The NHS at 70 – How It’s Impacted My Life

The NHS is a national treasure here in the U.K. Free at the point of need, it’s a constant safety net that when your health takes a dive there’s someone willing to assess and treat you. And they don’t ask for much money from you, if they ask it all.

To put into context how great the NHS is, I thought I’d recount the times the NHS impacted my life somehow:

The NHS was there to treat my sister’s malformed hip.

The NHS was there to save my father’s life after a motorcycle accident where he almost lost his foot.

The NHS was there when I was born by Caesarian section.

The NHS was there to stitch my thumb when I dropped a glass milk bottle as a toddler.

The NHS was there when my mum slipped and fell in the garden, breaking her arm, and I as a toddler went next door to ask for help and the neighbours called an ambulance.

The NHS was there to give me all of my vaccinations that prevent a myriad of debilitating or fatal diseases.

The NHS was there when I needed a home visit because of the flu.

The NHS was there when I cut open my head to the skull when a swing hit me.

The NHS was there to treat my nan’s emphysema, extending her life to see her grandchildren grow up and to meet her first great-grandson.

The NHS was there when my nan’s emphysema attacks forced her into hospital.

The NHS was there to see my nan go to that long good night when her illness finally beat her.

The NHS was there to bring my three nephews into the world.

The NHS was there to vaccinate them and treat numerous child related illnesses they came down with.

The NHS was there to diagnose my mum’s broken foot.

The NHS was there to treat my childhood asthma.

The NHS was there to straighten my teeth and remove a broken tooth.

The NHS was there to treat my mothers broken wrist and provide her with physiotherapy.

The NHS was there to diagnose my brother-in-law’s cancer, and provide him with best in the world chemotherapy to lengthen his stay with us – but, it could not save him.

The NHS was there to treat my wife’s skin condition, and continue to deploy tests and medication to this day.

The NHS was there to treat my wife’s wounds from her skin condition and an accident with a dog lead. Don’t ask.

The NHS was there to treat my chest infections.

The NHS was there to save my father-in-law’s life when his big toe needed amputating due to a complication of his diabetes.

The NHS was there to diagnose my back pain and provide treatment advice.

The NHS was there when I was a first aider responding to a child hit by a car and another time a colleague was bitten by an adder. For the second time.

The NHS is going to replace my dad’s knee and have him walking and driving within 8 weeks from start to finish.

About 99% of what I described above involved no cost to me or those mentioned. Only where there was the flat price prescription fee, or dentist visit would a payment have been made.

I have worked for software suppliers to the NHS and had the pleasure of meeting and working with hundreds of NHS workers around the U.K.

They are a special bunch and the NHS is an amazing, imperfect, but truly brilliant organisation.

Here’s to 70 years of the NHS and may it continue to impact the lives of many more who turn to it in their time of need.

A New Blog on Cycling

Whilst running TPP, I was looking for a way to niche down. I’m still very passionate about self-development and I continue to lead teams where this is a daily focus for each person within my team.

But, it’s difficult to write purely about self-development because it’s such a wide topic.

During my journey to push my limits, I found a new passion – cycling.

I’ve started a blog called PigDog Cyclist. It will cover my continuing journey and the tactics and products I find help me to get gains in this amazing sport.

Check out the intro post here.

Cycling To End Another Grenfell Tragedy

When I decided to join Team Shelter, I never could have imagined that the plight of those at the lower tier of the rental market would be so highlighted by the EPIC tragedy that happened at Grenfell Tower. It is an absolute failure that a building who’s residence were under the duty of care of the Borough Council was so disgustingly unsafe.
How many more rental apartments are unsafe, unhygienic, and not fit for purpose?

I am dedicating my charity ride to all those effected by unsafe housing conditions, and to the Shelter charity who campaign and assist those in need of assistance whether they are facing the plight of:

– Unsafe buildings

– Unhygienic conditions

– Short rental contracts

– Poor maintenance

– Homelessness

Help me to help those in need by pledging what ever you can. Let’s raise another £300 or more in the next month for Team Shelter.

Enough is enough, things must change in the rental market.

Donate here.

Stop Giving A Shit What People Think And Get Busy Living

A few weeks ago, I got a skateboard. A pennyboard to be exact. I’ve never skateboarded in my life, and I’m about to turn 30 in a few month’s time. 

I imagined what it would be like cruising along the paths and lanes around me. Nipping to the shops, skating there and back. Saving time and energy in the process. 

I practiced getting on and off, rolling around a bit. All in the safety of the living room. Scared the bejesus out of the dog as I kept almost crashing head over heels repeatedly. 

When it came time to practice outdoors. The fear gripped me. It was not a fear of failing, or hurting myself. I was more than prepared for that. It was the anxiousness of what other people would think of me, a grown man, playing on a child’s toy.

At least, that’s what my fear response told me. 

I pushed through that thin barrier, and started learning to really cruise about, pushing, getting on and off, slowing down, aiming for everything to be a conscious and controlled manoeuvre. Luckily, it seems I’m a bit of a natural (like ice skating, I seem to have a thing for balance orientated sports). But, that same self-consciousness kept stepping in. 

Every laugh, or half-heard conversation was, surely, about me. But, it wasn’t. I was just some guy on a skateboard, rolling around. They didn’t give me a second’s notice. 

As I came to terms with the fact, most people didn’t care, I could take it when one kid on a bike said: “keep trying, buddy,” in a sarcastic tone. I’d already progressed to a level of confidence. 

I was enjoying myself. I was enjoying the joy of beginners mind, the slow practice toward mastery, and rush you get of cruising at speed on a skateboard. It’s very relaxing. Like your own personal conveyer belt. 

I realised, if I had given in to my self-consciousness, I would not be experiencing this great feeling. And then I realised, I didn’t care what people thought. 

And that’s the real secret to achieving anything. Stop giving a shit what people think. Just do what brings you joy, as long as you don’t hurt any body. 

You’ll find, the more you don’t care about people’s opinions, and the more you live the adventure, the more enjoyment you will get out of life.

Go and live.

The Only Limitations

“The only limitations one has are the ones they place on themselves.”

Mohammed Ali

1942 – 2016

What Happens When You Pay Unequally?

In an experiment, two monkeys who performed the same task were rewarded unequally. One was rewarded with a slice of cucumber and the other was given a grape.

The results are predictable, but the video I link to below is an amazing visual representation of our response to a world that is not equal.

The Positive Pragmatist philosophy that I use as my framework for the world does not believe the world is equal. It is a basic requirement of the game to understand that rule number 1 is: the world is not fair.

Kicking and screaming accomplishes pretty much nothing in the long-term. Constant growth, action, and humility compounds over time.

The path to success, however, will be littered by the kicking, screaming, and protesting of those that feel they have a raw deal.

Looking at the world from a different perspective is one of the great abilities that differentiates us from a Capuchin Monkey. We can choose to see that a piece of cucumber is a perfectly acceptable piece of food. Eating too many grapes will make you fat and unhealthy. Having too much of a good thing is not guaranteed to make you happy.

Check out the video.

KG Heath is a Digital Health professional, author, and lifestyle blogger. You can download his debut novel FREE right here.

What We Think About

“We become what we think about.”

Earl Nightingale

KG Heath is a Digital Health professional, author, and lifestyle blogger. You can download his debut novel FREE here.

If You Don’t Make Mistakes

“If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems. And that’s a big mistake.”

Frank Wilczek, 2004 Nobel Prize winner in physics

You should be signing up to Tim Ferriss’s 5 Bullet Friday email newsletter.

KG Heath is a Digital Health professional, author, and lifestyle blogger. You can download his debut novel for FREE here.

Why Your Success Requires You To First Set Yourself On Fire

I first started my journey within the self-improvement space when I was working with a charity coaching and training people looking to get a job.

My clients needed a lot of help, but one of the most important aspects that needed covering was their motivation. It can be punishing trying to get a job. And that’s where I came across my all-time favourite quote. I would like to share it with you today:

“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.”
Arnold H. Glasgow

Doesn’t that put a spark in your heart?

Yes, I did just throw a pun out there.

This is an important lesson for you to understand. Success in life is not automatic, it requires action.

Since when have you ever received anything by just sitting there staring into the distance, watching cat videos, or cursing your fate.

No, you get everything in life by getting out there, building things, making connections; causing momentum by the actions you have been taking and how that compounds the opportunities you come across.

Success is a snowball falling down a mountain. You need to get it started through initial action, but then as gravity (small wins) takes over, the snowball gets bigger. The speed and the size of that snowball causes it to get bigger even faster.

When opportunities start being thrown at you without your own action, that is when you have reached the state of an influencer. People want to be associated with you, or to work with you, because of your presence.

But, this starts with that first step you need to take. Write that book, upload that first YouTube video, start that podcast, work with that first client, apply for that new job.

You are in control of your fate. You just need to choose to act.

And that is going to make you feel afraid. Because it’s you delving into the Great Unknown, and we have evolved to be smart by not choosing to jump into dark voids.

But, here’s the truth: life begins beyond the void. People in control of their fates, earning their true value, and reaching the state of influencer are the ones that chose to leap.

The fire in this article’s quote is not one of self-immolation. It is, instead, the spark of your own success.

If you’re sat there wanting to reach your true potential, to achieve your goals, or to turn your life around there is only one piece of advice that I can give you.

Go set yourself on fire, and show the world the brightness of your ambition.

KG Heath is a Digital Health professional, author, and lifestyle blogger. He helps people to reach their full potential. You can download his debut novel free right here.

Start Now No Funding Needed And Fight Procrastination

You want to start a business, but don’t have an idea. 

You want to start a business, but you don’t want to start until you get funding, an MBA, or that big client. 

If this is you, you need to watch this video from Derek Sivers. 

And then read this article.

KG Heath is a digital health professional, author, and lifestyle blogger. You can download his debut novel here.