‘Your Future Plan’, it’s always something to think about and probably whirls around our heads at the best of times.

The other day, I was invited as a keynote speaker at the University of Gloucestershire festival (supported by inevents) to speak to the students about exactly that.

As an honorary fellow at the Uni, it’s always important to me to support that younger generation who are trying to find their feet.

Though interestingly I’ve never actually ‘planned my future’, it’s been quite the opposite.

If I take you back to when I was 23 years old (10 years ago) to when I was a tennis teacher, being on the court with the kids, I remember being really enthusiastic on the outside, but on the inside, it wasn’t quite hitting my heart and giving me those fuzzy feelings of love in my belly.

That’s when I quit teaching after three years. That’s fairly long to be an ‘actor’ in your job, though I’m giving myself a break, I didn’t realise it at the time.

After I quit my job, I then brought my terrible old push bike and started my adventures to give back to the hospital that helped me as a kid.

There was no ‘plan’ as such, it was more about having an adventure of a lifetime with a hefty hearty purpose.

Now let’s take you back to the lecture theatre speaking to the students. These students are at that stage in their life where they’re thinking about their future.

So it was only right that I just threw a bucket load of passion at them, in the hope that they too want to take on the adventure leap of faith (I just made that phrase up, and I kind of like it).

Yes, I totally did my signature Adventureman move….

When I mean buckets of enthusiasm too, I mean it. I even got them up running on the spot, luckily they’re not at that weird age where they’re really conscious of how they look. You know, that age when you’re around 14 years old and the thought of running or dancing in front of your peers just makes you want to vomit in your mouth.

 

 

 

I know what you’re thinking, ‘Jamie’s always so happy embarrassing others!’ Well, you’re wrong, I even gave them my little dance. I do this funny thing with my hands as if I’m a DJ on the decks…

If I take you back out of the room and back into one of my adventures, six years ago I remember being in a ditch on the side of road in the middle of nowhere in Canada. I hadn’t showered in weeks. All I had to my name was a pram (to push my belongings), a tent, sleeping back and some tins of fish. And looking out on my possessions, it was the happiest I’d ever been in my life.

Which lead me onto the next adventure, being a motivational speaker.

Being honest, I never imagined I’d become a motivational speaker – I didn’t even know you could be one.

Now what I have is the gift that I’ve found what I love and by doing so, my ‘plan’ took care of itself. And the money too. The money started to come once I found my love for what I’m doing.

That’s not to say that will work for everyone, we’re all unique and built differently, and planning can work. Though, finding your true passion and purpose can only help with the ‘grande plan’.

Lastly, I’d like to leave you with a picture of my dad, who was at the back of the room watching my talk for the thousandth time (apologies about his caveman beard and bad dad shirt!).

There are some moments that you just can’t plan for.

If you, or anyone you know would like to book me as one of your next motivational speakers, visit here.

Here’s a tweet from the Uni, which is always nice to hear! And I promise I didn’t bribe them with a free book!

As my dad always says, ‘just keep doing what you’re doing!’