Sorry for the absence! I’ve got a good excuse though; I’m in America! Having said that, I suppose they do have internet here too, so I suppose my real excuse is that I’ve been a busy little boy over here.

Talk Time

So what am I doing in the states? Well the reason for the trip was initially to give a motivational talk to a company looking for a unique story to share amongst their staff. I’m not going to lie, being flown to another country to give a talk about my journey so far is simply awesome, but not just for the fact that it’s a great travel opportunity. It’s more so the fact that with every talk I give, I can see an audience start to think about their own perspective on eve part of their life. This convinces me that these talks are a great way to spread the positive message of 100 Things. It’s almost as if these people are so close to making a positive change in their life but just need that final push. In a way that’s the role I tend to now take on with everything I do, that of being a catalyst to someone realizing their potential. It’s a great position to be in one that I am so proud to be able to manage.

Two Birds, One Stone

About a year ago I was asked to give a talk to group in Las Vegas. After saying YES, it then dawned on me that it would be a waste to fly all the way out to America without trying to tick something else from my list at the same time. This led to me deciding to address Number 51- Endurance Tandem Bike Ride, by riding a tandem bike with good friend Dave Cornthwaite from Vancouver to Las Vegas (1,400 miles in 14 days- we arrived to the talk on the bike itself!). All I can say is that it made sense at the time and so ever since then I’ve decided that with every overseas speaking opportunity, I would try and further 100 Things by either ticking off an item from the list or by arranging something quite special.

This time around therefore i’m meeting with a good friend of mine called Bert, who just so happens to run one of the most amazing projects I’ve heard of. His company is called ‘Life Is Good’ and his story is just phenomenal.

At a glance, Bert and his brother lived in a van back in the late 80′s. Young creative types trying to make a buck, they hit the streets ‘hawking’ T-shirts that they’d both designed. After not too much success, the brothers designed a shirt that had a big smiling face on it. The face wore a beret and underneath were the words ‘Life Is Good’. They called this character ‘Jake’. On the first day of hitting the streets, they sold all of their ‘Jake’ t-shirts, and by the following week the message of ‘Life is Good’, along with the optimism of Jake’s smile became something of a hit. With $78 to their names in 1994, the company, which soon after formed, is now worth well over $100,000,000!

Jake!

The impressive part of this story though has nothing to do with money! Sure, the business is a huge success but in line with something that I have thought for a while now, it’s only when you start giving back that you really start to live, and Bert and the Life Is Good company have now developed a foundation/movement called ‘Playmakers’, that aims to help pre-school children in need. In their own words,

                           “Certified Playmakers are child care professionals who dedicate their lives to helping kids overcome poverty, violence and illness through the power of play.”

Talk to Bert about what he’s most proud of it’s clear that his drive to give back and help others outweighs all else. The Playmakers foundation operates globally and is something that you should take time to read. It would take me all day to explain the extent of this project so please check out the website HERE! People helping people- amazing!

Bert showing us all his favourite team in the NHL- the Bruins

So what has this got to do with my current trip to America? Well when Bert found out that I was coming to America for a talk, he simply invited me into his offices to have a chat. I said yes- why not really? With no real plan or goal in the meeting, all we’ve said is that we’d like to share some ideas. I believe it’s in the moments when you interact with people who share the same kind of feelings and goals, that great things occur and with that belief how can getting together to brainstorm on a blank canvas be a bad thing!  Community, I am convinced is the key to growth and when people come together, cool things happen.

At the end of the day, i’m excited- and I know that’s a good thing.

Life is Good- Watch this space!

100 Things… What’s on your list?

When I started this journey of 100 Things, I comprised a list of things that I’d never done before. Embarrassingly, raising money was something that I’d always avoided and so straight on the list to went.

Having really enjoyed working with kids in various casual jobs up to that point such as surf coaching, I decided to raise money for a kids related charity and after a quick phone call to the first charity that popped into my head, Camp Quality, I was excited to announce that sitting at Number 4 on the list was to raise an ambitious$10,000 for this charity who so amazingly put smiles on the faces of kids and families affected by cancer.

As it happened, i put a donation button on my website immediately and before long people who had first heard about my journey would hop online and donate whatever change they had. With momentum picking up quickly, a few larger donations soon began to trickle in and incredibly we hit the $10,000 mark in about 6 months. Any money that I made by virtue of my list was also donated (this continues today). By this time though I decided that I loved raising funds for Camp Quality and so seeing that my own list wasn’t complete I decided on the spot to raise the target to $100,000!

Today, some two years on, I’m writing with a big smile on my face. I’ve just looked at the total and we are officially half way- $50,000! It’s an amazing feeling!

The first thing I want to do is thank EVERYONE who has been kind enough to donate. It’s generosity like that keeps this world turning.

For example, last week when I ticked off Number 22- Have a Boxing Match, a girl approached me before the fight and handed me a cheque made out to Camp Quality for $500! id never met her but she’d enjoyed the journey and had huge respect for the charity. People are not only donating their hard earned money now but some are also throwing events to raise funds. Two weeks ago I flew down to Melbourne to attend (and speak at) a cabaret night and a trivia night, both of which were organized by followers of the 100 Things journey who just wanted to contribute! These events raised a total of $7,000. On another occasion I gave a talk about three weeks ago to a room full of corporates and at the end of the speech, a man approached me and said ‘I’d like to donate $5,000!’. Amazingly not only did he do this, but he also got his company to match the amount- another $10,000 in total. In two weeks I’d raised $20,000 and it’s because of stories like this that we are now half way to ticking off $100,000!

It’s fair to say that there’s many charities out there and donating to any of these is a great things to do. One thing that I am extra proud about though with Camp Quality is what I’ve seen at the other end of the all the fundraising- the programs. It’s always good to see what happens to the funds.

From in-hospital programs aimed to entertain the kids going through treatment, to in-school programs designed to educate the kids peers about cancer, every base is touched. Yesterday for example I was invited to join a happy group of 30 kids who were all taken to Luna Park in Sydney. This program was offered as respite for the parents who could relax and have their own time for a day while their children were entertained. It really is comprehensive. I could go into lots more details such as saying that 91 cents of every dollar donated goes towards the kids, but more importantly to me is that as I sit here and reflect on what was an incredible day, the one thing I can’t get out of my head is all of the smiles! These kids were constantly smiling.

Laughter is the best medicine

Like Camp Quality say, laughter is the best medicine, and there is no doubt that in a day where I go to speak and engage with the ones who matter the most, the kids themselves, we were all laughing!

I can’t wait to raise another $50,000 and tick off number 4- Raise $100,000 for Camp Quality!

I'm excited...

100 Things… What’s on your list?

“Ding Ding. Seconds Out. Round 1!”

In one of those moments where things in front of your eyes seem to process with a slight delay, the first few seconds of the fight had already passed before my brain had caught up. Unfortunately for me by the time that that I realized the fight had started, my 113kg opponent had advanced quickly onto me and was throwing a barrage of punches in the general direction of my head, His tactic was clear, to overwhelm me.
I couldn’t tell which one of his punches actually hit me first, but as soon as it did, I woke from my sleep-like state. By this time of course I was against the ropes weathering an early storm. Sticking my hands up in front of my face to form some kind of protection, I ducked down and pivoted around and under Rod ‘Big Country’ Thompson’s fists and danced backwards creating some space as I began breathing deeply. My tactic was a simple one, try and use my speed to avoid being punched and then counter the big hitter. The only problem was that I was blowing hard through my mouth.

In 10 weeks of training my fitness had got a lot better, but 30 seconds into the fight I already knew that this was going to be harder than any training session that I’d endured. Not only are you throwing and receiving punches but the pure adrenalin that comes from knowing that there is a man within a metre of you intent of knocking you out steals any reserve of energy or composure. It’s like swimming in a pool with a hungry shark at the other end.

In training it was clear that Rod was big and strong but in what was a frightening realization now 60 seconds into the fight, Rod was also aggressive. Standing my ground for as long as I could before he advanced and began throwing his far stronger punches, I found that lashing out combinations of two or three quick punches in the hope of catching him before one of his bombs landed was my best hope to disrupt him. Inevitably a long lurching right hand would make it’s way towards my face and ducking out of it’s way in the nick of time became a quickly formed reflex which would be repeated time and time again as he chased me around the ring.

By the time the two minute bell had sounded to indicate the end of the first round, I realized I was in a fight. I also realized that any memory of tactics, style, or technique had long been forgotten. We were two wild men in a brawl. It was scary. It was just what I’d hoped and by the sounds of the crowds reactions, they were having fun too!

With that my trainer jumped in the ring and pushed my into my corner. Sixty seconds later after giving me some tactics to concentrate on, he asked me to repeat what he had said. I could’t remember a thing!

Guard up and finding some range

“Ding DIng. Seconds out. Round 2!”

Similar to the first round, Rod starts the second round with a bullying approach, rushing past my jab with weight and strength. Punches rain down on me as my counter jabs sting him some what gently on his bigger frame. As I scamper around the ring with a strong stance and a weaving body, I remember a dream that I had a as a child. The dream itself involved a mystery man whom wanted to fight me, but no matter how many time I hit him, he seemed invincible to my full-blooded blows. With my dream in mind and occasionally hitting the marauding Rod with a variety of punches, I fear my power to be inferior but after a fiery exchange where I manage to avoid some heavy shots, I land some wild right hands of my own. Surprisingly, I see a retreating opponent, apparently affected by my punches which have connected flush with Rod’s slow-moving-head.

Until this moment in my life I”ve never had a fight- this is why having a boxing match is on my list, and so as the bigger Rod reclines into the ropes with a dazed look on his face, I’m unsure whether he’s hurt or just tired. The fact though is that he’s hurt. I advance on a tiring opponent with a desire to take advantage of my recent punches but as I try to step forward with visions of finishing the fight, an incredible fatigue consumes my body and halts my progress. I can barely move. Momentum though takes me forward and after slipping past some of his instinctual defensive shots, I land two more big rights on his jaw causing him to stumble again backwards. Slowly I realize that i’m now on the front foot and after a flurry of punches between us which again sees me connect directly with Rod’s head, the referee steps in, separating me from making more contact. It’s only seconds later that I realise that he’s actually stepped in to protect my opponent- unbeknownst to me, my punches have caused some damage. The referee is now giving big Rod a standing 10-count.

Being ushered into a neutral corner of the ring, I stand there gasping for air. I realize that I’m doing well now, but my fitness is reminding me that I have limits. Rod I think feels the same, but as the referee first checks Rod’s awareness before then waving us on to battle again, his bold movements towards me give me no confidence that I’m near to ending the fight. Instead in the tone that the first round took, I soon find myself scampering backwards, avoiding some more big shots. This man is like a robot! Bouncing off the ropes and under a few more shots from Rod, I somehow avoid his big right by ducking backwards and again pivoting off the ropes and as I do I instinctually bounce back and strike him awkwardly on the side of his head. A combination of a lack of balance and a clean head shot sends Rod to the canvas in a heap. He’s on his back and I can see he’s hurting. Although I wish it was the power of my punch that keeps him down there I know full well that a fitter boxer would jump up straight away. Regardless, again the referee steps in to momentarily assess Rod’s health. Swiftly he stands up and shows the referee that he’s OK. Thankfully he is.

It’s at this moment that that I fully appreciate our predicament. To the spectator, it may seem now I’m winning but I this fight is not about winning or losing, it’s about a test far more real- something about our passion to live. I stand there wondering how Rod may react and Rod I know is standing pondering the same thing. It’s only in these times of complete unknown so we fully figure out who we are. Rod, with every fibre of his body wanting to come back, again attacks my position with his now predicted style of big punches. Although battered, he again throws heavy punches which I avoid and somehow counter with a few lighter jabs to his face. Seconds the later the round ends and I return to my corner with an amazing feeling that I’ve outgrown my dream.

“Seb! You’re doing well, mate”

My trainer seems pleased.

Rod hitting the canvas...

“Ding Ding. Seconds out. Round 3!”

Although in total we’ve boxed for just 4 minutes, my body and head are convinced it’s been 4 hours. Any suggestion that 10 weeks of training has increased my endurance is highly debatable as my once light-footed skip into the middle of the ring now resembles a slow ballroom shuffle.

As I pound my gloves together readying my fists for one last bout of survival, the referee pre-meditatively steps in between me and the equally tired Rod. Ushering me back to where I came from, he then leads my opponent into a neutral corner and pushes him against the ropes as he peers into his eyes deeply. Then holding both of his hands in front of Rod’s face, he begins another 10-count. Rod’s evidently still hurt after the last round! After reaching ten, the match doctor is called to the side of the ring and with the aid of a torch peers again into Rod’s eyes. As words are spoken between the doctor and the referee, I stand there like a lonely figure across the ring wondering if the fight is over. My fatigue tells me that a fight cut short is a good thing but my hope is that we get to continue. This is fun.

Suddenly glancing over to me and calling me into the middle of the ring, the referee  asks from across the ring if I’m OK. Nodding YES, I shuffle forward and wait for the decision. With that referee steps aside and asks Rod the same question. He too nods and a second later we’re told to ‘Box!’. The fight is back on.

If Rod was hurt, he covered it well and although I can feel that a few more effective shots of my own would stop the fight, I find it hard calling upon reserves that I don’t have. As such I stand there throwing an assortment of tired jabs. With that Rod hits me with a big shot and send me into the ropes. As my I lean back over the top rope, his follow up shot connects square with the front of my head causing a spray of sweat to explode into the air. A quick analysis allows me to realize that I haven’t been knocked down and my legs thankfully allow me to duck under his swings and escape his onslaught. Having figured out that our right hand shots seem to be inflicting the most damage, we both turn into one-armed boxers, swinging with no technique, occasionally hitting the other with scrappy shots. I feel that we’re not doing the art of boxing must justice, but regardless the crowd are cheering louder with every second.

With every tick from my list, the sense of progress when in the moment is something   that cannot be topped. WIth another shot from Rod glancing my head, my exterior may be exhausted but I feel I’m growing as a person. It’s exhilarating. This boxing match, number 22 from my list, has done exactly what I’d hoped for. Life is amazing. A quick burst of energy sees me hit Rod with a few hooks. He covers up as we both breathe deeply.

For a further minute and a half, Rod and I circle each other fully aware that we’re both on our last legs. This has been one of the most tiring things I’ve ever done in my life. The crowd at this stage are all cheering for two blokes who have given it there all and after a few more exchanges where fittingly no one is hurt, the bell sounds for the end of the fight. Relived, fatigued and excited, we come together one last time but this time to hug. We did it. It’s moments like this that I live for. I feel successful in a way that I can’t explain. Boxing on this occasion is the vehicle for what is the bigger journey of life. I’m enjoying every moment and it’s a with a sweaty body that I say thanks to Rod.

The referee congratulates us on what has been a great fight and standing in-between us one last time he raises both of our hands into the air for what is a predetermined draw in the spirit of this exhibition match. I enjoy being told later that if a winner had to be declared I would take the spoils but a draw is far more fitting. We both stepped in the ring because we wanted a challenge and together we made it happen.

A final hug... Number 22- Have a Boxing Match- TICK!

Number 22- Have a Boxing Match: TICK!

What’s on your list?