As a young man I found myself living a life that was a total mess. I had failed high school, and I was unable to hold a steady job. My life went by one pay packet at a time. A turn for the worse came when I took a job bouncing at some of the roughest nightclubs in town; an altercation with a patron lead to a two year long court case that dragged my self image and sense of worth through the mud. During this time I turned to experimenting with party drugs, not knowing what else to do in order to raise my self esteem and cope with the stresses of life.

When the court handed down a hearing, I was found innocent, but sentenced to one week in a state prison. I now believe the judge was attempting to give me a taste of what life could have been like had I let myself continue down that destructive road. When taken to the prison I was asked to strip and bend over so I could be searched in a room full of police men and women. I have never felt so ashamed – my father was a policeman and the thought of him seeing me in this position was terrifying. This was rock bottom. I knew something had to change.

Unable to find another solution to my problems, I moved interstate to get a fresh start. I thought I was merely moving away – but really I was running away. I never dealt with the real issues I was having, and gained nearly fifty kilograms in less than two years. Back to doing things that would land me in jail if caught, I realised that my physical, mental and emotional health were deteriorating at an alarming rate. I had had enough, and decided I wasn’t continuing down this road a second time.

After some thought, I resolved that my physical health was the first step in my road to recovery. In a little under six months, I lost fifty-three kilograms and won an Australian body building title. I couldn’t believe I had done it; but when the endorphins started to fade, I noticed that I still felt empty.

My girlfriend taught me to be patient and see the best in people. She led by example; my behaviour was selfish and careless, yet she saw past that and loved me regardless. We have now been together for nine years – married the last two. She is the single best thing that has ever happened to me.

Life was looking up. I moved back home and opened a gym with a friend. Six months later the gym and the friend were no longer. Again, I blamed everyone except myself. The world was out to get me, my life was a wreck again, and it was everyone else’s fault. Not too long down the track, the emotions that I had been suppressing for years burst free. I began having regular anxiety attacks – leaving the house was an ordeal. As someone who was super confident as a young man, I felt like my worst nightmare was coming to life. I never used to be scared of anything, and now I was scared of everything.

Enough was finally enough. I visited multiple professions to get help – as many as I could think of. Nothing worked; no one gave me a long term strategy. Little did I know my break was just around the corner. Life changed beyond my wildest dreams the day I met Paul Blackburn. Paul taught me to manage my life according to my own values. During his twelve month coaching program, Paul prompted me to consider possibilities I would have thought were well beyond my reach. After spending only three months with Paul, I knew I had found my purpose in life, and I asked him to teach me how to be a coach. He is the best in his profession, and I knew I could turn my life around with his help.

With Paul’s assistance, I recognised that attending a seminar has great value, but it would take work everyday to be the person I want to be – to achieve long term personal success. What better way is there to truly devote yourself to something, than to help others learn about it?

In twelve months, I went from earning $16,000 to $100,000 per year. I now own my home, have investment properties, run a total health program (Fab Five - www.shedweightlookgreat.com), and have helped many people overcome smoking, depression, weight problems, low self esteem, chronic stress and other limiting problems. I have gone from failing the school of life to being successful beyond my wildest dreams.

I have now taught thousands of people around Australia to design their own lives through Paul Blackburn’s Mental Toolbox (www.thementaltoolbox.com) seminars, and have worked with organisations such as Oz Care to help alcoholics find their feet.

Now anyone can learn what it took me years of struggling to discover. That’s why I am passionate about this program – it allows people to tap directly into the lessons I had to learn the hard way.