A letter to Damian and Jake, the co-hosts of the High Performance Podcast from Andy Fell

24 November 2021

Damian, Jake,

As Damian knows, I have been writing this letter to you both for a considerable length of time.

On my 50th birthday (29/9/2016) I made a life-changing decision. I decided to quit a very high paying job as a General Manager of a major Australian bank to follow my passion and set up my own business, GiFT631. In short, I grew up at a property numbered ‘631’ in a suburban town between Birmingham and Coventry. I wanted my grandfather’s and parent’s legacy to live on in the name of my business. My grandfather was my first great teacher. Once my grandmother died he lived with us at 631 for 3 months every year .

I left the corporate world about 6 months later and started again as a business of one! I had a clear purpose, exciting goals, a strong mindset and powerful daily winning habits and routines.

My business revolved around speaking, coaching, business consulting and leadership/talent development. It soared to new heights and by Friday 13 March 2020 it was humming along.

Then came Covid. I now live on Queensland’s Gold Coast and miraculously we have been almost Covid free since the start. However state and national borders closed and in a flash the vast majority of my business disappeared and a 100% of all future bookings were cancelled or postponed indefinitely.

On that afternoon I sat in Melbourne airport for hours due to a delayed flight and literally watched my diary empty. I sat with my thoughts and my journal and reinvented my business in those few hours. My mantras became #sempreavanti and #pivot2win.

Although my belief system is strong, I needed something more to help me through what I will call my own very messy middle (thanks Prof).

When at RBS, I had met Damian shortly after Liquid Thinking was published and then again in early 2012 when we had a coffee in Sydney. I am not sure how I came across it but when I saw the HPP and having met DH and read many of his books I decided to listen. I was in early rebuild mode and had decided to do 4 things:

• double my exercise

• double my meditation

• double my Mozart time (essentially my daily thinking time, no phone or other tech, just me, my thoughts and my journal. I believe greatness requires stillness, from stillness comes clarity and from clarity comes innovation, breakthrough and success)

• double my self-development to stimulate growth, enhance my self- confidence and improve my belief system

   

   

   

The HPP came at a perfect time! As Buddha said, ‘when you are ready to learn the teacher will appear’. I started with Steven Bartlett, loved Tom Daley, Tracy Neville, RVP and was inspired by Sean Dyche, Marcelino Sambe, Sir Chris Hoy and Shaun Wane. Phil Neville then evidenced the importance of keeping an open mind and getting to know someone’s perspectives before making a judgement on them.

Since that point I have listened to every episode at least once. I have also recommended the HPP to so many people and I know the difference it has made to many people in my network here, in the UK and elsewhere. It has been huge!

I would listen whilst running on the treadmill, driving to appointments and walking Tthe dog. Many ideas were sparked during or post listening to an episode. It gave me the energy to keep going and keep rebuilding. The most important element has been the confidence and belief to get through this messy middle.

My (infinite) purpose is to help realise potential in people, teams and businesses.

I talk about being the wind beneath people’s wings to enable them to soar to new heights. The HPP has definitely been the wind beneath my wings over the last 18 months. Confidence is a fragile bird and can easily be knocked out of flight particularly during the turbulence caused by Covid. The HPP kept me flying and then I began to soar to even greater heights with the launch of my international membership site (FutureYou) & relaunch of my events brand (#whatwinnersdo).

Damian kindly spoke 3 times to my FutureYou members and people still talk about those sessions. For example, Ian Johnson, a member from the East Midlands, still refers to them as some of the best learning sessions he has ever experienced.

18 months later my business is in its best ever shape. High quality Queensland based face to face clients and then a diverse and international portfolio that takes me from Vietnam to Botswana to New Zealand and the UK. I have finally finished my first book and I am about to do my first ever #whatwinnersdo global livestream. These were 2 commitments I made on Friday 13th March 2020 and believe me they seemed a long, long way away then. Now they are here.

I have waited until this point to finish and send this letter. I am hugely indebted to you both. Everyone needs someone or something that helps them keep the flame alight and you provided that.

We have decided to return to the UK for a few months from mid June 2022. I haven’t seen my 21 year old son for 2 years now. He turns 22 on the 23rd June, the same day my mom turns 90. I hope we will have the opportunity to celebrate at 631!

Whilst over, I also hope to buy you lunch to say a massive thank you (& the above mentioned Ian Johnson is keen to come too). A celebration of a different kind be it in Manchester, Norwich or somewhere in between like the Coventry Building Society Arena! In fact it can be anywhere you choose.

Wishing you continued success, happiness and fulfilment.

#sempreavanti

Andy

PS Kevin Sinfield - respect beyond words!