I posted a blog this morning, and took it down after a couple of hours…

My little brother-in-law, Romain called me and pointed out that he prefers I only talk about the greatness in man, instead of focusing on something negative…. and how the blog entry wasn’t in line with my theme.

He’s right – so I took it down (although I personally loved the blog “TEAM CHINA.”)

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As discussed many many times in this blog …. I never lived up to my talent as a swimmer.

I am one of those “should have been/could have been, but wasn’t” ….

The world is full of people who should have been, and could have been, but aren’t.

I am obsessed with the idea of “wasted talent” and “wasted opportunity” …

I challenge everyone around me to make their lives happen.

Recently, I got an email from someone who asked me how I started my english channel swim – he was referring to the time I first got in the water at 3:30am on the day of my swim.

I told him how I sat in the cold water up to my neck for 5 – 7 minutes until my body was numb so to be acclimatized to the cold … then once I was acclimatized to the cold, I got completely out of the water and stood on the Dover beach, held my arms up, the horn sounded and then I got back in and started my swim across the English channel.

He emailed —  “do you really think that is the best way??  Why not swim around a little bit before you started because it must have lowered your core temperature a lot??”

I replied with a grin on my face: “I am not sure it was the right way …. however, I was the only solo who succeeded on a day when 7 other solo attempts failed…. and I became the 853rd person (according to my certificate) to swim the english channel.”

I trained for 2 months to swim the English channel … many of the marathon swimmers I met along the way told me that it wasn’t enough and I would fail, esp. since I did only one training in cold water.

However…

Mentally – I was focused, and I never once thought I would fail.

My earlier life had been a series of should of have been and could have been, but wasn’t …. and my past mediocrity plays a big role in what drives me today.

Many of those times I almost succeeded, but didn’t … had to do with mental weakness.

It sounds phony … but sincerely, I believe ”it’s all mental…”

My friend and I summited Mt Kilimanjaro with nearly no training …
I remember the climb (vividly) – I never once thought we wouldn’t summit.

Failure wasn’t even considered.

The day we summited,  20+ people in other groups around us had to turn back because of a snow storm.

Marathon des Sables .. the famous 7 day race across the Sahara desert …. I was not in shape at all and shouldn’t have entered the race.

(for the ultramarathon/ironman readers of my blog – MDS was before I had any clue of what ultramarathon/ironman and adventure challenges are all about – please forgive my ignorance.)

I finished MDS because I sincerely never thought that I wouldn’t.

I am not boasting.

I am just using the above examples of how the power of the mind can carry us to great achievement, but we have to have the mental strength and focus to make it happen.

How many readers are thinking about doing something, but haven’t made the commitment to do it because you might fail?

I am not talking about running or climbing mountains ….
I am talking about everything in life.

When I was a salesman at my previous company…

I always thought the person I was trying to sell to was going to buy.

He has to be interested.

I am sure many of the big deals I sold were done because I never thought about the potentail client not buying from me – always expected to sell.

I bet most people in sales think a lot about why the client might say no before they ever step up to try and sell them.

Mental weakness prevents many good talents from achieving great things.

I use sales as the example – because life is one big sale …

but seriously…

consider your own role – no matter what you do.

Do you think about the negative of something before you think about the positive?

Is there something you are thinking about doing, but you are somewhat scared of making the commitment to try and do it … because you might fail?

make your life happen.

please note: I am not suggesting that mental power can achieve all things.
I am a firm believer of making sure one is in the best shape possible to achieve — whether that achievement is something in the office or a physical challenge.
Don’t let the fear of failure prevent you from making sure you are in the best shape to achieve.

On the flight from London to Nice last night, I realized we have a large readership in the UK, thus I will post our recruitment for the monaco office for the next couple of days – I have been very busy the past couple of weeks so I have not had time to do a proper blog worth reading – I will post a new blog on Friday.

If you are interested in the job below – please do not post a comment, but email your cv to the email address at the bottom. We are also recruiting in Dubai – if you are interested in Dubai, please put Dubai in the subject heading – we do not provide accomadation in Dubai.

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BASED IN MONACO

We are recruiting for the expansion of a division focused on capital raising platforms in emerging markets; a product which has been developed in partnership with one of the largest sovereign funds in the world — designed for companies who are looking for capital and investment and introducing them to pre-screened investors in the emerging markets.

Since its founding, naseba has increased revenue each year: 167% increase in 2007; 72% increase in 2008; and in 2009, naseba has increased revenue each month.

99% of our business is done over the phone.

Our product is focused on “deal flow” and “capital raising” for our clients, thus we have developed a sales model which is quick, and our sales teams sell consistently.

What we require

You must have previous “on the phone” sales experience
You must be positive – aggressive
You must speak perfect English
You must be dynamic
Because of potential travel opportunities, you must have a European or American/Canadian passport – please do not apply if you do not hold one of these passports
You must be great at research
You must review our website and understand what naseba does or you will not be interviewed

What we provide:

Basic salary: 1,800 euro p/m (basic is reviewed on or before completition of 6 months)
Accommodation: 3 months in a great company apartment
Commission/bonus: generous commission and bonus opportunity
OTE: It all depends on you – we have several sales executives in Dubai who make 8,000-10,000+ euros p/m just in commission

In November 2008, a 22 year old based in our Dubai office had a commission claim of $88,000 in one month. The same sales director, three other months in 2008, he earned at least 30,000-41,000 euro commission and override p/m. This same 22 year old also traveled to 12 different countries on business.
BUT, He makes his success happen.

If you are just looking for a cushy basic – naseba is NOT for you.

www.naseba.com

send cv to davidw@naseba.com

I like the idea of  Robert Frost’s poem about two roads diverging in a wood… and how chosing one road over the other, even if the road is much harder to navigate, can make the big difference in ones life.

It is some what scary, but exciting to think about what the world will be like next Christmas, but one thing I am certain of… loads of opportunities will pop into our lives.

Reflection…..

Up until the end of my freshman year at Berkeley….

I was one of those under achievers who boasted about achieving better than average without studying and not working very hard –I did things “half assed….”

I was always talking about what I was gonna do tomorrow….

I was a dreamer.

Surely, had I been as focused, but more importantly, “reflective” as I am today … my early years would have been more successful and fulfilling….

However, making mistakes is all part of the climb and I reflect with humilty on my early years of “wasted talent.”

In the end, what motivates me is the climb…. the adventure…. chasing the summit …. chasing “the victory.”

it comes down to “making our life; our job; our hobby; our goals … happen.”

How many people are good at something…but reality is that they could be “great” if they focused and worked harder.

In my opinion, people spend too much time trying to “feel good…”
In my opinion, people spend too much time trying “to look cool…”

…. I am far from where I want to go and I surely need to become better…

However, by living a life focused on being as honorable; hard working; consistent and steadfast as one can be…

surely, we will have a better chance of achieving……instead of living our lives consumed and focused on the negatives and challenges life brings us.

the world is full of people that “could have been…should have been…but are not.”

It is 6am….I am sitting on my patio which overlooks the meditteranean sea….the sun is rising right in front of me and the view is exceptional…I am enjoying a cup of coffee and monte cristo ¨A¨ cigar …
Two nights ago, Sophie and I had dinner in Milan with a friend.  Milan is an easy 3 hour drive from Monaco so we were able to drive there, eat dinner and drive home.  On the 3 hour drive in the late afternoon, I commented to Sophie how much more I was enjoying the countryside than ever before.  I have driven through Italy many times, but after living in Dubai for a while, I appreciate the gorgeous Italian countryside even more than I ever have.

A few days ago, my little family and I flew back home to our house in La Turbie, France – our home in the south of france near Monaco for Christmas vacation.  We were going to go to Oman, which is a 5 hour drive from Dubai, but at the last minute we changed our plans and decided to go home to France.  Recently, Emirates airline started a daily non-stop flight from Dubai to Nice, France so coming back to Monaco is perfectly convienent.

A little over a year ago, I pushed a decision to close London and Prague and move our operational HQ to Dubai including my family and I.  Some people questioned my judgement for focusing so much on the middle east, however, recent history is proving  my decision to move my base from Monaco to Dubai was the right one.

… for some, change is difficult – but often times change is the secret to getting to your next step on your climb.

Early in the new year, naseba will open an office in North America with the focus on finding, developing great sales talent – as well as great sales leadership and ultimately offering them opportunities to work in Cairo, Dubai or Shanghai.  The office will not be focused on the american market.

I will soon do a blog announcing which city in America this office will be located.

we are living in stressful times, but opportunity is all around and its very important you do not let stress blind you from seeing the opportunity which often times is right in front of us.

Not to mention, we have to make opportunity happen….

It has been difficult for me to do a blog recently – I guess you can say I have writers block because each time I try and spin a positive message in my blog – the latest news headlines pop in my mind … and I realize that nothing I say takes away the pain and stress some of the readers must be feeling.

I wrote a blog yesterday, titled “turning chicken shit into chicken salad” and once it was posted, my wife and best friend both told me that it was not good enough – so I took it down.

obviously, many of the readers, esp. in america are facing some of the biggest economic challenges and uncertainties they have ever faced.

If one good thing does come from this mess, it is that people will be forced to become more focused on what is really important in their lives.

It might not take away whatever stress the reader might be facing – but seriously…focus on staying positive and dynamic … look at whatever challenge you face as a big opportunity to become more focused, in a word, “lean” so you can climb higher.

if it was easy….