May Done

Well, it is mid June, and I have done the May challenge, which was quite inspiring, and I highly recommend it. It was what some people might call 'a weird one' - and I accept that, but it is quite amazing to really be thinking and planning your future. As a reminder, my monthly challenge for May was to go to an entertainment centre or theatre and write myself a cheque for $1M - what I want to earn each year from public speaking work (I don't currently, by the way - it is my dream to be an international speaker - and working towards it). Yep, a bit bizarre, but the story of Jim Carey always inspired me, as he did the same thing in Hollywood when he was out of work, and before his career sky rocketed.

Go to www.antonguinea.com.au for more info on my motivational work, if you want it.

In all honesty, it was a powerful experience, to commit to working towards future goals, to put something into my future that will be a life changer. Anyway, it was empowering, and I recommend something similar to people. May ... done.

June's challenge is a simple one - sell something on EBay - which I have not done before. We have heaps of stuff that could be sold eventually, so it is a matter of getting started and just doing it. The photos are taken, there is still heaps of time left in the month and it should not be a problem. The item is my wife's old push bike helmet.

So, what will July be. Not sure yet.

With the yearly 101 things to do list, one of the things on the list is to learn something new. That was going to be to learn to surf. I think that might still be a good thing to do, but something else that I am going to learn this year, is how to be a personal trainer. Yep, Certificate IV in Personal Training. I have always wanted to do it. As well as that, I want to learn to teach the Les Mills classes in Gyms (like Body Balance, Pump, Body Attack etc). That is also on the hit list for this year, too, now.

This is great doing 101 things all the time. It is all about doing something new, regularly. Great fun.

May - Missed it

Heaps of news for this edition of the blog, some good, some not so great. Let's start with the not so great first.

See, the reason that I do this blog is to keep me honest, and keep me achieving things that I would not usually do. Great idea. To that end, I have three lists, one is the 101 things to do in life list (high level), I have a 10 things to do in 2010 list (mid level), then I have one thing to do each month (low level). Occasionally (more so this year, I have ticked off some of the 101 things - actually about half a dozen so far, so that is good. I have done about a third of this year's list - going well. But, in May, for the first time this year, I missed the monthly thing to do. Bummer. It was to visit an entertainment centre, or similar, and write myself a cheque for one million dollars (like Jim Carey did, when he was a struggling actor) for the motivational speaking work that I do. I got slack and did not do that in May. I will carry it over to June.

For June, I have come up with something simple, and that is to 'sell some stuff on eBay'. I have never done that, and it has always been on my to do list. It is time, I reckon, to do it. Nothing major, but something. It can't be that hard. And, I will make a little cash on the side. Not sure what to sell, as yet, but hey, it is something new and different.

The other thing that I have changed is - as well as learning to surf this year - which is one of the things on my yearly list, I am going to learn to be a Personal Trainer, and even learn how to be a fitness instructor of Les Mills fitness classes. Sounds like fun, hey. Will keep you informed.

So, in short, missed May, will make it up, will sell something on eay in June, and become a PT and fitness instructor in 2010. Very exciting.

Another one down

Well, that is another one done. And, thank god it is over. I have completed an endurance event - my first 100k ultra marathon.

In the end, it turned out to be a 30k run and a 70k walk, as I cramped up at the 30k mark. That was never going to stop me, and even if I had to crawl, I was going to get to the finish line in 24 hours. The North Face 100 has been conquered.

I highly recommend, at some stage in your life (or every year), that you do an ultra marathon. It is a rewarding experience, and it is one of those; ‘if I can do that, I can do anything’ things that you achieve along your journey of life.

The other thing that I can tick off my list for this year is the meeting someone famous. And, surprisingly enough, it did not happen at the North Face 100, which I thought it might (thought it might have been a famous ultra runner), but it happened on a plane trip from Sydney to Brisbane in the week following the event.

If you are Australian, you will know very well that Gordon Tallis is a hero for many Queensland rugby league fans. He is the epitome of being ‘as tough as teak’, he struck fear into opposition sides and we loved to watch him take the ball up, and through, opposition defensive lines. He was a state of origin hero (if you are reading this outside of Australia, state of origin is one of the biggest events on the sporting calendar in Queensland and New South Wales, as the two states play 3 games to win the title of state of origin champion for the year). Gordon Tallis was one of Queensland's best.

With the first state of origin match less than one week away, it was timely to meet Gordon, who was a wonderful bloke.

We chatted briefly, and the conversation went something like this:

Me: Gordon, would you mind signing something for my two boys, please?

GT: Mate, I would love to, you should have asked me on the plane, as I would have signed my boarding pass for them!

Me: Are you looking forward to next Wednesday night (Game 1, 2010)?

GT: Shit yeah!

Me: Do you get involved, and get the boys all stirred up before the games?

GT: Mate, they don;t need me, they can get themselves stirred up for games like these!

Me: Go the Maroons (Queensland)!

GT: Go the Maroons!

Gordon was quite a big unit. He was tall, not hugely built, though he appears to have kept in shape since he retired.

I haven't told the kids yet, that I got his signature for each of them, but they will be wrapped.

So, there you go, in 7 days, two things ticked off the list. Bring that on.

Oh, and also, in May, I am going to go to an Entertainment Centre and write out a huge cheque, like Jim Carey did. I will be putting it out there into my future.

As well as that, for May, I have contacted my favourite author, Mitch Albom.

Here was my message to Mitch:'

Hi Mitch,

I am an Aussie who picked up one of your books in a second hand shop in Perth (Tuesdays with Morrie). I read it in a day, as I have all of your other books, which I purchased as soon as I had read the first one. I have loved all your books, and I just wanted to say thank you for all of the stories, for the challenges, for the stimulation and for the tears.

You are an amazing author, and you have some great stories to tell. Keep up the great work, and I wish you all the best.

PS, I just finished reading Have a Little Faith, and like the others, it was a great read. It has prompted me to spend more time with my parish priest and to discuss the finer points of the teachings of my faith.
Thanks again. Love your work.

I hope to receive a reply, and will let you know if I get one.

For more information on either the ultra marathon or the book reading that I do, go to www.antonguinea.com.au

April taken care of

Well, after a week at home last week, I was able to place some focus on my lovely wife, and make her feel loved. The three things were a moonlight beach walk, a nice dinner for two and a love letter. Well, the moonlight walk was taken care of by an evening drive along the Gladstone foreshore (not quite a beach, but similar). Dinner for two was lovely, at the Library Square Brasserie in Gladstone. The love letter has just left my email, and it was very nice, and I await a reply tomorrow. I hope she likes it. In summary, April was love month at the Guinea's, and I really enjoyed being home and connecting emotionally with my wife Julie (and the boys, Toby and Zac). I really hope Julie enjoyed it as much as I did.

So, what will May be? Not sure as yet, stay tune. I am thinking that I might contact one of my heroes (or authors). I love reading, and have read some amazing books recently. For a blog about book reading, check out: http://reading52booksin52weeksin2010.blogspot.com/. Contacting my favourite author sounds like a great idea.

Anyway, what else is happening in May. Well, the 100k run in one day will be out of the way in mid May. Only 3 weeks away now. That will be tough. I am not sure if the 5 weeks training will be enough. Anyway, time will soon tell. Looking forward to getting it out of the way. For more information on how that event goes, check out: http://enduranceandexhilarationin2010.blogspot.com/.

Life is great, really.

If you need anymore lfe improvement ideas, check out: http://www.antonguinea.com.au/.

Keep ticking things off your list.

Anton

How it all started

Well, inspired by the book "101 things to do before you did" by Richard Horne, which I am following and tracking (mind you, there are some hard things on that list to achieve), I decided that I needed a list of things to do every year, starting in 2010. Then I thought it would be good fun to blog about doing those things. Feel free to share your experiences.

By the way, I loved the movie, The Bucket List, too. It was along a similar theme - an unexpected ending, but a great movie and very inspirational.

So, here are a list of 10 categories that I think people should do every year.

1. Travel overseas
2. Learn how to do something new (something that takes more than a week to learn)
3. Do an endurance sporting event
4. Do an extreme sport
5. Achieve an unrealistic goal
6. Meet someone famous
7. Put something on You Tube
8. Change someone's life
9. Have sex every day for a week
10. Give up alcohol for at least one month

So, for me in 2010 it will be:

1. I think it might be to Asia again, probalby after Christmas, though, definitely in 2010
2. Learn how to surf (holy crap - that sounds hard)
3. Run 100 kilometres in a day (the North Face 100 - May 2010)
4. Parachute (holy crap again)
5. Buy a General Lee (Dukes of Hazard) '69 Dodge or Valiant Charger (yee hah)
6. Meet Dean Karnazes (long distance runner)
7. Put some of my presentations on You Tube
8. Not sure who's life I will change, as yet, might be a little hard to plan that one
9. Looking forward to this one
10. Let's go for June at this stage (not that I drink much, but this is a good excuse for a cleanse)

Stay tuned.

Until next time, live life.

Anton G