1-2-3 Sundays: Basics, Group Values & A New Coffee Shop

1 Theme

The Best Week In Months

My focus has been on has been on going back to basics this week.

• A rough idea of where nutrition is at, allowing me to screw the nut for a few weeks and tighten it up.
• High level of movement every day (~12000 steps average)
• Sleep - phone down at half 8 and in bed for 9pm with my book and getting 8 hours of sleep.

I've generated momentum for myself by doing so. Each morning, I've woke up feeling refreshed and recovered.

I'm going after what Sir Ian McGeechan calls "world-class basics" and Warren Gatland "be the best at everything that requires no talent" - the simple stuff.

2 Positive Outcomes

Ready For Momentum

What a f*cking day.

Over 30 people in a room at the DoubleTree Hilton ready to invest in themselves.

New connections were made and a tonne of value was delivered.

This event was about opening your eyes to the possibilities and the potential you have.

From a personal point of view, I didn't imagine myself standing up and speaking at events at the beginning of the year.

It's the community that makes it.

Getting Weathered

It's getting to that time of year.

The darker mornings are here.

I ran on Thursday morning and I was a bit of a swap since the last time I ran while in Tenerife.

Cold, dark, wet and windy.

Running around half of Battery Park with the worst headwind imaginable while trying to do hard and fast intervals is not fun.

Starting while it's dark and visibility isn't great makes it even more challenging.

However, it calluses you mentally.

Doing these runs outside in the elements will be more beneficial than on the treadmill in a warm gym.  

3 Learnings

What Your Inner Circle Values

There's a quote that goes something like you're the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

However, I believe it's more like you begin to value what the people you spend most time with also value.

An example would be in the film Trainspotting (spoilers if you haven't seen it).

Tommy doesn't take drugs despite being surrounded by addiction in the rest of the group. When he splits up with Lizzy he becomes depressed and decides to try heroin for the first time. This ultimately leads to him also becoming addicted and his death.

Had he not been surrounded by what his friends valued and acted like, there's probably a good chance he wouldn't have even tried it never mind become addicted.

The point here is if you're surrounded by people who have positive values, you're more likely to also value that.

This was a theme at the event on Saturday.

People who all value improving their lives, those around them and genuinely striving for a better quality of life.

It made me further realise the power of getting into rooms like this.    

Use Your Driving Time More Effectively

Listening to the radio is pointless.

You have to listen to nonsense patter, rubbish songs and the news every hour (why?).

This is your time which is why listening to your own music, podcast, audiobook is a better use of the time.

An even better thing to do is to phone someone.

Having an actual conversation is way more connecting than simply messaging them.

Try it out next time you're driving.

A Contender For My New Favourite Coffee Shop

Base Coffee, Gourock.

I've been driving by this place for a few weeks now on my way to work and thought about going in.

On Wednesday, I dropped in at lunch to try it out.

I'm impressed.

It means Costa isn't the only coffee shop open before 8am now on my commute.

As we get further into the year, I've decided to do a new challenge however the premise will stay the same.  

Stay tuned to find out what 👀

You can donate to my JustGiving here.