networking group, and he liked what I suggested. In less than two weeks from that call, I was standing on stage at the Crown Casino in Melbourne talking to several hundred people in his business group. That started my speaking journey, one which has taken me around Australia and the world.

The magic was most definitely in the work I was avoiding. As soon as I started doing the uncomfortable and necessary work, the results started coming abundantly. It seemed like magic, but there was no magic in it at all. I stopped avoiding and did what I needed to do. So, now here comes the uncomfortable part of the blog for you. What are you avoiding right now that will bring the magic into your life if you were to take action? A tough question to answer, and an important decision to make. Essential however, if you want the magic to appear and create the life you desire.

As you are reading this, I know you are thinking about a particular area of your life that is currently lacking the magic. I also know that you know what work you are avoiding that would immediately change things for you, if you were to just start applying. I can tell you from my experience, making the calls was nowhere near as scary about thinking about and avoiding the calls. And, the results were worlds apart and will be for you if you choose to do the work you have been avoiding.

In my podcast this week with Ian Westmoreland called Use your strengths, I was so inspired by the courage Ian took to find meaning, purpose, and joy in his life. The magic he was seeking appeared the moment he made the decision to start doing what he needed to do. The same will be true for you. Please spend some time looking at what you are currently avoiding and imagining the magic that will appear as soon as you start doing it. Is it worth it? You will only know when you do it. Trust me, the magic is waiting there for you.

The Aha moment

The Aha moment

As I publish this blog, there is only one week to go before 2023 ends. It has been a year of joyful wonders, adventures, lessons, fun, laughter, tears, challenges, connections, achievements, experiences, breakthroughs, and aha moments. For me anyway, and I am assuming the same for you. As I think back, there is one particular aha moment that will impact me forever more, and as I share it with you, I hope it helps you reflect on your own.

This is a story I have written about this year, so my apologies if you have heard it, however, I believe it’s absolutely worth repeating. Some of the greatest awakenings and fulfilling moments for me this year have been the result of my experiences interacting with the homeless community. I had incredible fear before making the decision to help my friend Kate who is doing amazing work and had been trying to convince me for some time to come and help her feed the homeless. Finally, I did, and the fear was real. It was fear of what to say, fear of what to do, but mostly it was fear of not being able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these people.

Very quickly I realised that these people didn’t need extraordinary gestures of time or money, they just wanted to feel important. Incredibly, the strength of that message didn’t really hit home until an experience a few days later. I was walking home from an errand, and in a bit of a hurry to get to my destination before my next Zoom meeting. As I was striding up the road, I was approached by a man who may have been homeless, but certainly seemed a little lost. He said hi, and I responded. He started walking with me, which if I am being honest, started worrying me a little. He asked me what my name was, where I lived, and tried to start a conversation. I was polite but guarded, as you can imagine.

When he asked me what I did, I told him I did many things to help people, including writing books. As we were walking, and as I couldn’t seem to shake him, this is how the conversation went from that point;

“What kind of books do you write?” He asked.

“Self-help and personal growth books.” I replied.

“I need to read one of your books.” He stated.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

“Because I need help. I am 50 years old, have a dead-end job, and I am a loser.” He declared.

With that statement, God spoke to me. I knew I needed to stop walking and actually connect with this man. As I looked at him, he struggled to look at me eye-to-eye, and I asked him his name.

“My name is Mark.” He replied.

“Mark”, I said, “can you please wait here for a moment?

As I was speaking to him, we had reached a corner where I would turn to get to my home. I didn’t want him to follow me any further, but I did want to get something for him. He agreed to wait, and I went home and got him a copy of my book TEARS of Joy. A few minutes later, I was walking back to give him a copy of my book, proud of myself for such a kind gesture. As I approached him, he looked at me with a surprised look on his face, and the next words that came out of his mouth provided the aha moment that changed my life forever.

He said to me, with genuine surprise, relief, and hope in his voice, “You came back!”

In that moment, it made sense. In that moment, I recognised what all people want most, no matter their circumstances in life. In that moment, I realised that we all just want to be noticed, feel important, and feel worthy of coming back for. I had made Mark’s day. Not because of who I am or how I spoke to him. Not because of the book I gave him. Not because of the short conversation we had. But because I saw him as someone who I would come back for. It was the greatest aha moment I had this year. In fact, it may be the greatest aha moment I have ever had.

Ever since that time, back in January this year, I have treated people – all people – differently. I have made every effort to pay attention, take notice, say hi, and just help them to feel that they are valued, worthy, and important. That one aha moment has made such a difference to me and my life. My question to you is, what was your greatest aha moment in 2023? How did it happen? How did it change you? What has happened as a result? I would love to hear from you, if you would like to share.

In my podcast this week called Better or bitter, Tracy Herbert talks about her own aha moment and how it transformed her life. At the age of 17 she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and told she would not live for more than 20 years and would suffer for her whole life. In that moment, she decided to take control, and now at the age of 64, not only has she outlived her life expectancy by 27 years, she is living a life of joy and purpose.

With the right perspective, 2023 is a year full of treasures just for you. All you need to do is sift through it and you will discover an abundance of gifts, opportunities, lessons, and moments that can, and I hope have changed your life. Find the one significant aha moment for 2023 today.

The greatest nation

The greatest nation

I live in Australia, and I am proud to be an Aussie. There are issues here for sure, as there are in every country, however, I love my home, I love the people, and I love this nation. Would I say it’s the greatest nation? No, I wouldn’t. So, what is? Is it the USA? Many people would argue it is. Maybe it’s China, or Italy, or the many other nations that exist on this wonderful planet. I don’t believe any of them are the greatest. Are you ready to find out what is the greatest nation?

In my mind, the greatest nation is in my mind. And it is in the mind of every person on the planet. This nation has the capability of creating anything. This nation has the ability to totally change someone’s circumstances. This nation defies logic and generates potential and possibility. In fact, it is in this nation that almost everything you experience on a daily basis began. It is a magical nation, it is a nation without limits, it is your nation, and it is my nation. It is by far the greatest nation. It is imagination.

Everything you are currently experiencing in your life, at this moment in time, is the result of your imagination. So, the most important question I want to ask you is, are you using your imagination to lift you, transform you, create great things, and impact many lives, or are you using it to destroy any and all chances of your best life? I hate saying this because it condemns all of us, but if we are not enjoying the life we want, then we are responsible. It stings a little, doesn’t it? What you imagine and what you think about comes about. So, if you are not loving your life, are you ready to start loving it? If you said yes to that, then let’s put the greatest nation to work.

Remember as a child how you imagined great things for your life? Do you remember imagining you could fly, or you were a superhero defending the world from monsters the size of the Empire State Building? As a child, I imagined being a famous Australian Footballer. Many times, my imagination transformed my living room into the Melbourne Cricket Ground with 100,000 screaming fans, a pair of socks or a balloon into a football, and me into the greatest footballer of all time. Little did I know, just a few short years later, I would be invited to train at a professional football club at the age of 16 years old that would lead to a seven-year professional football experience.

It is incredible to think that the phone you are using, the computer you are on, the home you are in, the TV you watch, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, the books you read, the music you listen to, the movies you love and most other things you experience at one point did not exist. They started in the greatest nation of all, the imagination. That being the case, what is possible for you to not just imagine, but create in your own life. It has to start in your imagination. Unless you can imagine it, you will never have it. So, now is the time to let your imagination run wild.

For me, logic has never had a place in my imagination. If it had, I would never have played professional sport, become a best-selling author, or manifested many other things I am proud and blessed to have created in my life. Once my imagination had done its job, visualising what I wanted, no matter how illogical it seemed, then I applied logic into the process of bringing the product of my imagination to reality. You see, what you think about, you will bring about, so it’s important to imagine and think about the great things you want in your life.

I was listening to an audio the other day talking about the power of the greatest nation. In it, the speaker used an example of a basketball team struggling to convert free throws into scores. The coach decided to try a different tactic. Rather than getting the players on the court throwing free throws, he got them to sit in the stands and simply imagine that they were throwing free throws and hitting them every time. They hit 100 free throws in their minds each day for the next week, and when they played their next game their conversion rate more than doubled. That’s the power of the greatest nation. In my podcast this week called, Have a crack, I speak with Pablo Miller about his wonderful life of adventure. His latest project started by imagining becoming Mayor of his town in Western Australia, and now he is in the process of making it a reality.

It’s now over to you. You can sit and think about what you don’t have, what you don’t want, and what you don’t like, and guess what? You will keep getting it. When you harness the power of your imagination and start visualising what you want, then get into action, you will be amazed at what you can create. Start living in the positive dominion of the greatest nation today.

Bear witness to the wonderful you

Bear witness to the wonderful you

Our greatest asset and our biggest liability are one and the same thing. It’s our thinking. Just as quickly as we can be presented with a flash of inspiration and possibility, we can talk ourselves out of it. Have you ever heard yourself use the phrase, I would love to, but…? That is exactly what I am talking about, all-in-one sentence; possibility on one hand, and limitations on the other. This is why we need to stop thinking and start bearing witness to the potential each one of us has.

I had one of the most wonderful experiences last week. After a visit with my dad and his partner, I was inspired to visit The Lume, in Melbourne. OMG. There is no way I could possibly try to describe it in any way that would possibly do it any credit at all. Let me try as well as I can, with the help of their website; The Lume is a purpose-built space to seamlessly animate art at such a jaw-dropping scale. Much more than a simple exhibition space, THE LUME Melbourne’s state-of-the-art design combines sights, sounds, tastes, and aromas to give visitors a unique chance to enter into the world of the artist.

The show was called Monet and Friends and showcased the works of Claude Monet and all the French Impressionists of the era. The uniqueness of this exhibition, if that’s what you could call it, is that the artwork was dynamically projected on the walls, the floors, and the ceilings. It was accompanied by animations, music, and sounds that elevated it to a whole different level of immersive experience. It was mind-blowing. On entry, there was a quote projected on the wall by Monet that read:

“All I did was look at what the universe showed me to let my brush bear witness to it”.

In other words, he saw the beauty that was all around him, and he just let the art flow freely through him to his brush and onto the canvas. He didn’t plan it, he didn’t overthink it, he didn’t reason it, and he didn’t even necessarily visualise it. He felt it and then just allowed it to emerge as he bore witness to it. This is artwork that has spanned the globe and delighted people for centuries. It wasn’t planned and it wasn’t considered, it was felt, and it just flowed.

This may sound ethereal, but this quote impacted me in a big way, and I believe there is something here for all of us, if we can understand what it is truly saying. What I take from it is that I already have everything I need inside me. I have the answers, I have the inspiration, I have the courage, I have the potential, and I have the capacity, so all I need to do is let the life I live bear witness to it. You may be asking, what the &$#@ is he talking about? I will let Michelangelo, another famous artist, answer that question.

After many years of sculpting the magnificent Statue of David, Michelangelo was asked how he did it. He answered, “I saw the angel in the marble, and I carved until I set him free”. How do these artists just get it? They have been able to remove logic from creation. This I believe to be one of the greatest keys to success, joy, and happiness in life. It is about feelings, not formulae. It’s about intuition, not intelligence. It’s about faith, not facts. It’s about trust, not theory.

No matter what you may be aspiring to, whether it be better health, stronger relationships, greater impact, career growth, financial stability, or something else, you just need to know, you already have all the answers and capability. All you need to do is start moving intuitively, divinely, and passionately and let the results you get in life bear witness to the potential you have been born with. The bottom-line is that you are good enough, just as you are.

In my fabulous podcast this week with Mark & Monica Sandercock, called, The power of a hug, I was so inspired about the relationship they have built through many challenges and the impact they are now having on many lives. It was not logic but love that allowed Monica to hug Mark after he revealed a very disturbing secret. It was that hug that bore witness to the beautiful relationship which then blossomed.

As I read back through this blog, I find it hard to believe that I wrote it. How does a footballer write this kind of stuff. The answer is simple. As I was inspired by Monet, my fingers on the keyboard bore witness to it. The stereotypes that we all have had thrust upon us by society, conditioning, and generations are no match for what is inside every single person. When we take our eyes off everyone else and put them on God and the universe, and just be lead, we can then move into the creation of a life that bears witness to the amazing person you were born to be.

In pursuit of shoes

In pursuit of shoes

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog called, The courage to know. In that blog, I discussed my first experience, with my friend Kate, connecting with and feeding homeless in Melbourne. It was confronting, perspective building, and necessary. Why do I say necessary? Because, as a man who claims to have a heart for others, I needed to know the truth. I also needed to try to work out how I could do something that would have any kind of impact on the lives of these people. This leads me into this week’s blog and the next instalment of the journey, as I went in pursuit of shoes.

For days after my first experience with the homeless I was agitated. I was trying to work out if and how I could do something. I was confronted by the alarming amount of homeless people and even more distressed by how they were treated by many people, and ashamed to admit even by me up until that moment. I would walk past homeless people, shift my eyes to pretend I didn’t see them, and then bury my head in the sand to the reality of so many lives. In other words, I was treating them as less than human. Yes, I am ashamed. All of a sudden, I knew the truth, and now I want to do something, but what?

My initial thought was to see if I could get a couple of them to talk with me on a podcast to tell their story, so we could create some awareness and hopefully some positive action. I was excited about my idea, and I rang Kate, who was also very positive about it. So, last Wednesday evening I again went into the city to help out, and to see if I could find a couple of people willing to talk to me. I had my podcast gear, but very quickly realised it was not going to be easy to get these people to share with me. There was a key ingredient missing. These people didn’t know me or trust me, and why would they? So, I aborted my plan to interview anyone and decided to connect with them instead.

I met a man named Justin, said hello and he started talking to me. It was very noisy in that room, with over 100 people talking, food being served, Christmas carols being sung, and so hearing Justin, who was very soft spoken, was difficult. I sat down next to him, pulled my chair closer, and leaned in so I could hear him. I still only got half of what he was telling me, but it was enough to be incredibly distressing, to say the least. The injuries he had incurred from being beaten, the inhumane way he and his mentally ill girlfriend had been treated by the authorities, and the miserable existence he was experiencing broke my heart. I simply asked him, what do you need? He looked at me, looked down at his ragged shoes and said, I just need some shoes that will keep out the wet.

From that moment, I was on a mission. I am the type of person who, when I get a bee-in-my-bonnet about something, I am one-eyed. So, I went to the clothes supply area to see if they had any shoes that would fit Justin. He was a size 11-12, but after a thorough search the largest size they had was 10.5, which just didn’t fit, no matter how hard he tried. I kicked myself because I knew I had a pair of shoes at home that would have fit him that I never wear anymore, but I just didn’t have time to go home and get them and bring them back. My mind was racing, what can I do?

Then I thought, I am in the city, there must be a place open I can go and buy shoes from. It was about 6pm on a Wednesday night, and time was limited, and now the rain was starting to fall. Out I went, and for the next 20-30 mins I looked everywhere, but could not find a store open. Then, as the rain was getting heavier, and I was getting drenched, I saw an Aldi. I was sure they would have shoes there, so I sprinted there to check it out. I searched high and low, I went up and down each isle multiple times, I asked one of the employees to check the back, but all to no avail. I had to head back with no shoes, and I was devastated. I really wanted to make a difference for this man, and I felt like I had failed.

When I got back, he was outside just about to leave to go to who-knows-where to spend the night. I was saturated and I apologised to him that I was unable to find him shoes. He was incredibly gracious, understanding, and actually just really grateful that someone would go to that effort for him. Then, I did something you should never do. I gave him some cash to buy some shoes. Did he? I don’t know, but I had to feel like I was making a difference for this man. He shook my hand, he said thank you, and went off to spend his night in the inclement Melbourne weather. I walked away with mixed emotions and a fresh perspective.

So, what’s the point? It is not about shoes, and it’s not about money. I was so busy trying to find the shoes, and then ease my own guilt that I had failed by giving him money, I missed the point until he walked away. Justin would have survived without the shoes and the money, all he wanted was someone to care enough about him to do something. It was the effort and intention that mattered, not the outcome. What a powerful lesson for me, and hopefully for you. When you feel like you are not getting the result you want for yourself or others, you just need to be proud of the effort. I have heard it so many times, but this experience really reinforced it, that people don’t care about how much you know, they just want to know that you care. It was being in pursuit of the shoes that Justin realised that I cared enough to go to that effort for him. For that I feel wonderful.

Just remember everyone is human, everyone has a story, and everyone needs to feel special. This was again reinforced to me in my podcast with Flic Manning, called All day wellbeing, as she spoke about her day-to-day struggle with chronic illness. In your pursuit of shoes this week, just know that it is the intention of the pursuit which means so much more than the outcome. When you make an effort for others, it will mean so much more than the material gain that may come as a result of that effort. Enjoy your pursuit today.