Notes

Right I'll take the notes down and see what happens - can always send it into the email account. I've struggled with a lot mentally the past few months. I've REALLY struggled. It's not easy growing up - well, not always! I need to figure out where I want to be in 5 years or at least I want to be able to look back and say "yeah, that's what I wanted to achieve - that wasn't time wasted." Nothing is a waste even if you try something you don't like or love - it just means you've figured out one thing you don't want.

OK - so what have I struggled with, why have I struggled and what can I do or change to avoid these struggles?

Obviously the Boult thing was such a pain - a real disappointment! I assumed I had it all signed, sealed and delivered but then it just fell through right at the end. So yeah, that was tough. Mainly becuase (a) I had basically stopped working for H in my mind. No longer an employee in my head. And (b) I had to battle with the move to LDN in my head, came to the conclusion it was what I actually wanted and then ended up staying here! That is hard! But it's what has been thrown at me. And now I have to adapt.

Looking at my time in Leeds - it's been good! It's got me onto a career ladder. Exposed me to office life IMMEDIATELY after university. Was a great opportunity. In that time, I've met some friends. Some will probably last longer than others. And that's OK - that's life to be honest. I've learned a lot in terms of dealing with difficult people, socialising, have been inspired by entrepreneurship - there's been a lot. I also had fun in the first couple of years, lots of going out, drinking, Headingley, Leeds etc. As a very young professional, that was grand for me - didn't have many other ambitions. Now recently - the lifestyle of just drinking, going out, watching TV, playing PlayStation, football - that's literally IT - whilst that was fine before - maybe because before I was still making progress, I was still experiencing new things - it's not fine now. I can't really go on ONLY doing that. I feel like nothing will ever be achieved. That;s fine if you don't want to achieve anything or don't believe you can - but I WANT to achieve things and DO believe I can. I WILL NOT ACHIEVE ANYTHING ONLY PLAYING FIFA, WATCHING TV AND DRINKING. Whilst those things can be part of life, you will never be fulfilled by them and you will 100% look back at a life wasted. And I don't want that - I want to look back at a life of fulfilment, zest, with the knowledge I gave it the best possible shot. Where I've succeeded and inspired and worked hard for my success. I do NOT want to look back at a life of nothing. Waste. Literally here once. Once on earth. You're going to die.

But what is it that I want to do - what are these things. It's very easy to say "I want to have zest and fulfilment but where will that come from specifically? Where will the "life" come from? One answer that you know is - it won't come from FIFA, or Sopranos or pubs. Those things can add that escape and enjoyment from life - but that's all they should be. They can't be your life.

And actually you're life shouldn't come from any one thing - it should be multiple things. Career, relationships, journeys etc.

But I KNOW that I want more than what now consists of. Where is it going to come from? Where is the more.

Career - OK so I don't know if I want to be a Trade Mark attorney. The plan is to, at the very least, get to qualification. Sometimes the job is good, if not great sometimes, other times it's terrible. Often it's at it's best when I'm doing really well. If I'm doing terribly or not handling the workload or am stressed out - then I don't like the job all that much.

So there's an argument to be made that there is a very simple short term solution - get better at the job. If I feel I enjoy it a lot more when I'm good at it, then being good or great all the time should surely make it loads better and give me that honest assessment of well, whether this is for me. Simple. To get better that requires, discipline, efficiency and commitment. Really going for it. If the plan is to get to qualification - irrespective of what firm or location you're in - you should be going all in on trade marks. Career is so important. This is your current career, you're in it until qualification. So you may as well dive in, right? Absolutely!

So what does diving in mean? It means during the 9-5.30, you're truly on it. You're focused, concentrated and efficient. No 45 minute breaks or distractions. Pure and utter discipline. Why is that important - the more efficient you are, the more you do, the more you do the more you learn, the better you'll be and the less stressed you'll be. Crucial.

Beyond that - you need to be putting in hours outside of 9-5.30. These hours are for (a) studying the law, (b) studying the practice, (c) reading cases and what's going on in the TM world and (d) attending the odd event. It's all interesting anyway. The specifics we will come to. But those two broad things (efficiency in work and extra hours outside) will bring you up so many levels you won't even believe. 100%. Timetable at the end.

OUTSIDE CAREER - So you work on improving the career you have, you work on making you the best employee you can be in that career - but also - so that by the time you're qualified or afterwards, you can look at what else is out there, what else tickles your fancy - you can look at other things. Trying other things. What things? Well there are loads - coding, digital and social media marketing, sales, entrepreneurship and e-commerce. Courses, books, etc. Anything that is or could be turned into a career. Or could expose you to something like that. That's so important. YOU NEED BOTH OF THESE THINGS.

YOU HAVE TIME. In every sense of the word - you live 20 minutes from your office, you have little to no responsibilities, you have little hobbies right now (not a good thing) - there's a whole bunch of time just waiting to be used up here. For BOTH - current career progression and future career discovery. So, so important for your happiness. Because one thing that you have is FOMO. You don't want to have to 'MO' on some potential alternative career that you would have loved so much but never bothered to discover. KEY reason for focussing on TM's as well? 1. You're going to qualification anyway - why not be the best? 2. You're going to learn a crap load and build confidence. 3. You MAY end up loving it once you're owning it. 4. You may end up needing it - who knows what will happen or when it might come in handy?! Having that fall back base - could be enough security even and allow you to go fly elsewhere knowing there's a soft landing no matter what happens. We're playing the long game. Because you have time, and lots of it. 25 years old - that's ridiculously young. You could suck at this for another 5 years and still wake up and be YOUNG. 25 is not 44. 30 is not 44. 44 is not 64.

You have time.

Love the journey and play the long game.

Would bold that if I knew how to code.

Now. So that is career and career exploration. Both very important. Really important. But not everything. Right now - they're are two other things that will make me happy: fitness and intelligence.

For fitness, you go to the gym. For intelligence, you go to the bookstore.

Being fit would be awesome. Gym 4-5 times a week kind of thing. I've said it so many times "Oh I'll get up at 7 and hit the gym" but it never does happen.

You know what though - gym at 7.45, news at lunch would help me out with my goals so much. It means getting fit, being way more on it in work and being much more aware of the world and what's going on in it. Sure, there will be days when it doesn't happen - but it's time to start I think. GYM AT 7.30-7.45!

Reading - should be an everyday thing. Books are enjoyable and they expand your mind. You want to be smarter and more interesting - read some books! You don't even have to read for a million hours a day - 30-45 minutes a day is plenty. You should be turning to books over FIFA every time.

A sample day:

Wake Up - 7am.
Gym - 7.45am.
Work - 9am.
Lunch - 9 - 12.30
FT - 12.45 - 13.30
Work - 13.30 - 17.30

So by the time you've finished work, you've done an efficient day of work, you've had a gym session and you've read the news. That's awesome. But that's only 17.30!

Go home, eat, chill, talk to Fatima - 17.30 - 19.00
19.00 - 21.00 - Current career + career exploration.
21.00 - 23.00 - talk to fatima, read, watch one Sopranos.

Like that's not even extreme man - that's a lovely day full of productive activity!

This weekend is an aftermath of not being on it the past few months. I'm not sure whether a strict regimented technique will get more results - certainly a 7 - 9 and 9-5.30 strict regiment is crucial because it offers the flexibility for the remainder of the day. 100 percent. It gives you options. You just need to be more on it. More committed to life. More thirst for success. So for example - there's a big game on - well stay at the office and do the TM stuff and then chill for the night. You're bringing up your minimum. You're not going from 0-60. You're going from 0-30. Then that might be enough - or just maybe you'll go to a 100. So yeah, do still watch the game and do still watch the odd bit of TV. You can still do those other things - but don't let them be at the wheel - they don't drive you. Career, alternative career, fitness and intelligence- they should drive you!

Why ? Because you want to look back at your life and say "yeah, I really gave it my all". To be able to say "I'm a success". I'm enjoying the journey. IM SATISFIED. Or IM GETTING MORE SATISFIED. It's huge.