Mindset Explosion

Happy 3 year anniversary # # #

After delivering the Ambition In Motion workshops at Pittville School last week, one thing really stood out.

Several members of staff shared how engaged the students were and how clearly they began to see their goals as achievable — not abstract or “someday”, but something they could actually work towards. They also said that some pupils who often remain quiet engaged in the task.

That’s always the aim.

Helping young people understand that confidence is built through action, mistakes are part of learning, and progress comes from effort — not perfection.

I’m grateful to schools that create space for our workshops alongside academic learning.
The feedback from staff and students alike was genuinely encouraging and I can’t wait for the next one.

This is the kind of work that reminds me why long-term personal development matters, because we can so easily lose faith in ourselves.

This work stays with people longer than we realise.

On Wednesday I spent time with my instructor Stephen Thompson (Kicx Martial Arts) and Everton Smith (Newport City Martial Arts School).

Good conversations. Shared ideas. Planning the year ahead.

This is something we’ve always done — supporting each other, challenging each other, helping each other grow.

It also hit me that it’s 21 years since Stephen first offered me a career at his new Karate World Academy in Gloucester.

That decision set me on a path I could never have imagined:
- stepping into self-employment
- coaching and mindset work
- becoming Head Instructor in Cheltenham in 2007
- and eventually buying the academy in 2013 and rebranding to Cheltenham Martial Arts & Fitness Kickboxing.

None of that happens without mentorship, trust, and strong relationships.

Business isn’t built alone.
Growth isn’t built in isolation.
And Ambition only really works when it’s in Motion, guided by people who’ve walked the path before you.

Grateful for the coaching, the guidance, and the friendships that continue to shape the journey.

More to share on this soon.

Still learning. Still building. Still grateful.

On Tuesday, while delivering a workshop at Pittville School, I had a really special moment.

I bumped into Agnes — someone I taught over 12 years ago.
She trained with me through to her Black Belt, and it’s always great to see people I’ve taught over the years doing well.

What really struck home, though, were her words.

Agnes shared how the personal development and mindset work we did back then has stayed with her.

She said it was so ingrained that during challenges and career changes, she’s been able to tap straight into it — without even thinking.

That meant a lot.

Because the real value of this work isn’t just what happens in the class or session.

It’s what stays with you years later.

It reminded me that no one ever really stops being a student — and the skills we build around mindset, confidence, and self-belief are skills for life.

Moments like that are why I do this work.

Yesterday I delivered a workshop with Year 9 students at Pittville School, focused on confidence, decisions, and how real life actually works beyond the classroom.

We explored:
• Why confidence is built through action — not waiting
• Why getting things wrong is part of learning, not failure
• How small decisions and effort matter more than perfection
• Why you don’t need everything figured out to take the next step
- We sat sat down and explored some big goals to aim for and how to get them.

One of the key messages was simple:
You don’t become confident and then act.
You act — and confidence follows.

The students were thoughtful, engaged, and asked some great questions about self-belief, direction, and making decisions when you’re unsure.

The goals they all set were brilliant and I’m so grateful to each of them for engaging. I could see a lot of ah-ah moments in their faces as we got further into the workshop.

Huge thanks to the team at Pittville for the warm welcome.

It’s always encouraging to see schools creating space for real-world conversations alongside academic learning.

Ps a few familiar faces and very special feedback. More on that later.

I’ve seen businesses with real potential crash in under six months.

Not because the idea was bad.
Not because the person wasn’t smart.

But because they didn’t understand:
- How to market
- How to test ideas
- How to listen to advice
- How to adapt when things didn’t go to plan

I see the same patterns starting much earlier — with young people who want to learn but don’t know anyone who’s actually run a business.

Some have brilliant teachers — but not all teachers have lived the pressure of making things work in the real world.

Young people don’t need more theory.

They need guidance, experience, and belief.

That’s what I’m focused on passing on now.

Confidence doesn’t come before action — it comes from it.

That belief sits at the heart of The £10 Entrepreneur – 21 Day Challenge, designed for teens & young adults, and supported by parents and educators.

It’s a practical way to help young people:
• Test ideas
• Make decisions
• Learn from action
• Build confidence naturally

The challenge starts Monday 27 January.
More info here:
👉 https://www.skool.com/ambition-in-motion-2381/about?ref=3a3a0851f3164d15a75b5a7c21f55046

🔥 Burnout nearly broke me.

I thought I was fine… until I wasn’t.
On the outside, I kept showing up. But inside, I felt like a fraud.
In this new episode of The Inner Power Podcast, I open up about anxiety, exhaustion, and the long road back to feeling like me again.

🎯 If you’ve ever hit a wall and thought “why can’t I just keep going?” — this one’s for you.

▶️ Watch here → https://youtu.be/Njw7wyoJSXA
🗣️ Let me know what hits hardest in the comments.