I’ve heard a few times that in order to get somewhere, you need to know where you’re going, and when you’re trying to shape your future and give it direction, you need to define the destination in as much detail as possible. I’ve also noticed that when folks ask me what I’m here for and what I want to get out of this programme, I feel like I’m giving vague, aspirational answers. Stuff like “I want to share my life with good, kind, curious, and warm-hearted people” and “I want to steal myself a life so playful, challenging, joyous and richly connected that it feels like it ought to be illegal” (I call that, “thrivery”). Most recently, I’ve realised that I want to stop sitting on the extroverted parts of myself so that I can maybe build a career around them. While that looks good on the fridge, its lack of specifics has been bothering me. I came to Men of Action in good part because I like the look of Michael Sartain’s life and the lives of those who’ve been through the course. I like the playfulness, especially when amplified by pretty ladies getting to goof around in the lads’ company. I also like the idea of having a solid set of social circles, particularly having female team-mates (and, Michael, I do like “team-mates” better than friends, because team-mates implies you’re all working on something together as opposed to just hanging out). I’ve tried some vision-boarding and the like in the past, and the closest I got was the idea of a “three-year sketch” as defined by Ali Abdaal (he of Feel Good Productivity fame). With a little help from ChatGPT, I created something that I think is decent (with ChatGPT’s help) but as I start getting stuck into the weekly objectives in the MoA course, I feel the urge to give it more shape, especially when it comes to earning an income / incomes. Of course, I could still be in a research/discovery phase, especially as this course is getting me into networking and social media. But I’d still like to find out whether / how you all defined where you’re at, especially when you’re in that early “gawd it’d be awesome to be surrounded by a bevy of hot chicks just like that Sartain dude” stage.

All right, folks! Two fortnightly get togethers in a row so far; let's keep the momentum going (though I believe we're losing @Anthony Kenyon-Slade as he's migrating to Melbourne for the Summer)! Same schedule as last time: 12:30PM meet-up, but this time at The Darling at the Star: - lunch, chat and world domination planning (plus the odd candid photo) - then a stroll around the Darling Harbour area around the 3PM-6PM window for good afternoon light for lifestyle photos inc. the Cockle Bay Wharf Marina (get your shorts and boat shoes out, lads) and the W/IMAX. Go through your favourite IG profiles and pick some shots out that you want to copy, then bring your camera/phone and enough clothes to give you a few different looks! So, pinging @A M, @Felipe Grez, @Jordan Taylor, @Shane Franco, @John Cena and @Trevor Low - with a know-it's-a-bad-time-but-making-sure-you're-invited to @Nicholas Xenophondos (will have to see if we can get together with you on a weekday evening soon) - and a just-in-case-you're nearby to out-of-towners @Nick Cownie, @Craig Langlands and @Mick Byrne). - If you're in Sydney and not listed above, you're welcome too; just comment so we know you're interested and coming along!

Please explain what can I do, I have cut off friends, stopped smiling, no more jokes, yet I am still to nice, so I stopped talking and still women see me as “too nice” now I’m nasty and petty and I don’t like people and I’m getting older and more set in my ways. What else do I have to do to be “not nice” do I have to start slapping people? I haven’t had empathy for a while now, what else can I do? Running around starting fights was for 18 year old me.

As you evolve you will make a lot of people uncomfortable. Evolve anyway, make the necessary changes and do not stop. This year is coming to a close, did you have a transformation? If no, why not? If yes, what's next? You are your only barrier to whatever it is you define success as. Consistency and persistence guarantees your victory. "The opposite of bravery isn't cowardice, but conformity." - Earl Nightingale

What you guys got planned for next year? Any big goals?