Comments (2)

By Phil, June 24, 2009 11:28 am

Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, OBE is the world’s greatest living adventurer according to the Guinness Book of Records.  Fiennes has visited both Poles on foot, circumnavigated the globe, run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days (at the age of 61), and this year climbed Mount Everest at the age of 65.  He continues to find and achieve the extraordinary despite undergoing heart bypass surgery five years ago and having lost the ends of several fingers to frostbite (legend has it he amputated the ends himself in his shed with an electric saw).  So what are the secrets of this extraordinary adventurer?

 1.     Have a vision

Fiennes is a visionary.  He conceives astounding feats and then sets his mind to achieving them.  He has built a life and career doing the extraordinary.  Fiennes does not limit his thinking or ambition and truly believes everything is possible.  Once a vision is fully formed, he starts finding a way to make it happen.

 2.     Plan carefully

Prince Charles has sponsored several of his expeditions and described his circumnavigation of the globe as “a mad and suitably British enterprise.”  Fiennes disagrees and outlines the importance of meticulous planning, preparation and practice, adding ”These expeditions are very carefully planned and entirely feasible. Now if you were talking about, I don’t know, hopping to the south pole on a pogo stick – that would be mad. But not what I do.”

Fiennes devotes enormous amounts of time working on his mental attitude and developing his physical abilities to allow him to successfully achieve the extraordinary.  He gets the very best support teams and equipment to give him the best chance of success.  His planning is second to none in the world of exploring.

 3.     Face your Fears

Fiennes had never undertaken mountaineering until his late 50s due to vertigo and “a morbid fear of heights”.  During his life he has faced many of our most common fears head on: fear of failure, fear of isolation, fear of death.  His example in climbing the world’s highest mountain shows what is possible when you don’t let your fears hold you back from taking on new challenges and extending your comfort zone.

 4.     Keep on Trudging

During his recent Everest expedition Fiennes was asked what kept him going.  He simply replied “I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and trudging forward, thinking that there is no end point to the journey”.  Fiennes’ fierce determination comes from living in the moment rather than fixating on the end goal.

 5.     Never Give Up

Fiennes had two aborted attempts at Everest before finally conquering the peak.  In 2005 on his second attempt, Fiennes suffered a minor heart attack during his ascent.  He refused to see these attempts as failure and spoke of his “bull-headed determination” being key to finally completing a successful attempt.

 6.     Inspire others

Fiennes expeditions are all designed to support charitable organisations.  He pushes himself to help others less fortunate than himself, raising millions for good causes.  Fiennes is also a highly-sought after motivational speaker and shares his experiences with thousands of people every year.  Fiennes achievements are bigger than his own personal glory and this drives him to push on where others might give up.

So what can you learn from Sir Ranulph Twistleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, OBE?

• Create your vision – what is your next extraordinary project or achievement?  Don’t box yourself in or limit your ambition.
• Plan carefully – take the time to prepare properly – what skills do you need to develop, who can support you, what are your specific goals?
• Face your fears – what thoughts and fears might stop you?  How can you overcome them?  The right mental attitude is essential to increase your chances of success.
• Keep on Trudging – Stay in the present and focus on the next step rather than fixating on the end point.  Give each small step your full focus.
• Never give up – an unsuccessful attempt is not a failure.  Take time to work out what you learnt and what you’ll do differently next time.
• Inspire others – share your vision and achievements with others and inspire them to do the extraordinary.

Comments (0)

By Phil, June 15, 2009 4:09 pm

Reading Time: 1 minute and 30 seconds                      

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.  Last week, Central London was in the grip of a Tube strike with stressed out commuters everywhere.  Between meetings I found myself in Pret à Manger a big sandwich shop in Covent Garden and a regular hang out for tourists and ne’er-do-wells such as myself.  To be fair I had made my sandwich last way too long, and my chair was developing permanent grooves from my occupation.  Out of the blue, a smiling team member approached me and I have to admit I thought he was going to ask me to leave and clear space for a real customer.

With a grin he asked, “would you like a tea or coffee sir?”.  “Ahh, I get it, time to pay up or get out ,“ I thought to myself.   “Oh no, sir – we just want to show appreciation for our customers – this one is on us” he replied.  This was a small, unexpected gesture that meant lot on such a tough day.  I’ve always been a fan of Pret à Manger, and now I’ll be back there regularly.

Sometimes it is the smallest gestures that are the most appreciated and most extraordinary.   These little things show you going beyond the ordinary and really caring about someone else.  So how can you do this in your life?

1. Over-delivering 

Over-delivering your promises is one way to create lasting relationships and have people coming back to you time and again.  Think about what you can do to show appreciation to your clients, your customers, your employees, team-mates and colleagues.   A courtesy phone-call, a note, or a free offer can all make a big impact.  Determine what can make you really stand out – and deliver it.

2. The Unexpected

Equally importantly, doing something unexpected for someone can create huge loyalty.  An unbidden good turn creates a real sense of surprise and also a deeper sense of obligation.  Reciprocation is one of the unwritten rules which underpins society.  You may be surprised at the returns that your unexpected good turn may bring.  Giving unexpectedly is a way to show you are exceptional and to create strong and long relationships with others.

So, do sweat the small stuff.  Pay special attention to the most important people in your life, career and business.  Think of the little ways to surpass their expectations and keep surprising them with how exceptional you are.  A free coffee really can go a long way.

Comments (0)

By Phil, June 5, 2009 2:58 pm

Its nearly the weekend Extraordinary readers! Take some inspiration this weekend by surprising someone special in your life with a call, flowers, a date, doing something new and fun.

Comments (0)

By Phil, June 3, 2009 12:39 pm

Purple Cow

Extraordinary Passion – Find your Purple Cow           

Reading Time – 2 minutes 45 seconds

What on earth does a Purple Cow have to do with being exceptional?  This question came up on a recent visit to the Business Start Up Show in London last week.  The place was rammed with stalls trying to sell every product and service under the sun.  Yet only one or two stands really stood out from the crowd. 

What was the difference?  These stands were engagingly put together, with a clear and consistent brand message and manned by passionate people who loved what they did.  They were vibrant, energetic and had the X Factor.  This experience reminded me of the book Purple Cow by Seth Godin.

Seth Godin is a marketing guru and blogger from California (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/).  His book The Purple Cow focuses on the importance of companies being remarkable.  The theory was conceived driving through France, where Godin saw thousands of regular black and white cows.  Suddenly, Godin saw an advert for Milka Chocolate with a Purple Cow and his attention was grabbed by something remarkable and different. 

With seven billion people on the planet, we face stiff competition for every job and opportunity.  Godin’s point is that you need to create a personal or corporate brand that captures the attention of your desired employer or customer.  The brand must reflect who you are , your passion and be truly memorable.  Purple Cows get your ideal customer, colleague or employer salivating with excitement – they want to meet you, buy from you, hire you.

So how do you find YOUR Purple Cow?

1) Purple Cows have energy and excitement.  Finding and doing what you are passionate about makes you stand out.  I met some salespeople at the show who could barely stifle a yawn as they told me about their “amazing” services.  When you meet someone who loves what they do, their passion is truly infectious and memorable.  Purple Cows have Passion!

2) Purple Cows stand out from the crowd.  What can you do that goes above and beyond expectations? Showing creativity, tenacity and a will to exceed expectations will mark you out and make others want to have you around.  Think about your most memorable service experience (at a restaurant, on an airline, at a bank) and how that made you feel.  What made it stand out in your mind so you still remember it?  Standing out from the crowd consistently will create an aura and be part of your Purple Cow.

3) Purple Cows are consistent.  They have an eye-catching appeal and continually deliver the same message.  What is your key message to the world?  Repeat it over and over again in a consistent manner.  Milka have used the same Purple Cow for decades to promote their product, and everything they do is coloured purple.  They even went so far as to paint cows purple for an advertising stunt in Paris (see inset picture).  Being consistent and persistent will burn your brand onto people’s memories and allow you to be remarkable.

Exercise – Find your Purple Cow

• What are you passionate about?
• What do you want to tell the world about you?
• What is your Purple Cow – how do you tell the world in a way that they will remember?
• What are the first steps to creating your Purple Cow?

Finding your Purple Cow is a major way to start building an extraordinary life and business.  Your Purple Cow will make you stand out from the competition, give you an edge in promoting yourself and make you plain remarkable.  We’d love to hear your comments on your Purple Cow  and how you tell the world about it.

Comments (0)

By Phil, May 28, 2009 10:08 am

Reading time : 2 minutes 15 seconds

What do the following people have in common? Mahatma Gandhi helping to bring about an independent Indian state and my friend Gareth who ran the London Marathon for the Alzheimer Research Charity? The answer is that they have both done extraordinary things that surpassed their expectations of what was possible. What allowed these amazing people to be successful? One key part of the answer is their absolute commitment to achieving their vision.

Commitment means dedicating time and energy to a purpose or goal. Commitment requires focus, determination, overcoming setbacks and boundless enthusiasm. It requires springing out of bed on a cold January morning to pound the pavements in the rain. It involves risking your own life and liberty for a cause you believe in. Committing 100% is not a magic bullet for success, however it means never stopping in pursuit of a goal and that makes success much more likely.

Commitment is underpinned by having a clear set of beliefs and values and sticking to them. Gareth was driven on through his tough training and the 26 miles by the importance of the cause to his family and by the commitment he made to his sponsors. Gandhi believed in equality, justice and civil rights for all and this drove his actions with absolute conviction. These underlying values provide the motivation and energy that fuel the boundless pursuit of success.

Take a moment to think about your life right now and ask your self these questions:

• What are you using your time, energy and amazing talents on?
• Which three areas are most important to you?
• What are the values or beliefs that make each area so important to you?
• For each important area of your life, how committed are you at the moment (on a scale of 1% to 100%)?
• What would it look or feel like to increase your commitment by 5% to 10% in each area?
• What is the first thing that you could do differently to increase your commitment level?

You have the potential to be extraordinary in every part of your life and commitment is the fuel to fulfil this potential. Commit to making the changes you identified in at least one area of your life for the next month and see what difference that commitment can make.