My parents were both Psychiatric nurses so I grew up within the grounds of the hospital they worked in. My curiosity into human interaction was sparked at a very young age, when I witnessed the various behaviour of the residents of the psychiatric hospital I grew up in, many of whom wandered down to my family home, looking for cigarettes. Such experiences have cultivated my sense of humour, which I believe is an essential business and life tool. Being surrounded by lunacy in my former years was my preparation for the sometimes seemingly crazy world that we live in.
After 2 years in catering and another 2 years in banking, I started my nurse training in 1992, via my second year working as a counsellor at American Summer Camps. Since then I have worked in 4 continents. I have always enjoyed adventure and discovery of new places, people and cultures.
I started my nurse training as a fit young man with a desire to help others feel good. At the time I was a part-time fitness instructor, exercising 6 days a week. A total of 10-15 hours of full-out exercise a week. Within one year of nurse training I was drinking, smoking and learning about how drugs can help with almost any health condition.
Training teams and mentoring students in people skills, resilience and confidence has been a recurrent theme throughout all of my careers. Working with the ill and the dying during my time as a nurse made me question what really matters in life and in business. So many people only truly question the bigger picture meaning of their businesses and lives when it’s too late to do much about it.
Taking these lessons into my own life I decided to embark on my bucket list in my twenties and thirties. I would save money working as a nurse for nine months and travel for the other three. During my career, I also worked as a manager in an Irish bar/restaurant in Koh Samui, Thailand for a while, and spent another year working and travelling Australia. When I reached my forties it was time to start life as an entrepreneur.
From working with thousands of people with health and business challenges I believe there is a Lunatic Gene that can cause you temporary insanity. This causes some people to go on and change the world, doing incredible things that many did not believe were possible. However, it causes others to not fair quite so well. They often end up in hospital.
This usually starts with thinking about things that are not working in business and life, this usually leads to a stress response, which when repeated often can manifest in a health challenge. This often leads to a decrease in motivation, productivity and enjoyment of work and life.
It could start with drinking too much alcohol, smoking too much or eating poor food choices. It also causes people to enter or stay in relationships where they know they won’t be happy, put other people’s happiness before their own consistently, or agree to things they simply don’t want to do.
If left unaddressed this can often manifest in physical pain, depression, headaches, sleeplessness, hypertension, diabetes heart attacks and cancer (to name a few). At stages of my life I have experienced many of these symptoms, and now I help others to understand how to channel seeming lunacy into its most beneficial manifestation.
Time after time these symptoms presented to people I spoke to with acute illness. It was especially prevalent with business owners and employees who had stopped loving their businesses and lives. Whilst some people become ill because of this, others learn how to channel their Lunatic Gene into making incredible things happen. When harnessed and properly focussed The Lunatic Gene is the trait that makes outstanding performers, leaders and entrepreneurs.
The reason that I am The Heart Guy is that my background is in health and I have worked for many years on a coronary care ward, spending decades working with the psychology of heart issues. I have also helped numerous people with business, health and relationship challenges. My role is often to get to the heart of the issue. Most people struggle with the head/heart battle that can occur. I help people to connect to their heart through mentoring, speaking and training experiences
Too many people vow to give things up only to reverse their decision, and add guilt to their lives. By using not so healthy habits to trigger positive ones, balance can be added to life which reduces guilt and self-judgement. I teach others how to do this. I would rather laugh and learn from anything that doesn’t work than complain about it. Humour and self-acceptance are the best medicines for wellbeing and business in my experience, combined with high motivation and work-life balance. My capacity to laugh in even some of the darkest situations enabled me to function during my most challenging days as a nurse and as an entrepreneur.
I have a keen sense of adventure which has led me to witness riots, flash floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and parties with Witch Doctors. I have been lost in a jungle, faced local tribesmen running towards me with a machete and been pursued by potential robbers on a moped, armed with an AK-47. This has led me to believe that the human body is capable of exceptional feats when the prospect of death becomes a reality. I have an adventurous spirit, and was more than just a little bit foolish in my former years!
I make no judgements about anyone doing anything as long as it does not harm others or the planet. I also believe we all have The Lunatic Gene. At the height of discovering my Lunatic Gene traits, I was adventuring around the world to the some of the most dangerous places I could find to see them for myself. This has led to a few brushes with death, and an enhanced appreciation of life.
Contact me now to find out how I can help you, or leave your name and email and get my free resources to mentoring networks, business funding tips and resources that can help you, your wellbeing and your business.
I help people to enjoy business networking more by focusing on relationships first as the foundation of any good network. I also teach people how to improve their pitch, especially for funding.
