I am doing the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge

Hey all,

I hope your doing well and enjoying life.

Recently I have caught the adventure bug! No, this isn’t another quest to gallivant through the pubs of Eastern Europe or explore the ‘wonders’ of South America. It is in fact the desire to explore the fruits of our very own backyard: Tasmania.

In fact this Tasmanian experience will encompass 250kms of pain and pure beauty. This endeavour requires of me to mountain bike, trek, kayak, abseil and white water raft through rain forests and over mountains for five days. Immediately, I know you may think this is a crazy man’s idea of a good time. But I disagree!

The Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge was inspired by the Australian Formula One driver with a dream to create an event that combined his love of keeping fit in the great outdoors, and raising funds for Australian charity organisations.

www.markwebberchallenge.com

Therefore, instead of shaving my head, growing a moe or whatever other inspiring things people do to contribute to the community, I thought I would do something I would love (and probably hate sometimes).

As a consequence I will be competing in the ‘2theXtreme Cup’ with my cousin, Derek Collins, and to ensure we get to the start line, I am striking up some courage and asking for your assistance.
Most of us have probably been touched by some form of cancer amongst family and friends. So the best part about the entry fee is that it all goes to the Leukaemia Foundation. Funds also will go to the Save the Tassie Devil Appeal.

Consequently we require approximately $15,000 to get ourselves to Tasmania and to enter the event. Derek and I have already kicked in $2,000 each, so we only have $11,000 left to raise.
Whether you would like to personally sponsor our cause, provide corporate sponsorship, or know of other avenues we may be able to exercise which will assist, please let me know.

In the next two weeks I will be posting further information highlighting how you can formally get on board and share the journey with us!

Kind regards, Nathan

Personal Branding

Hi all,

Just want to let you in on an activity I did last week and have greatly benefited from. It proved an interesting and confronting experience for me, but one worthwhile.

Personal branding is unavoidable. As others interact with you, they’ll automatically form mental associations that connect you with certain labels, often within the first few seconds. You can’t avoid being labeled, and other people can’t avoid labeling you. It happens automatically because our brains are wired to recognize patterns and form associations. The labels people attach to you become part of your personal brand.

From my reading, it is evident that becoming aware of how others see you helps you identify blind spots within yourself. Then you can work on those blind spots to help you become more internally congruent.

So what I did, was send an email to my family, friends and colleagues. I asked them to reply with only 3 adjectives that described their perception of me. The result was a mix of responses, but the main themes that emerged was that I am determined, focused, committed, dedicated, genuine and sincere, friendly and enthusiastic.

These are all labels or brands, I am comfortable with and I hoped to hear. However, it is expected that your internal brand and your external brand will not completely coincide, and that’s OK. Any incongruencies can create interesting interactions that help you grow in unexpected ways.

For example, I was also branded with terms such as shy, nervous, and naive. Although these may be interpreted positively or negatively, it confirmed what I have been feeling and not totally comfortable with. These are things I will be working on for my personal development. Please feel free to let me know how I am going with these brands at some stage.

I believe personal branding has a lot to teach us about personal growth. It’s a rich place to explore. Although it is daunting, I encourage you to try this exercise with your friends, family, colleagues and coworkers. Ask everyone to describe you with 3 adjectives. I promise you will learn a great deal from it.

Feel free to ask me any questions or let me know about your outcomes if you try this activity.

Cheers,
Nathan

Coaching and Effective Leadership

Does effective leadership involve coaching?

I believe coaching is an important element of effective leadership. Coaching involves demonstrating what can be achieved, providing constructive feedback and importantly, offers critical support and encouragement for personal growth and development.

Let me know your thoughts and views.

Regards,
Nathan

Personal development

Ask me a question about personal development or tell me about your personal journey?

Many of us are striving to improve ourselves and make the most of our lives. However, with the presence of the current "information age", I tend to become overwhelmed at times and lose focus of what I want to really achieve. I continually use self-awareness and reflection to get back on track.

Please tell me about your personal journey, what strategies you have in place to stay focussed or ask me a question about personal development.

Regards,
Nathan