Friday 14 January 2022

Just Keep Swimming Until You Get To France!

🌊 Good afternoon and a belated Happy New Year to all swimmers around the world who are preparing to complete their chosen swims this year. The very best of luck to all of you.

I am pleased to have finally completed a 3 minute video of my 2007 English Channel Swim, set to the single version of my #1 International bestselling song - "Just Keep Swimming Until You Get To France!" which is released today as a single on all music channels including:-


🍏 Apple Music: https://apple.co/3zVI5Bf 

...etc., etc. I hope you like it and it inspires you to fulfil all of your dreams! 


Signed copies of my book are also available with international shipping via the link here:-

📖 Bringing Value Book: https://bit.ly/3fqLjTH 


Have a great 2022 and remember - Just Keep Swimming Until You Get To France! 

🌍 Paul Hopfensperger - #BeTheDifference 👊

#JustKeepSwimming  🏊 🏊‍♀️

Tuesday 25 May 2021

Being productive during a Global Crisis

 


Bringing Value, Solving Problems and Leaving a Legacy - #1 Amazon Bestseller - April 13, 2021

In March 2020, the world entered into a crisis which can only be described as un-precedented in most living people’s experience. COVID-19 sent the world into a panic, and hundreds of thousands of people around the world lost their lives. As we went into lockdown here in the United Kingdom, I made the conscious decision to use my time productively to help as many people as I could but first I realised that I needed more skills to deal with the problems put in front of me. It wasn’t going to be an easy task, I just needed some coaching, assistance and help to hone my skills developed over 35 years in business and community service to become better than I was. My mentor Jim Rohn said it best.
“Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills”
— Jim Rohn

Another thing that Jim taught me was that my attitude is greatly influenced by association and that I should never mistake the power of influence. Influence can be both powerful and subtle. Anyone can be gently nudged off-track by someone who may be constantly pushing their elbow into your back. A little nudge with the elbow every day can push you off track until you really don’t know how you ended up where you are. All of a sudden you can say “Wow! How did I end up way over here?”.

Having been an Independent (not in a political party) councillor/politician for 17 years, I found myself way off track mentally and emotionally, and so made the conscious decision to remove myself from the negative, divisive, adversarial, confrontational energy of the local town council, and get myself back on track. I got into it to help people, not be constantly attacked due to not being a member of a political party. Wow! What a correct and amazing decision that turned out to be! I resigned as a Town Councillor, and in so doing relinquished my position as Deputy Mayor of my town. It was the best thing I ever did and was so amazing to have those nudging elbows removed from my back!

Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle


Talking to Brian Tracy - International Speaker, Author & Success Expert at Kyle Wilson’s Inner Circle Meeting - December 04, 2020.

Having met Jim Rohn’s 18 year business partner, Kyle Wilson, at a Success Symposium in Dallas in January 2008, I became a member of his inner circle. The inner circle was a way to associate with like minded Entrepreneurs, Speakers, Business People, Iconic Thought Leaders, Authors, Professionals, Musicians, etc. It was simply amazing! The difference between association with these people and local party political councillors is just simply indescribable. It gave me inspiration when the rest of the world appeared to be in desperation.

John Maxwell Team

At the 2008 Dallas Success Symposium, one of the speakers was John Maxwell. John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, coach, and speaker who has sold more than 26 million books, and was identified as the #1 leader in business by the American Management Association. In 2020, during lockdown, I finished my training which I began in 2016 to become an independent Certified Coach, Teacher, Trainer and Speaker with The John Maxwell Team.

So I had now changed my associations which affected the way I thought about everything, and had a qualification to officially be able to help people. I was very excited!



On a training call with John Maxwell - December 03, 2020

Being on Podcasts

So having joined Kyle’s Inner Circle, and become certified with John Maxwell, I began telling my story to people around the world via Zoom. In particular, I had adapted my story of swimming The English Channel, into applying the principles I learned into all areas of your life; Business, Personal, Sporting etc.

People started inviting me onto their podcasts and loved my story. It has been a truly incredible year talking and giving my presentation to so many people around the world! One of the highlights was being invited onto my first ever mentor, Larry Thompson’s ‘Millionaire Training Book Club’. Larry has recently release his original Millionaire Training Tapes which got me started in this business in 1987, in the form of a book. If you haven’t got it yet - I thoroughly recommend it! I actually could not believe it! Larry is probably the world number 1 living legend in the network marketing industry having been in the business for over 50 years. He is known as the ‘Billion Dollar Man’ because he has generated billions of dollars of sales in the companies he has been involved in - Herbalife was where I first met him. I was truly humbled and blessed to be invited onto this show live from Texas in the USA.

Co-Authoring a #1 Amazon Best Selling Book with Kyle Wilson

Throughout all of this time, in the background, I was working with the incredible Kyle Wilson in Dallas and Takara Sights in Los Angeles to co-author a book called “Bringing Value, Solving Problems and Leaving a Legacy”. My co-authors include Tom Ziglar - son of legendary speaker Zig Ziglar, speaker, trainer and CEO of Ziglar.com, Dr Denis Waitley - Iconic Speaker and Author, Rachele Brooke-Smith - Actress, Filmmaker, Speaker & Entrepreneur and Mitzi Purdue - Family Business Expert, Speaker and Humanitarian to name just 3 of the 41 incredible authors. It has truly been the most incredible experience and on the day of it’s launch, Tuesday April 13, 2020, the book reached #1 Best Seller Status on Amazon in 28 CATEGORIES and INTERNATIONALLY including just some of the following countries: The United States, Canada, Australia, France, Mexico and the United Kingdom! To cap it all, all profits from this book went to an amazing charity ‘Win This Fight’ - a charity setup by one of my co-authors, Mitzi Purdue.

So Why and I Telling You All of This?

The global pandemic has and is still causing major health problems around the world, both physical and mental. Many, many millions of people are suffering the effects of the lockdown isolation and it has had serious effects on people’s mental health. I have made it my challenge, my purpose to help as many people as I can to overcome the challenges we all face over the coming years.

What I have tried to show you above, is that who you disassociate yourself from and then who you associate with, can have a seriously positive effect on your physical health, your mental health and your financial future. If I can do it - you can do it. I’m no different to you - but we all need a little help. I’m here for you. As Jim Rohn said:

“It takes all of us to help each of us, and each of us to help all of us, and we can’t do it alone. Have you ever seen a rich hermit?”
— Jim Rohm

Summary

I will finish this post by quoting Mitzi Perdue from her section in the book, because it sums up everything I am saying here. This is what she said:-

“I think most of us would like to look back on our lives and feel that we’ve made a contribution. The formula for getting there that I like is a) Don’t be afraid of failure, b) Do everything you can to grow your talent stack, and c) Act on what Aristotle said 2300 years ago:
’The only way to achieve true success in life is to express yourself in service to society.’ ”
— Mitzi Purdue
So I am here to help YOU in whatever way I can. Sign up for my e-mail list at www.PaulHopfensperger.com and buy the book. My chapter: "Just Keep Swimming Until You Get To France!" may just inspire you and help YOU walk forward into the next few years with optimism!

Yours in health, wealth, happiness and optimism.

🌍 Paul Hopfensperger - #BeTheDifference 👊




Tuesday 25 February 2020

The 'King of The English Channel' Kevin Murphy visits Body and Mind Studio to collect "The Butlin Challenge Trophy - International Swim Across The Wash"

Left to Right: Beccy Hopfensperger, Paul Hopfensperger, Kevin Murphy, Kathy Batts.
On Thursday 20/02/2020, Beccy and I were delighted to welcome Kevin Murphy, the 'King of The English Channel' to Body and Mind Studio to collect the "The Butlin Challenge Trophy - International Swim Across The Wash" which has been in our possession as former Chairman and Honorary Secretary of the International Open Water Swimming Association (IOWSA) since 2009.

The Butlin Challenge Trophy - International Swim Across The Wash
Kevin was the first man, and second person ever to swim across The Wash on 26/05/1973 (full list of successful swims here) and following telephone discussions with him over the past few weeks, this is what we have decided.


Kevin is going to hand the trophy over to the British Long Distance Swimming Association (BLDSA) who  he informed me, originally ratified all open water swims in the 1970's, and any swims which may have happened in recent years and in the years to come, will have to be ratified by the BLDSA to have the swimmers name engraved on the trophy.

Successful Relay Swims - Further Information Here
For the historical record, it was a very interesting project using my own time, effort and resources to track this trophy down in 2009, and to read up about The Wash and ratify all known successful swims on behalf of IOWSA. I hope this historical trophy has many more names engraved on it in the future.

Tuesday 30 July 2019

Update on The Butlins Trophy for swimming The Wash

Above: Jacqueline Thomas of East Lindsey District Council hands over the trophy to Paul Hopfensperger, the then Chairman of the International Open Water Swimming Association (IOWSA) in Manby, Licolnshire on Wednesday December 16, 2009.

Over the past couple of years, I have been receiving e-mails, texts, phone calls and Facebook messages from various people who are saying they have "Swum The Wash" and can I "Hand over the trophy" to them. Firstly, so that people understand how I came to locate this trophy after being lost for so many years, please see the story here. Due to losing my mother, then my father then having an extremely painful Frozen Shoulder for the past 3 years, I have not now been involved in swimming for 9 years, so I'm sorry, but swimming is just not part of my life at the moment so I just do not have the capacity to deal with all this at the moment.

Secondly, so that everyone understands what is happening, two years ago I asked the then Mayor of Skegness, Cllr. Sid Dennis, if I could hand the trophy over to Skegness Town Council for safe keeping, as I believe that this should be the natural home for this historic trophy. It's where Billy Butlins opened his first Holiday Camp in 1936, and it was him who originally presented this historic trophy to swimmers of The Wash. I left it with Cllr. Dennis, and we provisionally arranged that we would have a "hand over" ceremony in October 2017, and that Skegness Town Council could then keep possession of this trophy for me, and keep track of persons entitled to have their name engraved on the trophy (in line with the IOWSA rules below). For reasons I am unaware of, this didn't happen.

I have this week, contacted Skegness Town Council again, and they are now looking into it again for me.  Cllr. Dennis has contacted me again, and he is the councillor who is looking into it. Knowing how Town Councils work, I would imagine this could be a 1-2 month process at the very least. 

While writing, I would like to say that ALL swimmers names who appear on the trophy, have swum The Wash under normal 'Channel Swimming' rules, i.e. in particular, no wetsuits. I have this morning spoken to the CS&PF Honorary Secretary, Kevin Murphy who has swum The Wash, who has confirmed this, as he did in 2009 when we set IOWSA up. The swimming rules to be eligible to receive the trophy are similar to item 10 of the IOWSA Rules and Regulations document below.

Once I have confirmation of what is happening, I will post back here. In the meantime, please be patient and you have my assurances that I am trying to get this trophy back to Skegness where it belongs, but I can't just hand it over to anyone who asks me for it. That would be totally irresponsible.

Useful Information for People Interested in Swimming The Wash




Paul Hopfensperger
Tuesday July 30, 2019

-------------------------------------------------

Update - Wednesday July 31, 2019

I have received an e-mail from Skegness Town Council stating that the first time that this could be discussed by them would be at their meeting on 04/09/2019.


Thursday 17 November 2016

A new direction in life as a Motivational Speaker



On March 8th, 2013 my dear mum Vera passed away following a massive stroke a year earlier. She was the reason for me starting swimming at a very early age and I will always be eternally grateful to her for giving me a lifelong interest which has given me so much enjoyment, enabled me to meet so many wonderful people, travel to so many places and now, to allow me to tell people about my journey as part of a new direction in my life. 

Due to work, family and political commitments over the past few years, I haven't been able to commit any decent time to swimming, so I thought I would concentrate on helping inspire others to start on their journey to successful accomplishment of their goals. I have therefore launched a new website as a joint venture for my work as an Independent local councillor, and as a motivational speaker. It is in the early stages of development, so please check on it regularly for updates.

If you are starting out on your journey to swim The English Channel, or starting out on the journey to achieving any other goal, this ancient Korean quote helped me succeed. I hope it does the same for you:-

"No matter how high the mountain is, it can be compared to a small tomb under the heaven. So if a man attempted to climb it, there would be no reason why he can't succeed. But very often one claims the mountain is too high without even attempting to climb it."

www.PaulHopfensperger.com

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Tuesday 28 January 2014

Hoffy's Chilly Dip 2014 - Getting closer...


Well, preparations for the 2014 Chilly Dip are well under way, but I have hit a slight snag. I am on a course in London on the day off the actual swim, so I will be doing it on my own on the previous Friday, February 21st, 2014. Just gives me two less days to prepare!

I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored me so far, having already reached £190 of my £250 target! Thank you again, and if you would like to sponsor me, please do so by clicking on the link below:-


Tuesday 14 January 2014

Hoffy's Chilly Dip 2014!

 Hoffy's JustGiving Page
Well, it's been a long time since my last cold water swim, but when the lovely Lucy Alfred, Design and Events Officer at St. Nicholas Hospice Care (SNHC) in Bury St Edmunds, e-mailed me and asked if I would be interested in a 10 length swim at 6 degrees Centigrade, how could I possibly refuse? So, here we are, with just over a month until the big day, on a positively beautiful sunny but cold January day, launching the event.

This morning at 11:00am 5 barmy people, myself included, wearing nothing but speedos, bikinis, swimming costumes, snorkles, goggles, ear muffs, hats and scarves, assembled in an inflatable paddling pool at St Nicholas Hospice before the town's media, well a photographer from the Bury Free Press at least, to encourage people to raise money for this fantastic charity - my favourite!

Left to right: Simon Bridle & Lucy Alfred (SNHC), Yours Truly, Camille Ives and Aaron Bridgeforth (SNHC) dipping our toes into the pool earlier today to launch the swim.

St Nicholas Hospice Care in my hometown of Bury St Edmunds, works compassionately in the fields of life-threatening illness, death and bereavement and needs to raise a staggering £11,000 per day to cover their costs. The hospice provides practical, medical and spiritual support to local people and their families living with an illness that is life threatening; such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, heart or lung disease. I am hoping to raise a minimum of £250 toward this cost, and would appreciate your help with sponsorship.

It really is not a challenge for the faint hearted, as the water will be very cold, but it will certainly be invigorating and satisfying one we have completed the challenge.  Please feel free to sponsor me on my just giving website which can be found here:-


If you would like to join in this swim, then you can do so by filling in the application form online here:-


Event Details:-

Sunday 23rd February at Moreton Hall Health Club, Mount Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP32 7BL at 11:00am.

I would like to thank Culford School Sports and Tennis Centre for the use of their fantastic swimming facilities to train for this event.

Sunday 22 September 2013

A huge congratulations to Louise Stratford, 2013 English Channel Swimmer, from all at Body and Mind Studio!

Above: 2013 English Channel Swimmer, Louise Stratford with Body and Mind Studio's Sports and Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist, Paul Hopfensperger, less than 36 hours after her epic 17 Hour 9 minute swim across The English Channel on September 03, 2013.

I first met Louise when she telephoned to book a massage with us on February 20, 2012. We had been recommended to her by multiple channel swimmer and Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation President Nick Adams. Louise told me that she had been training for about 1.5 years and had completed many open water events. Over the past 1.75 years, I have had the pleasure and the honour of treating Louise with both Advanced Clinical Massage and Sports Massage as well as giving her tips, motivation and some advice from my own personal experiences as an open water swimmer.


   
At 06: 41 Hrs on the morning of September 03, 2013, Louise set off from Shakespeare Beach in Dover (pictured above) on her epic journey to France. During our last pre-swim Swedish Massage treatment I had given her one of my most important pieces of mental advice for any Channel Swimmer to succeed. Advice which had been give to me in 2007 and most certainly got me across both of my two English Channel solo swims (want to know what it was - then come and see me!). I followed her all day via the Internet and it was a very emotional and exciting experience to watch her progress throughout the day!



12 hours and 26 minutes into the swim and with night starting to fall, having been across this stretch of water quite a few times now as both a swimmer and crew member, I could see exactly what was happening. I could see that the swim was going to go on for a few hours yet! This is where the advice I gave her would possibly help her.

Above: Louise Stratford swimming strongly in the dark of night just off the coast of France near Cap-Gris-Nez.
Eventually, at just before midnight, a comment on her Facebook page read "Has landed! and running up the beach!". I was totally ecstatic for her! An awesome swim by an awesome swimmer in 17 hours and 9 minutes to become a member of The English Channel Swimming Club!

If you would like to sponsor her, please do so on her JustGiving webpage:-




I was delighted to receive a "Thank You" card from Louise. No thanks needed Louise, you are an amazingly strong person both mentally and physically, and I am proud to have been able to help you in a small way. The hard part you did all by yourself. Well done and welcome to the club!

If I can help anyone else who is thinking of swimming The English Channel, please do not hesitate to contact me. Contact details can be found by clicking here.