Tom Smilovitis – 'Stirring the imagination – Connecting people to possibilities'
27 days to form a HABIT & 90 days to create a LIFESTYLE
I met a man who had all the trappings this world had to offer and he looked at me saying “Tom, I can’t even taste food any more” He lost his appetite for life. He resembled the sadness of a Lion trapped in a cage, just waiting for its meals and the day it will… Continue reading It’s time to take over the jungle, metaphorically (Lesson 90) 90 day challenge
All to often when growing an enterprise we neglect our audience and get distracted by the crowd. What’s the difference between a crowd and an audience? A crowd A crowd stands at a distance A crowd is not committed A crowd doesn’t appreciate your commitment A crowd walks away after the event An audience An… Continue reading Know your audience and don’t bow to the crowd (Lesson 89) 90 day challenge
In a world that corners itself and nothing gets done or someone just loses out, learn the art of influence and diplomacy. Wether it’s dealing with government or negotiating a business deal it’s amazing hearing stories from two different camps. Both have very persuasive arguments and neither may be correct. Life is definitely more fluid… Continue reading Hear both sides of the story and stay neutral, until? (Lesson 88) 90 day challenge
When you know what you want, nothing else matters. The beauty of youth is the romance we have about life because we’re so naive. We dream big and we make a date with destiny. The tragedy of ageing too quickly, we lose the fire in our belly and life becomes one grinding treadmill. We’ve become… Continue reading New beginnings is one choice away, just one choice (Lesson 87) 90 day challenge
Children have an uncanny ability to share their thoughts, have a fight & reconnect in no time. As we get older we exchange childish transparency for a more sophisticated life. We spin ourselves a spiders web of complexity and in doing so we entrap ourselves. Unhealthy habits form when we carry too much baggage internally.… Continue reading Choose carefully and be accountable to someone, why? (Lesson 86) 90 day challenge
My mum in her ageing wisdom warned me about the middle years. She said ~ “Some irrational thinking starts to develop and you start to rethink all sorts of things and get a little loopy for a season” Mum went on to give me examples and I was amazed that she was so open. For… Continue reading Midlife and it’s hazards, how to stay clear (Lesson 85) 90 day challenge
Humility A simple description of humility ‘a quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance’ Authority A simple description of authority ‘the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience.’ If I were drowning at the beach, I’d easily surrender to the lifesavers orders and wouldn’t get caught up… Continue reading Humility & Authority have a common ground, what? (Lesson 84) 90 day challenge
Three things are vital when preparing for the launch of a new idea. 1. Muster all the fuel you can get The first three to six months takes up so much energy to break through the atmosphere to reach the orbit of Signing up your first client Being free from the negativity of those that… Continue reading Launching an idea is costly, relaunching is a miracle (Lesson 83) 90 day challenge
Freedom comes at a cost, it’s all possible but it comes at a cost Knowing how to obey the laws of ethics rather than rules voted in by the democratic process is a start. I attended a political lunch of an upcoming candidate from an opposition party. The keynote speaker spoke with a feudal voice,… Continue reading You obey the rules, why are you still unhappy? (Lesson 82) 90 day challenge
Quiet seasons don’t necessarily mean calm seasons Quiet seasons can often stir up mixed emotions of uncertainty, being the opposite of feeling calm or tranquil. Calmness is that sense of peace 1. There’s food in the fridge 2. The bills are paid 3. Relationships are in harmony 4. There’s a general sense of well-being However,… Continue reading Calm before the storm of opportunity (Lesson 80) 90 day challenge
Peace and war are in the power o the tongue With sayings like “Watch your mouth, put a zip in it, shut your trap, if you haven’t got anything good to say anything at all” etc.. In thousands of years of human development, we still struggle to tame the tongue First sign of maturity is… Continue reading Our words govern us, use them to your advantage, how? (Lesson 79) 90 day challenge
Even ancient kings looked for meaning in their work. In this day and age of work / life balance, we are forever in our search for meaning, we are no better than our ancestors. The free world tries to sell the retirement plan as a meaning, rather than find meaning throughout our work / life.… Continue reading Finding satisfaction in our work, an ancient desire (Lesson 78) 90 day challenge
Striving for perfect moments While perfection is just an illusion, human beings strive for that moment where everything aligns. It’s in our DNA to achieve, progress and renew A young couple look for meaning in a relationship. They court one another and plan for that perfect wedding that lasts for just a moment. A baby… Continue reading Perfection is just for a moment, chase it anyway (Lesson 76) 90 day challenge
Reaching a peak others fear to tread may not be your peak. At this point you may give yourself consent that you have no need to go further. Three reasons to never give yourself consent 1. The law of attrition is always at work The moment you give yourself consent that you’ve reached your peak,… Continue reading Limitations by our own consent (Lesson 75) 90 day challenge
‘Stick to your knitting’ a term I heard dozens of times by an old boss, when he felt we were straying from our core strengths. Anyone that has grown up with a mother that knitted understands the tediousness of knitting. One stitch at a time 1. Discipline to stick to our core strengths and objectives… Continue reading Stick to your knitting – What is your natural gift? (Lesson 74) 90 day challenge
Unhealthy habits begin when we get stifled and we look for immediate gratification Long term goals can get exhausting, like planning for your retirement at 30 years of age; or your job and relationships are just a repeat unconscious actions. Unhealthy habits form to replace nature’s endorphins. Boredom & Rockbottom have two things in common… Continue reading Boredom & Rockbottom have two things in common (Lesson 72) 90 day challenge
An Ancient Eastern Proverb - It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. Resting body, mind & emotions opens up the world to new experiences Even nature reveals in our early development the… Continue reading Your mind, body and emotions need some rest from worry, not activity (Lesson 5 Revised) 27 days
Everyone needs personal space to flourish, so to be left alone from time to time is not all bad. People that end up feeling lonely often place a hedge around their lives which repels sincere companionship. Most toxic relationships are often a result of individuals not knowing the difference between being alone and becoming lonely.… Continue reading Being alone and being lonely aren’t the same (Lesson 7 Revised) 27 days
Fire breathing and starting a business is always risky, you have to juggle between attracting an audience and staying alive. 1. They both must bedazzle the audience Fire breathers are conscious that an audience wants to be bedazzled, it’s all part of the entertainment Starting a new business has its own opportunities for the same… Continue reading Fire breathers and entrepreneurs always attract public interest, why? (Lesson 8 Revised) 27 days
The vote has already been predetermined and committees legitimise and hide the strongest influencers. let’s be honest and reinvent the value of a committee Leadership is the prerequisite of any movement or progressive organisation. The idea of committees was birthed to control excessive powers or legitimise them. Noble or Divisive, committees are a tool of… Continue reading The committee is dead, how do we bring it back to life? (Lesson 15) 27 day challenge
When we hold on too hard, everything can become weighty. I’ve heard the saying ‘Let go and let God’ and it’s probably a neat way of saying ‘LIVE’ The very idea of living to the full allows us to discover our gifting which always adds value to the world. Being completely stifled in a job… Continue reading We are born to die, it’s what happens in between that matters. (Lesson 17) 27 day challenge
If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably going in circles. 1. Moving through terrains, it’s wise to be prepared I often marvel at professionals that are decisive and make things happen. These individuals aren’t reckless, they see way ahead and anticipate movements along the way. Experience does two things, it makes you fearful… Continue reading 3 thoughts to stay on track (Lesson 20) 27 day challenge
Don’t eat all the seed in your hand To those that have more will be given and to those that don’t have, even the little that they have will be taken from them ~ Jesus paraphrased 1. Poverty Mindset Poverty - Not having the means to live a healthy existence Breaking the cycle of poverty… Continue reading RICH vs a POVERTY MINDSET (Lesson 26) 27 day challenge
In the space of a few short weeks, individuals are drawn down to their last pennies, some companies are pushed to the wall, faith groups and other community enterprises such as sports clubs and entertainment have been decimated. Remember the golden rule, those who hold the gold, make the rules. Meanwhile our government’s footing has… Continue reading THOSE WHO HOLD THE GOLD MAKE THE RULES (Lesson 73) 90 day challenge
Bigger, Bolder, Brighter Every now and again you have to change directions, wipe the slate clean and reset. Our journey is long, our quest is noble, our loyalties are fixed. We have but one Master and our God given conscience leads us into the unknown. It’s in the unknown we discover something truly remarkable about… Continue reading SETTING ON A NEW VENTURE (Lesson 37) 90 day challenge
Unless you’ve been here, you’ll never appreciate the sweet, sweet taste of life’s beauty unraveled by the oddest people we meet. Here’s just one glimpse that will last a lifetime. 1987, My wife, our baby girl and I are living thousands of kms from our family and community trying to build another community to give… Continue reading Angels we meet in difficult time (Lesson 39) 90 day challenge
“Who’s your Master?” He said (a comment made to me by a client) For though I am free from all me, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more ~ Paul, known as the Apostle 'Who's your Master"? To the modern day slave, that’s easy to answer, to the… Continue reading Who’s your Master? (Lesson 40) 90 day challenge
Clash of two worlds I watched this homeless man take a seat at the head of the table at Times Square and he just sat there watching the world go by. Joan Osborne’s song ‘One of us’ came to mind as I watched the world go by with him. ~ What if God was one… Continue reading Was it Black Jesus at Times Square? (Lesson 43) 90 day challenge
Longmore, Riverbank juvenile prisons among others was the main topic of discussion with John, who’s now retired after decades of serving our youth. Retirement should be eliminated from our vocab, the moment we stop giving is the moment we start dying John is in his mid 70s and shares that he is soul searching when… Continue reading Delete retirement from your vocab (Lesson 44) 90 day challenge
"I am just a grain of sand" During my visit in Manhattan, New York I'm asking random unsuspecting people big questions about themselves and society. From the homeless, business people, lawyers, producers and this guy. A picture is worth a thousand words. I’m sitting in the foyer of the hotel and couldn’t help but take… Continue reading I AM JUST A GRAIN OF SAND (Lesson 45) 90 day challenge
Plan like you'll live forever, live like it's your last breath. It may sound morbid but I've always been fascinated by funerals, even taking photos with my 35mm Camera back in the seventies at a family burial. I'm surprised no one stopped me and thought it may have been distasteful, maybe they saw the value… Continue reading There’s no escaping, so don’t waste a minute (Lesson 46) 90 day challenge
I raced my dog on a track and field and he didn't stay in his lane, he just raced all over the field having fun. Then the thought occurred to me ‘The day I stopped running in the fictional white lines painted by my previous task masters was the day I discovered a new world’… Continue reading True freedom seems frightening (Lesson 47) 90 day challenge
Don't judge a book by its cover The Lyndon-James's family understand Social Capital at its finest I started hearing about this guy called Peter Lyndon-James some time ago and didn’t think much of it, just another story of a guy that went from the dark side to a fanatical religious side of life, or so… Continue reading Don’t judge a book by its cover (Lesson 48) 90 day challenge
While travelling in India, one of my favorite teachings came to life while walking through a fishing village. Jesus the itinerant and his first message I was reminded of the first public message over 2000 years ago and the setting we have of Jesus’s itinerant ministry. History described him as one who walked among those… Continue reading He challenged them to think (Lesson 50) 90 day challenge
Nothing makes a troll feel better than tarnishing your character as they create an unreal image of their power in your mind. It's no different to the classroom or workplace bully. If you're in the public space, let's face it, you've become a target of Chucky, the undeveloped mind. Chucky is an undeveloped creature who… Continue reading Dealing with a Social Media Troll (Lesson 52) 90 day challenge
I was privileged to speak to about fifty young men aged between eighteen and thirty in a Perth prison along with prison officers and the prison director. I also had a couple of construction site managers. an x-police officer and an indigenous leader come along for the ride. These young prisoners are incredibly intuitive and… Continue reading The prison bars aren’t the inhibitor (Lesson 55) 90 day challenge
Let's build the smartest cultural city in the world with the aim of making Perth the gateway to Australia. Smart City Perth is an idea to connect leaders with leaders. It's not about attracting followers to justify its existence. It's definitely not about one person's agenda or ideology. The aim is to get initiatives off… Continue reading Imagine a network of leaders not sheep (Lesson 56) 90 day challenge
The moment you walk in, it's evident wether you're welcome or not. Picture of John Stefanelli Senior sharing some wisdom with young leaders. I thought it would be good to have one of the founders of the Swan Chamber of Commerce some forty years earlier give young people a taste of what it's like to… Continue reading The day fear is introduced, business stops growing (Lesson 57) 90 day challenge
Boxer walks around a construction site with a sense of urgency and purpose, like name like character. Boxer is one of those rare people that reminds me of the marble in a paint can, when the can is shaken the paint mixes well because of the marble. Guys like Boxer bring order to urgency as… Continue reading They call him Boxer – 80 yrs old and still gives the young ones a run for their money on construction sites (Lesson 63) 90 day challenge
They show potential and the blood thirst of the economy must be fed so small business is encouraged at all costs. Modern-Day Gladiators, practicing their skills when no one is watching, waiting for the day they get a shot in the arena. The arena (THE MARKET PLACE) is packed to the brim, represented by every… Continue reading Entrepreneur – Modern Day Gladiators (Lesson 61) 90 day challenge
Updated June 2020 and the positive narrative continues. Seven years on and it's still happening, wholesome leaders empowering people to build amazing structures in Perth's high-rise horizon. pic taken at Langley Park nurturing good mental health and suicide awareness, a Hanssen campaign 'run for a friend ;' September 2018, I concluded a five year personal… Continue reading Toxic Construction Culture weeded out by a new style of leadership
The moment we start writing our CV, we begin to define ourselves and I assure you that you are better than your CV, no matter how exaggerated it is. Often a CV will try to identify qualifications, experience and character by its author and the unfortunate aspect of this is, the reader will read it… Continue reading A life without a CV? (Lesson 62) 90 day challenge
God does not shout to make himself heard, be still and hear God speak. Silence can be the loudest experience for some of us when our soul is not rested. We tend to busy ourselves with more chatter, more noise until a breakdown happens rather than a breakthrough. Taking photos while doing a charity drive… Continue reading Wretched chatter – Why I switch my phone off (Lesson 65) 90 day challenge
Mentoring in Construction is a tough gig, Gerry was my doorway. The following is my story and intro into the high rise construction industry in Perth Western Australia through construction Boss, Gerry Hanssen. Gerry has become a friend and mutual agitator to make a difference in the lives of people and the building industry. ‘The… Continue reading Construction Boss called me The Chaplain (Lesson 68) 90 day challenge
The razor edge of authority Authority is likened to the razor edge of a surgeons scalpel and the two razor edges of a warriors sword. The scalpel- Knowing when to use the scalpel by mentoring others and surgically removing the cancers that eat away at a persons life. The two edged sword - Knowing when… Continue reading Razor Edge Authority (Lesson 66) 90 day challenge
