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Inspiration

I grew up in Whyalla in South Australia and before I was old enough to go to school I used to hang over the front fence and watch the 'big' kids from the primary school kicking the football in the paddock across the road. From some reason, unbeknown to me I was inspired and motivated to take a life-long interest in things physical.

In fact it was physical activity that saved me from what was, for the most part, 20 years of crushingly boring, time wasting, useless and irrelevant education. The things I value most I didn't learn in school, or if did, I'd learnt them by the end of grade 4. I could read, write and do arithmetic. What else apart from an inquiring mind is there that really matters? No-one ever because more intelligent by spending 20 hours a week doing maths, physics and chemistry.

Since then I've managed to keep myself fit and healthy, not, of course without some time, effort, thought and a little money. In fact I liked the gym so much I bought it! Early in 2005 I sold it so I could concentrate on my corporate health business.

Nurture
Nurture or nature, it doesn't matter. I was brought up by hand by two parents who loved me enough to see that I didn't end up on the wrong side of the tracks and who encouraged me to keep myself busy playing sport. This has got nothing to do with books, but it's got a lot to do with me doing this work.

Motivation
I was motivated to make a career in physical education by my high school PE teacher, Mike Bowden who was unstinting in the time he gave to students particularly after school. He inspired and motivated a whole string of kids to keep themselves exceptionally fit and healthy.

I won a book prize in high school (certainly not for academic attainment) called Young Men in a Hurry - a story of great Australian sports men and women. I read it over and over again. It's still a classic. It's still on my bookshelf.

If you mix with highly motivated people and if you read motivating books, some of it rubs off.

Much later on at a time when I needed support, Alan and Rose Fox took me under their wing. They took me to seminars, suggested books to read.

Admiration
I've got a lot of admiration for the many people who put aside time to coach and mentor me, whether in sport or life. They have given me their time and energy, mostly as a gift. I can never thank these people enough.

You can be inspired and motivated by reading the stories of famous coaches and mentors.

Commitment
I was inspired by famous athletics coach, Percy Cerutty when he gave a talk at university one lunch hour. He's become a legend through his commitment to keeping himself fit and healthy. You'll learn a lot from the books written by good coaches and sports people. I've still got a letter from him in my diary compendium and still pick up his books and read them.

Focus

Along the way I was inspired to listen to what other people had to say. It started off by listening to a James Rohan tape. He's inspired me to buy many more. You'll soon be able to purchase books at the Health and Fitness Bookstore.

Persistence
As Calvin Coolidge said, 'Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.' That's a quote from a book I read somewhere.

I found an old copy of the book, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success, by Frank Bettcher, before it became famous on the network marketing circuit. You'll find Frank's classic on our list, along with Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. The other great classic is Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. These were the first of the great inspirational books along with those of Dale Carnegie and Norman Vincent Peale.

You can now buy these books at the Health and Fitness Bookstore.

Determination

Winston Churchill said something to the effect that if you want to get on in life, buy a good book of quotes. He's not wrong, and there's many a good quote from Churchill himself that will guide you along life's path.

Programmed

A couple of years ago I found a book about Emile Coue, (the man who popularized the saying, 'day by day, in every way I'm getting better and better.') written in the 1920's, in a second hand bookshop in Nimbin. Never doubt that because something's old it isn't good.

At the Health and Fitness Bookstore you'll find a welter of books and resources that will help you stay focused, motivated and inspired to keep yourself fit and healthy.

If you come across a good book which you feel I should add to the list, please let me know.

John Miller