I’m on the train back to Sheffield. It’s been a pretty easy journey, relaxing. For the first leg I was on a rail-relacement bus. I sat at the front as I often do on buses, provided they have seat-belts. Next to me was a chap in his 40s. Pretty scruffy, stinking of cigarettes.

“This bus journey is costing me £400” he said to the driver, clearly pretty pissed off. “I’m a truckie – got a load of nuclear waste to take to Germany tonight, have to be at Dover by 10pm. I’m gonna miss that ferry because of these engineering works – you have no idea how much trouble that’s gonna cause. They have to make special allowances for me, have to make sure I’m on the deck – it’s a nuclear load you know”

The bus driver mumbled something about the train company working to upgrade the track.

“Yeah, well, it’s just not good enough. I’m gonna make sure this rail company gets all the bad press it deserves.”

Well, that’ll certainly help, won’t it?

Things were quiet after that. Just the guy at Stockport who seemed suicidal in a manic kind of way. Thankfully he didn’t jump in front of the train – just banged repeatedly on the door until it opened.

I’ve been reading more of the Be The Change. I tell you, if you have any dreams of starting any kind of movement or company to bring about positive change, this book is a must. It is so inspiring. You can’t help but feel “Why not me?” after reading this book.

The other message that comes out of it’s butterfly-adorned pages is that it is vital to follow your passion. You also need to have a laser-like focus; seek advice as widely as possible; have a plan that is set and followed, yet flexible; get a great team around you.
If you have these things, you can’t fail in whatever you do.

I’m struck by what these people have achieved. They have touched the lives of billions. They are incredible – and yet at the same time they are no different from Joe Bloggs. Indeed, it’s that message that is one of the loudest. These folks don’t have buckets of money, they aren’t nuclear physicists, they don’t necessarily have any clear idea of what they want to do at the outset – but they do find their passion, and follow it.

Mind you, if I look around, I see people like that everywhere, doing amazing things (be they small or big amazing things) on a daily basis, making a difference. I bet if I interviewed a sample of my friends and acquaintances (and mumblers) I’d be able to fill a book that was just as inspiring, in its own way.

All of this keeps on leading me back to my new life with *Twinkle*. Just can’t get her out of my head. This new partnership excites me so much. Scares me too. So much change, so much opportunity – am I going to be brave enough to step outside of my comfort zone and follow my heart? It would be far easier to just settle for something that doesn’t stretch me too much, but I think long term that would be quite painful.

Ho hum.

Just pulling into Sheffield Station, must dash.

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