My Story

The beginning…

 The air was cold, the sky was grey and the drizzle relentless. Another fun day playing rugby at school in England.

This was it. This was my time to shine.

A pivotal moment lay ahead. No longer would I be unseen and feel inadequate. The captain of the school rugby team was thundering towards me. If I could tackle him, I would rise in my peers estimations. No longer would I be left aside, no longer invisible to all the cool kids. I prepared myself as he steamed towards me like a freight train. This was it. ‘I’m going to tackle him and redeem myself, from zero to hero. The next thing I remember, I was staring at the grey sky, flat on my back. He just steam rolled right over me, like I wasn’t even there. No redeeming moment of fame or glory. I had been well and truly flattened!

‘That’s’ it, I have had enough’.

I never would have imagined the journey that lay ahead. It was a journey starting with body, moving to mind and then to soul. It took me from a ‘quiet pear shaped kid’ to fitness coach, author and speaker with a passion to help and inspire others to enjoy a better quality of life.

This is my story and how it turned my life around and ultimately overcame my greatest challenge.

BODY

The first awakening: ‘I’ve had enough’

After my embarrassing moment on the rugby field, it was time for change. I wasn’t going to have a puny body with a pudgy tummy any more. I was going to get in shape and look good for the girls. I was way too embarrassed to join one of those intimidating gyms so I purchased a set of Arnold Schwarzenegger home weights. I stuck the charts on my bedroom wall and started ‘pumping iron’. My exercise regime grew from strength to strength. I added in running, bike riding and swimming. It wasn’t long before people started to notice. ‘Have you been lifting weights?’

My self-confidence grew.

From Tomo’s House of Pain to the Exquisite Grosvenor House Hotel Health Club

I studied a degree in Biological Sciences at University. After I graduated there was a recession so it was hard to get a job. In addition to applying for jobs I would file by time with fitness. I would swim in the morning and ride my bike to the gym to lift weights with my mate at ‘Tomo’s House of Pain’. A hole in the wall gym run by a man mountain, the kind of person you wouldn’t want to upset. After months of receiving the same letter, ‘we regret on this occasion…. we will however keep your details on file should another opportunity arise’ I thought since I like training so much, I might as well get a job in a gym and that’s how it all began.

My first job was working as a lifestyle consultant, a fancy title for a gym instructor, in the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel Health Club, on Park Lane, London. Here I learnt the significance of attention to detail and exceptional customer service. We pandered to the rich of London society and visiting movie stars. On one occasion, I almost bowled over Emilio Estivez!

I go to a land Downunder

Before settling into a club management position, I wanted to travel. After University, I had backpacked around New Zealand. I always pledged to return to Australia to continue my adventures so I quit my job and landed in Darwin at 3am, as it turned, out to start my new life in Australia. I had nowhere to stay as the guide books said you could book something when you arrived. Funnily enough, at 3am, everything was closed. Fortunately, a few other stragglers were needing a place to stay and they invited me to hostel with the one and only mini bus that had turned up. Within a couple of days, I was in the depths of Kakadu national park enjoying incredible bush expanses, a far cry from the bustling city of London. After enjoying an amazing adventure for three months it was time to get some work and ‘topp’ up my finances before continuing on to the West Coast.

I got a casual job in a gym working on reception and ended up loving Sydney and stayed. Over the years my position grew to assistant club manager then to club manager plus I was doing a lot of personal training around my hours to supplement my salary. It was at this time one of my friends wrote to me with the immortal words:

‘Who’d of thought the quiet, pear shaped kind in the corner would end up being a personal trainer living in Australia’

After training people for several years, I came to a point of realisation. ‘How come people come to me to lose weight but don’t do what you recommend them to do to lose weight!?’

MIND

The Second awakening: ‘Say YES!’

I recognised for people to get results, there was more than just ‘knowing’, you have to get the head space right too. My interest in mindset and personal development awakened.

The first personal development book I read was Stephen Coveys ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’. One of the first things I remember from that first book was ‘your circle of influence. You can’t control everything in your life. There are factors within your control and factors out of your control (like the weather) so why stress about things you can’t change. Focus on what you can change. Seems kind of obvious really. This could save a lot of people a lot of unnecessary worry!

Say ‘YES’

Another of the earliest books I read was ‘Awaken the Giant Within’ by Tony Robbins. The book was in lost property at the gym. After a few weeks, I decided to take it home and have a look at it. I remember his team had rang the gym a few months before trying to push tickets to his live event. I quickly said ‘no thanks’ and politely hung up. Who’d of thought a year later I would be walking on hot coals screaming ‘YES’ continuously. Hypocrite? No, simply a greater understanding and interest in his content and methods after reading his book. If you strip away the American ‘Rah-rah’ he actually has amazing content to share. In fact, I would describe his book as a bible for success.

I left the gym to start my own fitness franchise. An outdoor group training business called ‘Step into Life. This was a great transition from the safety of stable job to running your own business. I enjoyed the dual role of running fitness classes in the park, working with great people to the challenge of running my own business.

After attending the Tony Robbins event where I walked on hot coals – mind over matter right? – I was very inspired and motivated. I remember not long after the event one of the members shouted out during a class ‘What’s happened to Timo?’ Another member replied ‘He’s been to Anthony Robbins!’

Enthusiasm

It was an important learning that I continue to remind myself and practice: The power and significance of nurturing and sustaining enthusiasm and a positive mindset to both deal with life’s challenges and have the motivation to make your goals a reality.

The Wall of Power

I started to condense each book I read into note books for subsequent review to help me remember all the great stuff I was reading. I would stick up inspirational quotes on the wall to see every day – positive affirmations to positively influence my mind. This grew into ‘The Wall of Power’. I would type and laminate the very best and add it to the wall next to my bed to read when I woke and when I went to bed. I was a bit obsessive and it soon grew to its own wallpaper of inspiration, on one side of the bedroom.

I had my knowledge in fitness and had developed my interest in positive psychology and motivation. But there was more to learn.

SOUL

The third awakening ‘The power of Now’

They say ‘when the student is ready, the teacher will appear’. This was very true for me. My Master Jedi was Silvana, a client of mine. I had my first and very moving experience with her by the assisted chin up machine. For some reason whenever I would train her, I’d get very emotional and start to well with tears. It was a most odd experience that I just could not explain. After a few months, she started to share small wisdoms to get me looking at life differently. Her ‘teachings’ were very moving and would often leave me emotional, hence the tears at the assisted chin up machine. What power did this woman have over me, the now more confident, fit young man? She touched something deeper within me.

So began my spiritual awakening and next part of my journey of personal growth.

There is only so much you can achieve with a positive mindset. For true peace and happiness you have to explore something bigger. I learnt the importance of acceptance, compassion, forgiveness and non-judgement. These are pivotal forces in true growth and contentment. It continues to be a work in progress. I use to rely on Silvana to help me in times of crisis but now I have the resolve to find my own solutions and handle tough situations with little council. I joked I had achieved my spiritual black belt! I certainly am no monk but I do have much more awareness to nurture a healthy sense of ‘self’ and a better quality of life.

Gratitude

If I was to share one thing it would the power of gratitude to nurture a happy, healthy mindset. We tend to worry, focus on what’s not working in life and what we don’t have. If we spend time thinking and giving thanks for what is, I have found you can have a better day, feel more upbeat and less overwhelmed by life’s challenges.

My Purpose and Passion

It is my life’s passion to share with others what I have learnt, to help them enjoy a better quality of life. I share my message working with people one to one, through my books and articles and groups facilitating engaging workshops.

So, what would I ultimately share as a result of my journey and three awakenings? True health and happiness – and a successful life – is based on a physically fit body, a positive, healthy mind and a deeper awareness of self:

  • Be physically healthy by eating well and exercise regularly
  • Nurture an enthusiastic mind to be more resilient to life’s challenges and have the passion to do what you love and need to do
  • Explore a deeper sense of self by exercising gratitude, acceptance and compassion to find calmness, contentment and peace