The Journal #37


Leaders. TRT. Mud. Struggle.


01. LEADERSHIP - Joe Gaunt

Leaders

At The Hundred 2024 we launched our intention to create a leaders community to add to and impact our mission statement that better men make better fathers, partners, leaders and friends. No more than 30 leaders, with an application process to find leaders who want to be part of a community, help themselves and the other community leaders within this new network. 

Speaking to a range of people within business it seems there are quite a few leaders groups becoming available and we will be analysing these as part of our market research strategy between now and when applications to join the group start later in the year (for a Jan 2025 start).

But before we do this, one thing I believe and know will set us apart is that most groups are focused on the symptoms not the cure. That is to say helping address and ‘fix’ business challenges without actually helping equip the leader to be at their best to lead! Physically, mentally, and having the social balance and financial stability to think and act at their best. 

So our leaders group will be centred around our 4 pillars of health (mental, physical, social and financial health), personal development and inspiration, fun, networking all with the NXT45 standard we hope we are now known for with our other events to rubber stamp this. 

I have had a very lucky career personally and worked with some exceptional leaders along many good and terrible ones too. I have worked for more billion pound (or dollar) valuation companies and personally mentored a range of CEO’s, MD’s and Directors, having done and continuing in all of these roles myself too. Mike has also had an exceptional career as a covert operations leader and together we hope to share our learning and support as part of the group. 

We plan to have a once monthly meeting with optional dinner and overnight stay. Then focused support and a tight knit group to help be in touch as much or little as needed. We will also be doing one annual meeting as a retreat and hope to involve partners in this weekend, again, linked directly to our mission. 

If you would be interested in joining the waitlist for our leaders group please register interest here


02. HEALTH - Hormones

TRT

Those legends amongst you who have been reading The Journal for a while will recall me writing about the beginning of my journey into Testosterone Replacement Therapy in issue #30. If not, you can go back and learn more about my decision to start TRT here.

I also spoke about this on my Instagram as part of my ‘Mike’s Midweek Mumbles’ weekly series. I received so many questions and comments about it along with a number of guys I know well (but had no idea they were taking TRT) approach me and say they were glad we (men) were talking more openly about our hormones.

It’s for that reason I thought I’d provide you with an update., 7 weeks in.

Let’s start with the bad news.

Unfortunately I have not developed a shredded six pack, become hornier than a rabbit in spring (slight digression here - rabbits, known for their breeding capability, start mating in mid-February and continue through to early summer if you were wondering) or have upped my back squat number to world powerlifting levels.

The good news?

I am yet to freak out into an uncontrolled roid rage (no more than usual), my balls haven’t shrivelled up (not more than usual) and I’ve not grown breasts (you guessed it…no more than usual).

The reality.

It’s fair to say that seeing any real or tangible change in six weeks is unlikely but there have been a couple of changes that are worthy of note.

1 - Erections, particularly in the night and early morning, are more frequent.

2 - It feels like I’m holding onto a little bit more muscle. This could be unrelated but I feel bigger and the scales are up a little without holding onto any more body fat.

3 - Again, hard one to quantify, but I feel like I can recover better in between strenuous training sessions. I always train hard but put another way, I feel like I can push harder more often (no erection pun intended).

The only downside or negative I’ve found is that I don’t particularly look forward to injecting myself.

I’m currently injecting once every two weeks with 250mg/1ml of Sustanon. As a consequence of the volume and infrequency of injections the needle is pretty big and it needs to administered intra-muscularly.

The first 3 times I injected into my thigh. This site has the benefits of being easy to see, you can’t really miss your quad muscle and you’re able to inject deep into the muscle. There is also not a lot of bleeding. The downside is that it would give me a really bad dead leg for at least 72 hours so much so that it would be difficult to train on.

Last week I tried injecting into my glute for the first time. It’s harder to see and administer due to the angle but much less of a dead leg feel which is why I’m led to believe it’s the injection site of choice for larger needles.

Everything was going well until I looked down and saw what only can be described as a waterfall of blood cascading down my bum cheek, onto my leg and across the bathroom floor. Bleeding from behind is harder to spot obviously. The excessive bleeding was likely due to me nicking a capillary on the way out I’m told. Every day is a school day as they say.

7 weeks in and when all things are taken into account I’m glad I started TRT, if nothing else just to see what happens.

I’ll report back at the 12 week point after I have my blood work checked. That, and the way one feels of course, is the acid test of TRT being a worthwhile endeavour after all.


03. MINDSET - Mike Bates

Mud

When it comes to business it often feels like I’m stuck in the mud.

I’m nearly 4 years in and the ambitious and excitable naivety of entrepreneurship means that one doesn’t really look past the getting off the start line bit. Or perhaps that was just me?!

That naivety and ambition is of course the thing one needs when they decide to resign from a secure MOD career and set up a new service business as the world plunges into lockdown and at the start of a global pandemic.

Naivety and ambition or perhaps a screw loose!

Like a lot of business owners I know exactly where I want to go with my businesses. I see the potential in all of them and I can visualise our future possibilities and successes.

I have less of an idea of how I’m going to get there, what I need to do and how long it will take.

There are so many things out of my control and so much a new and inexperienced entrepreneur like me is yet to learn that planning too far ahead is a pretty pointless exercise.

You just have to keep the faith and work harder than anyone if you really want to stand a chance.

But, it turns out, that’s not enough either.

You need also to give it time.

I’ve been blessed to have met so many people from a much richer slice of society since I plucked up the courage to risk it all and resign from the MOD.

A few of those people have become some of my closest friends.

I was sat next to one of those friends the other week. He’s about as successful as it gets in business and when he speaks about anything business related I shut up and listen.

We were in a room full of highly capable, successful and influential founders, CEOs and MDs, many of whom were sitting atop empires worth £MM (that’s the abbreviation for hundreds of millions apparently - I had to Google it).

My friend turned to me and said, ‘The thing is Mike, all of these lot have been at this game for 10 to 15 years, some even longer. Building a successful business takes time’.

And that’s why it feels like I’m stuck in the mud.

I don’t say it in a negative manner by the way, I’ve learned and accept that getting stuck up to your knees in mud is the price paid for finally making it to the promised land of success (whatever that looks like to you).

Truly good things of any note take hard graft and patience and it will often feel like you’re going nowhere fast. You have to be content being on the journey regardless of the outcome and you must stay the course.

Time and effort is the cost of taking anything new and turning it into something most other people may never experience - a successful business, a huge physical challenge, a lifestyle overhaul, a happy marriage or friendships with your grown up children.

10-15 years of patience, hard work and a little bit of luck…not to get it. Just to see.

That’s your investment in the possibility of your future happiness and future greatness.

Now pull on those wellington boots and wade into the mud.


04. QUOTE

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau


08. TIP

If you’re struggling and feel like you’re stuck in the mud here’s a simple tip I use to help gain renewed focus and clarity on both my current struggle and my next move.

Ask yourself this question.

If my life was to continue on this path how would I feel in 3-5 years time (whether I make it or not)?

If your answer is that you accept this struggle and the path you’re walking is the one you’d still want to be on, regardless of outcome, then nothing ought to change.

If however your answer is that you simply can’t do this struggle for another 3-5 years, or you’d only be happy struggling if you succeeded in the end, then you need to jump ship now.

There has to be an acceptance of our current struggle regardless of outcome in order to be content.


Tickets for The Hundred 2025 go live in November.

Here about the release first and gain the biggest discounts by registering here.

We believe that when men live happier, healthier & more fulfilled lives…everyone wins! - NXT45


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