What influenced you to be the person you are today?

I was reading an e-book that really had nothing to do with internet marketing but more to do with perception and in particular how we perceive ourselves and others.  It was all about dealing with the ‘big issues in life!’.  As I was reading I was able to relate much of it to what I have observed in my life and how I actually live that life today.  It talked about influences in your life, be they teachers, church elders or it may even have been a random stranger.

I have met many, many people in my life who have impacted on it in one way or another, some in a good way, some not so good but they have impacted nonetheless and helped mould me into the person I am today.  That person today is someone with good strong values, someone who can see the human being behind the trappings of either wealth or poverty and who is committed to making a difference in other people’s lives.

So let’s take a journey back (quite a few years) to when I was at school.  I was a naturally bright child, I rarely had to do homework having a bit of a photographic memory and I believe that was more out of necessity than anything else as trying to do any homework in a dysfunctional household was just a non-starter.  I was brought up in a very poor home, one of 5 siblings and where feeding and looking after the kids always came second to alcohol and cigarettes.  This was no different to almost all the other families who lived around us on the estate.

Please don’t feel sorry for me though, I am far from a victim and see myself as a survivor.  You see, I had to survive from an early age and that has helped me through life.  I rarely allow anything to get in my way of trying to do something, I will find a way round it to make it happen.  This is never at the expense of anyone or anything though.  I loved animals, still do and found them to be a lot of solace when I just needed to get away and grab some ‘me’ time.

I had some fantastic teachers and I would always sit at the front of the class eager to learn and they seemed to like that.  In fact whenever I went on any seminar in my corporate job, I always sat at the front in the middle!  I love to learn and aim to gain a new bit of knowledge each and every day.  I also had one teacher who just didn’t like me, no reason that I knew of, she said I smelled and made me sit at the back.  This then evolved into her not allowing me in the class and making me stand in the corridor for the whole of the lesson.  Consequently, my grade rapidly dropped and no-one in the school noticed (or cared).  They always say that you may not remember what someone said to you but you will always remember how they made you feel, and this is absolutely true for this happening.  I would never in my life ever make someone feel the way she did to me.

I left home as soon as I could and joined the Army.  Many people from similar backgrounds to myself do this, they join a very disciplined service that has strict boundaries but gives them the feeling of being part of a very large family.  You could  make mistakes and someone always had your back.  It built my confidence by recognising in me something I didn’t know I had, leadership qualities.  Whenever there was a task to be done, I was right up there full of ideas as to how it should be done and what part everyone should play in it.  I was fortunate to have some excellent role models who allowed me to grow and develop, who encouraged me when I doubted myself and who, at risk of losing some credibility themselves, allowed me to be better than some of them were.  I now know this is a sign of a true leader, someone who is not threatened by those who can do things better, but is willing to learn from less experienced and younger team members.

I reached the top of my tree in this career and moved onto various careers that had a common thread running through them.  They were all about helping others.  I got immense satisfaction from this work and even to this day receive kind inspirational messages thanking me for how someone has moved on with their life and achieved things they never thought they could.

Now with my own home based business of internet marketing, I am combining everything I’ve learned in my life.  I’m continuing to educate myself every day, I’m helping others how to market on the internet and I pass on all my knowledge and skills confidently and with great pleasure.  There is nothing more rewarding that seeing someone achieve using tools and techniques that you have taught them.  I would far rather give a hundred times over than to receive.

So if you’re reading this and perhaps you’ve had some experiences similar to my own, I am living proof that you can achieve anything you want in life.  You just have to adopt the right mindset.  If you believe in yourself and think you’re worth it, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something!  Find a way, ask someone, ask ME!