200-Fat's 200th-How Penno coaches shaped my life

I played a season in the AFL under Rodney Eade & Damian Drum at the Sydney Swans, did a pre-season under Neale Daniher at the Melbourne Demons, had 2 seasons under Graeme Yeats at Sandringham and played under David Noble at the RAMS - but it was the advice I got from coaches at the Pennant Hills Demons that showed me that you have to keep giving life a crack no matter what comes along to try and stop you.

The first piece of advice I got was from Trevor Daykin when I was just a boy - Trev used to tell us that no matter what the score was, whether you're 100 points up, 100 points down, or scores were level, you keep trying just as hard. It sounded like good advice in theory, but when his son Matthew kicked a goal on the siren to beat Baulkham Hills in a Grand Final after it looked like Penno were certain to lose, I knew it was advice I'd draw on again.

I was still a boy when I moved into the senior club at Penno and played under club legend Steve Barratt, but after getting pumped by Wests by 96 points in the Grand Final qualifier, I thought it might have been Barro that needed some advice. How he responded to that loss however, taught me a lot about how to deal with a crisis - not so much by what Barro SAID, but what he DID. He stayed calm and kept making good, rational decisions. He didn't freak out and start dropping players and bring in new blokes, he made a subtle change to the game plan that he thought might confuse St George in the preliminary final enough that we could beat them, then face Wests again in the Grand Final. This approach worked a treat - we beat St George in the preliminary final by more than 50 points (16-12-108 to 7-10-52) to put us into the GF against Wests - our young side won the mental challenge - scores were level about 2 minutes from full time, but Wests won the physical challenge and kicked 2 late goals to win the premiership.

Some of the best advice I got was from a Penno coach who took us nowhere near a Grand Final, but I've lost count how many times I've repeated things I learned from Danny Ryan when times have been tough. The team got a lot of pearls from "Big Dan" - some full of wisdom, some full of something else - but one of the best was "focus on the game plan and the result will take care of itself," which to me always meant you should make your decisions with conviction, then stick to your guns no matter what comes along to try and knock you off the path you're walking.

One of my most important coaches was the man who coached me in my 100th game, Jarrod Myers. I actually don't remember anything Jarrod said, but he won the Grand Final that year so he must have been good.

So if you're a Pennant Hills Demon, listen to your coach - even if it's Clarkey - you may not realise it at the time, but they will be giving you all the tools you need to give life the biggest crack you can.

199-200th Blog reading-TOMORROW

If good things come to those who wait, my 200th blog reading tomorrow night (Thurs 14/5)  - about how Pennant Hills AFL coaches have helped me give life the best crack I can - will lift the lid off Al's Bar at Mike Kenny Oval in Cherrybrook after Demons training.

I have been honing my story to make sure it leaves audiences with the tools they need to take on life's challenges, and this blog will do exactly that. As well as the message I will pass on when I read my 200th blog, I will also be giving out 92 copies of a shortened version of my book - there was a printing error that leaves the book finishing 2 pages into chapter 9.

So for anyone looking for a shot of inspiration, come down to Penno training tomorrow night, watch the boys run around, grab a copy of "Playing in the PUDDLES", and hear my reading of my 200th blog.

*Training starts at 6.30 & finishes at 7.45, I will read my blog at around 8 pm at Mike Kenny Oval, Shepherds Dr, Cherrybrook. 

198-Never underestimate "being there"

When a loved one is in need, people around them often lament "I feel helpless" or "what could I possibly do to help?", but yesterday, during my wife's straight forward day surgery procedure, her sister & nephew showed exactly what you can do...

Just be there.

As we sat in the waiting room waiting for Angela to be called, there were no pearls of wisdom or psychologically consoling conversations, the wait was as uneventful as a visit to the dentist. Ange's nephew played limbo under the line marking strap at the reception counter, then Ange taught him how to say "giddy-up" as she played horsie and the waiting room was filled with the laughter of a 2 year old.

Thanks largely to the sheer presence of her sister & nephew, when Ange's name was called she walked to the rooms calm, composed and supported. When the surgery was complete and we were called in to be with Angela in post-op recovery, she was feeling so well that she offered to play horsie with her nephew while she was still hooked up to an iv tube.

After the discharge briefing from the nurse, we left together like we had just been grocery shopping together - there were no raised emotions and no stress - it was actually quite a pleasant day. In what could have been a trying day, it turned out there was no "time of need" because Angela had her sister by her side.

So next time you feel helpless, or that you're not able to help your loved one because you don't know what to do, don't underestimate the value of just being there.    

197-what mothers do for their children

Whatt my mothers Denise and Mary did for Angela and I today showed how lucky we are to have the mothers we have.

The day started at Mary's house, where Angela and I went to cook breakfast for mum #1, but found that all the ingredients had already been bought. So Angela and  I took our 6 eggs (the only ingredients Mary hadn't bought) and went and cooked up some bacon and eggs-Mary also provided ham, cheese and rose hip tea!

From Mum #1, we headed to mum #2-my mum, Denise in Thornleigh, where we found her out the front of our family home which was in the middle of an open house inspection before auction in a couple of weeks-she was with her car that was loaded with a lawn mower, a garden hose, a guerney, several brooms and a rake. She was coming out to Quakers Hill to help Angela and I tidy up the house Ange has just about finished renovating, and tidy we did! Thanks to the help of our mothers and our good friends Mirelle and Hany, Quakers Hill is 1 working bee away from being finished.

So to our mothers-happy Mother's Day tomorrow, thank you for everything you have done for us, and everything you continue to do for us.

We both love you very much.

195-Blepharospasm- blink and I'll miss it by Kokoda

My uncontrolled blinking condition (blepharospasm) has been getting worse & worse since it started a couple of years ago - due to wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels - but after seeing a new diabetes expert today, I feel like the problem could be solved before I walk Kokoda in October.

Blepharospasm started out being a funny little quirk, like when I walked into a telegraph pole while I was walking along holding a girl's hand, but yesterday I fell into a flowerbed after tripping over the stone wall, so it's now getting downright dangerous - but today I saw Wendy Bryant, a type 1 diabetes and insulin pump expert who started talking a language I felt was going to fix my blepharospasm. We readjusted my basal rates, increased my insulin sensitivity, and tomorrow I'll be fasting so we can understand how my bodies natural insulin production works.

I have no idea if these new tactics will work, but I got a good vibe, so hopefully the next time I talk about blepharospasm is when I say "yeh-I used to have that."

194-Barnaby's message going full circle

The message I've been developing over the last few years in my speaking - that all anyone can do in life is give whatever is in front of them the best crack they can and let the chips fall where they may -was largely developed on the footy field, but this morning it goes full circle when I talk at Roseville Public School in front of a former team mates daughters.

One of the best footballers to ever play at Pennant Hills -Tim Nunan (Noodles), sent me a note saying I'll be speaking in front of his 2 daughters at Roseville this morning and it made me proud to think that my speaking has gone from a 'nice story about a guy who's gone through some hard times & come out of it stronger', to an inspiring speech that adds value to any audience who hears it.

So I can't wait  to pass on my message to Roseville Public.

193-Good decisions + good people = good results

Sometimes life is made too complicated, but after a potentially messy roster change at work yesterday was made as smooth as duck poo on a linoleum floor, it made me realise that simply being good to other people means they're usually good to you in return.

My wife & I wanted to spend more time together, so I decided to apply to have Monday's off work, and it was all organised without a shred of drama. Getting a roster at work changed may not go down as a lifetime achievement, but it demonstrated how when you keep life simple, things seem to fall your way.

A combination of good decisions and being good to people has resulted in good results for me, so I thought I'd share my process. Life is complicated enough as it is - just watch ABC News 24 one day for proof - so why make it more complicated by worrying about things you can't change? All I've ever done is what my footy coach used to tell us: "focus on the game plan & let the result take care of itself."

Life's not fair, and there are no answers, so don't lose sleep trying to find them - rain falls on the just and the unjust alike, but there comes a time when you just have to get over it and go and play in the puddles.

PS. As I was writing this blog, I got an email from the publisher of my book, IndieMosh Publishing which gave proof that being nice to people can end up in good results. I ordered 111 copies of my book. but  IndieMosh rounded the order up to 115 "as a small thank you for being so nice to work with"

192 - Ange & Barns round the world honeymoon-leg 4-Camden

The round the world honeymoon continues-last week Ange flew a Cesna 182 aeroplane at Camden airport-see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbx62vbxmXY

191-"Playing in the Puddles" on sale

Type 1 diabetic & stroke survivor Barnaby Howarth was three-quarters through writing his autobiography in 2005 when he had a stroke and was placed on life support after being bashed outside a nightclub in Sydney. When he recovered, he finished writing his manuscript and had it self-published, but couldn't shake the feeling he'd let himself down. He didn't feel like he'd done his story justice, but now he's finished what he started and is telling his story in Playing in the Puddles

This is one of the proudest things I've ever said:

My book has been published and is on sale - the story speaks for itself, just buy a copy... 

https://www.createspace.com/5422401

(Or buy it on Amazon if you prefer: http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Puddles-Barnaby-Howarth/dp/192521981X/)

190-Find your drive through disappointment-motivational speaking by Barnaby Howarth

Not everyone is going to get diabetes or have a stroke, but at some stage we'll all be disappointed, and I want to help you find your drive through that disappointment, so I have a special offer for anyone who makes a booking before June 30, 2015.

Any speeches booked before June 30 will be offered at $2500, before increasing to around $4000. The reason for the increase will be revealed in good time, but for now, it is between me and the lamp post, but it means for now, there is a bargain to be had.

What you will get if you take up this offer is a speech by a real Aussie bloke talking about how he used the disappointment he has faced in life (being diagnosed with diabetes at 14,  getting bashed in an alcohol-fueled gang attack and having a stroke at 25, then seeing his girlfriend diagnosed with breast cancer) to find his own drive (which helped him play a season of AFL football for the Sydney Swans, write 2 books, film 2 documentaries, climb Mt Kilimanjaro, play his 100th AFL game for his local footy club and be inducted to the Sydney AFL Hall of Fame, and then marry his girlfriend.)

You will then be told about how the tools you need to find your drive aren't that far away. If you would like to take advantage of this unique opportunity, fill out the booking enquiry form on my website (http://barnabyhowarth.com.au/bookings-contact/).

189-Give it a Crack is back

Did you hear about the guy who lost the whole left side of his body in an industrial accident?

To find out how he is, get your tickets to Give it a Crack, 2015.to be held at Sydney's Comedy Store on Wednesday November 11 at 8pm, where I will reveal the answer in a stand up comedy set.

Give it a crack is a night of comedy by some of the most promising stand up comics in Australia - they have been handpicked by the Comedy Store at the RAW Comedy Festival. They will be nervous and inexperienced, but they will also be passionate and excited, and they will be there to Give it a Crack.

75% of funds raised will be donated to the Pennant Hills Football Club to say thank you for helping me get back on my feet after a having a stroke.

188-Fat’s 200th Blog reading May 14 at MKO

When I played my 100^th game for Pennant Hills, record numbers of Demon’s supporters came along to be a part of an event that Rugby League Legend Garry Jack described as the best day of footy he’s ever been to. 

So when I celebrate my 200^th blog after Penno training on May 14^th, basic maths suggests my 200^th should be twice as good as my 100^th.

After training and while players enjoy a sausage sandwich at Mike Kenny Oval in Cherrybrook, I will read my 200^th blog (about how Penno coaches shaped my life), and you’re invited to come along.

Come & join the Penno community & hear my reflections on my years as a Demon.

*Training starts at 6.30 & finishes at 7.45, I will read my blog at around 8 pm.

187-Change the world by NOT making it worse

Making the world a better place is tough, it takes a lot of traits that only a few people posses, but NOT making the world a worse place is easy - just keep making good decisions.

People often complain "I'm only one person - nothing I do can change the world," but that couldn't be further from the truth - things you decide NOT to do can make the world better. A perfect example of this can be seen in the lead story on ABC News 24 this morning about the school cleaner in Leeton who is alleged to have murdered a young lady who was to be married this weekend. This peanut was obviously battling some pretty big demons, but he (allegedly) made 1 bad decision that has made the world a worse place to be right now. Had he made a good decision, the top story on ABC News 24 would be something less tragic, thus making the world a better place.

Today's society makes us feel that unless we are praised, lauded or gifted with tangible rewards, our actions weren't successful, but if this cleaner had made a good decision instead of an (allegedly) evil one, he wouldn't have got any pats on the back (he should have got a punch in the face just for considering what he [allegedly] did), but his decision NOT to (allegedly) be an evil toolbox would have changed the world by NOT making it worse.

So if you're not getting promoted, pay rises or morning teas in your honor, or trophies, ribbons or medals recognising your good decisions, don't despair - things you decide NOT to do can be making the world a better place.

186- "Playing in the puddles" on the way thanks to Julie Lewthwaite

The biography of Barnaby Howarth  - "Playing in the puddles" - is less than a fortnight away from being printed, and it is there thanks mostly to one person, the girl who wrote it, Julie Lewthwaite.

When I decided to write my biography, I wanted my story told by someone who would do it justice, so I posted the job on E-Lance - a freelance writers website where authors pitch for advertised jobs. I got a number of responses, but one of the best ones I got was from Julie Lewthwaite, a professional writer from Britain, and after reading some examples of her published work, I decided she was my girl.

I sent Julie my autobiography, media articles, documentaries and blogs, and it made me realise how much of a footy-centric life I've lived, and I was a bit worried some of the subtleties of AFL might not be picked up. Not only did Julie get it though, she researched things she wasn't sure on and filled in any gaps I'd left her. One of the best examples of this is how she describes how to kick a "drop punt" - an AFL style of disposal. This probably sounded like it was Japanese when Julie read it in my autobiography, but she has described it in "Playing in the puddles" better than any AFL coaches manual could.

My brief for Julie was to write a true account in an entertaining, fictional sounding style, and she absolutely nailed it - I lived through every story in the book, but I can't wait for the book to come out! Above anything else, I wanted this book to do my story justice, but thanks to Julie Lewthwaite, I think I come out of it sounding like a better bloke than I am in real life.

185-Kokoda-come & give it a crack

Walking the Kokoda Track with friends and family is a prospect that will most likely only come up once in a person's life, and that opportunity is right in front of you, right now. 

To give yourself enough time to prepare, you need to sign up by the end of July. The tour group recommend a 3 month training regime, and there are 20 spots, 4 are taken, and it's first in best dressed.

To help you make a final decision if the challenge of Kokoda is something that tickles your fancy, an information session has been organised for Sunday April 12 at 12.30 in Thornleigh, where a past Kokoda Trekker will be talking about his successful campaign, and a future Trekker will be on hand to answer any questions. There will be a detailed information sheet to take home, but most importantly, there will be sausages - a BBQ will be firing to keep bellies full to help make decision.

FatScooter productions will be filming a documentary about the trip, so if this once in a lifetime opportunity has you interested, please email me at barnaby@barnabyhowarth.com.au.

Details on the trip are:

Kokoda To Owers Corner

• Duration: 8 days
• Departs: 21/10/2015
• Arrives: 29/10/2015
• Price: $3,685
• Led by: Australian Led

To book your spot, email Kokoda Spirit (enquire@kokodaspirit.com) with your full name and preferred postal address and a Booking Confirmation letter will be emailed to you, once the letter comes through, put your deposit down ($500) to reserve your spot.  

184-Exciting news...watch this space

I can't tell you what it is, who it involves or where it's happening, but I have some big news that's got me excited! It's still another month until it's ready to announce, so until then...watch this space.

It's easy to sit back and SAY "c'est la vie", "good things happen to those who wait," or "sometimes s%$t just works out for you" but DOING it is a much tougher prospect, so if you stick to your guns and s%$t does work out for you, it feels like you're cooler than the other side of the pillow.

One of my best footy coaches used to say "focus on the game-plan and the result will take care of itself," so over the last few years all I've been doing is trying to keep my diabetes under control, work as hard as I can on my stroke recovery, love my wife and do my job as well as I can, and the result feels like it's taking care of itself.

So I can't tell you anything about what my news is, but when I can, you'll be the first to know, but in the meantime, just know that I feel good.

183-Your path might not be as hidden as you think

Sometimes we think that nobody understands us and we're all alone on the path we're walking, but a random encounter with a little Indian man made me realise that more people understand us than we think.

I was going through my next speech in my head, so was deep in thought when my Indian mate (who later introduced himself as Mr Yogi) walked past and looked intently at me as he did so, then he doubled back and revealed some things he'd read about me that made my hair stand on end. His first observation was that I was a lucky man - tick.

After I asked him whether it was him or me who would be luckiest at the end of the Australia vs India cricket game, he then told me I have a good heart - tick (I like to think so at least), then he asked if I had a partner. I told him I was married, and he told me "you are going through some heartache."

Whether his observations were mystically insightful or just a good guess didn't really matter, I do feel like the luckiest man alive right now.

182-My wife and I officially going to Kokoda!

This blog is more an outlet of joy than a passing on of useful information - I just paid the money that ensures my wife and I will be going to Kokoda in October.

It's going to be one of the hardest things either of us have ever done, but we started our training yesterday, we will be riding in the Cure to Conquer Cancer together just before Kokoda, we will be doing it with Keira Howarth & Scott Myers, we will be filming a documentary, we are doing it thanks hugely to Leo Brown & the ARA Group, and we will be doing it all together.

I have to cut this blog short as I have to head to dinner with my wife to celebrate our 18 month anniversary...

180-Ange & Barns Round the World honeymoon continues - leg 3, Echuca

Here's a re-release of a documentary I finished on Saturday - Leg 3 of Ange & my Round the World honeymoon, this time we're in Echuca, Victoria. It's a really cool doco, so I hope you enjoy it...

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A honeymoon is usually a one off, relaxing holiday, normally in a location that seems like paradise, but Angela & I just got back from our 4th honeymoon  holiday, and this time it was to a Victorian country town.

Our honeymoon started on the central coast of NSW, then went to Auckland, New Zealand, Khao Lak in Thailand, and now Echuca in Victoria, where we filmed a documentary about the good people in our lives (see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP8Z0I2AUlU). Our next stop will be Moonee Ponds in Victoria, but we don't want to stop there - we want to keep travelling for as long as we can - I currently have enquiries for motivational speaking (I need to keep working to fund our travels) in North America, South Africa and Japan, but we are open to going anywhere in the world.

Our Round the World honeymoon is going to Moonee Ponds in May, the Ride to Conquer Cancer in October, and then Kokoda a week later - but that leaves plenty of time in between if you, or someone you know wants to get on board - email me at barnaby@barnabyhowarth.com.au if you are interested in giving your next conference an inspiring dose of reality.

179-Barnaby to help communities think differently in front of 1300 people

18 months ago, I spoke to Warakirri College, a community learning centre in Sydney, and afterwards, it was suggested I apply to speak at the "Communities in Control" conference - some of the speakers in 2014 were Tony Abbott, Julia Gillard and Michael Kirby, so I thought I was kidding myself even applying, but I gave it a crack, and I've just been confirmed as a speaker at the 2015 conference in May.

There will be 20 speakers talking on the theme of "Think differently: Ideas that change communities," and Christine Anu will be performing a musical...performance at Moonee Valley Racing Club in Melbourne on May 25 & 26, with tickets at $350 per person. I will be talking to about 1300 guests about how 2 community groups thinking differently have changed my life and given me a future that, despite it's uncertainties, I'm excited about.

My wife will be joining me for the trip to Melbourne, and we will be filming leg 4 of our round the world honeymoon documentary.

Sometimes in life if you're unsure how something is going to turn out, you just have to close your eyes, jump in and give it a crack - sometimes it won't pay off, but when it does, you feel so good about yourself that the risks feel well worth it.

To see more about Communities in Control 2015, go to: http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic2015